Page 43 of Boss

“I work for your brother now,” Kassidy told him. She loved the look of surprise in his eyes. “I’ve moved up under him and his division. You’re not my boss. Not anymore.”

Tarek cleared his throat. “Not for long. I’m back now. Things will change. I’m going to move you up to Senior Director of Operations, and back under me.”

“You’re promoting me?”

“Is that a problem?”

Kassidy glared at him but held her tongue.

“Can you handle it?” Tarek asked.

“I think I proved I can handle anything you throw at me.”

Tarek smiled. “Then have dinner with me. Let’s have the talk we should have had before I left.”

“I told you. I have other plans.”

“Fine. Play it that way. Stop by Bill's office and tell him to come see me.”

He lowered his gaze without a word and dismissed her.

Kassidy smiled.

He glanced up. “That's all. You can leave now.”

“Yes, Mr. Marshall,” she said.

Kassidy left his office and walked down the hall to Bill Harvti's office. Very few offices were kept under lock and key. Bill's was one of them. What she had given to Daniel so far was meaningless. His YouTube videos had a measly 22,000 followers. They would need something explosive to shake the media to bring the house of Marshall's down, and she'd spent two solid months hitting wall after wall. Kassidy had never told Daniel or anyone what happened between her and Tarek Marshall. She tried to pretend that it was nothing. But his dismissal just a few minutes ago crushed in on her ego and pride.

Kassidy knocked on Bill's door and opened it. He glanced up with a look of irritation on his face. “Hi, I just left Mr. Marshall's office. He asked that I stop by and let you know he wants to see you.”

Bill slammed his fist on the desk. He stood and gathered his things. Havarti mumbled to himself in search of something on his desk.

“Angela, I need you to make copies of these. All of these,” he said and pointed to the contracts. “Then please give them to my team. No email or fax. Each person gets a physical copy only. Do you understand?”

The last hard evidence she had she deleted from her phone. She’d been locked out of servers that could grant her access to contracts, and Daniel’s hackers found nothing in their email search. Havarti was old school, and for the first time since she started he’d handed over the golden evidence. The man even had his own copy machine inside his office. Everything he did or said was kept under lock and key.

“Yes, I understand. I know the attorneys under you. I’ll make sure each receives a copy.”

Bill sighed, relieved. He walked out and stopped. He looked back at her as if to question if she could be trusted. “How long have you been with the company?”

“Under a year,” she smiled.

He checked his watch and shook his head as if deciding.

“Keep this door closed, and then make sure it's locked when you leave.” He closed the door and was gone. Kassidy stood frozen. It had been almost eight long tireless months since she began her journey. She’d slept with Tarek Marshall, even fell in the love with the bastard. And all she got was a few glimpses of his corruption. And then one day she is thrown into the heart of the kingdom and given the key. It was like taking a small time jewel thief and giving them access to the vaults of Fort Knox. She didn’t know what to do or take first.

Kassidy hurried. She didn’t know where Bill was headed to, but had a feeling he could rethink his trust of her and return any minute. His office and desks were stacked with papers and contracts. There was too much clutter, chaos. There were crates of folders with files in them. Paper documents covered the floor at the front of the desk and the desk itself. And there were two laptops in chairs, and one on the desk. How did Bill manage to keep track of everything?

Kassidy went to the computer and saw on the desk more clutter, but it was the computer screen that caught her attention. The screen showed a spreadsheet with figures. Account numbers she was certain meant something on the investments and holdings in the company. But could it be useful? Kassidy wasn’t sure what to do with so much data. If she disturbed the screen in any way, Bill would certainly know and her cover would be blown. Maybe she could send the spreadsheet to her private email account and check it out later? Then she remembered how Havarti insisted no emails be sent. Havarti wanted her to make paper copies of the contracts and put them in the hands of the attorneys on his team.

“Damn it,” she mumbled. She took a step forward and felt something under her foot. She looked down. A small black USB drive was on the floor. Kassidy picked it up and studied it. She glanced at the screen and the drive. She couldn’t believe her luck. Was it just lying there waiting on her, or had Bill Havarti dropped it on his way out? Either way she didn’t hesitate to pick it up and put it in the pocket of her sweater. Kassidy used it to copy everything off the computer screen. She then started to collect the contracts. She went to the copier and began to make copies. And just as she thought, Bill returned.

“I forgot my laptop,” he said.

She nodded and tried to appear normal. He picked it up and then walked back out. Kassidy pretended at normalcy but she struggled to hide her smile.

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