Page 67 of Degrees of Innocence
Chase begins to speak. “Mark, thank you for setting up the meeting and sharing your work. Unfortunately, the designs do not include any of the critical to quality attributes defined in the weeklong event. The lab and x-ray departments should be centrally located, but with a much smaller floor space since the patients will be drawn in the exam room. The urgent care setting should be adjacent to the emergency department since it will be critical to share the same staff at times. The social services department appears to be a stand-alone service on the floor plan, instead of being integrated into the practices. While I do believe there is a market for these template designs, they will not be used for the Prestian facility. This project will be utilizing information gleaned from the event and weighing heavily on the voice of the customer data to make healthcare better in our community.
“I have been in contract negotiations with Torzial and Martel Design since our return and have secured dedicated resources for both design and Lean expertise. Mark, I want to thank you for your efforts here, and I am sure that Martel Senior will be in touch with you related to the contract. Have a good day, everyone,” he says, getting up and pulling my chair out for me. He places his hand on the small of my back as we leave the conference room and return to his office.
“What the hell just happened, Chase?” I ask as he closes the door behind us.
“Katarina, you know exactly what just happened. I am not going to continue working with a designer who clearly does not understand the process we are using. Martel Senior will let Mark know he is no longer on the project later today and Terry will be taking over designs.”
“You didn’t think to talk to me about this before you did it?” I ask. “Now word will spread that you fired him and put me in charge of the project because we’re sleeping together.”
“I fired him because he did not deliver the intended product, which if I recall correctly is exactly what we agreed upon. He doesn’t believe in Lean methodology even though he’s been provided with a week to become engagedandI’m not going to condone behaviors such as the ones he has displayed on our team. Secondly, you have always been in charge of the process we used for the facility when Mark was in our employ and now.”
“And how do you think I’m going to explain this when word gets out that he was fired because of me?” I ask.
“You fight back, Katarina. You tell the truth. He was removed from the project because he didn’t produce the agreed upon designs and has no desire to do so. The only person that thinks he’s getting fired because he said something about you is you. Your insecurities around what people think about you and your working relationships is something you’re going to have to deal with at some point, Katarina, but him being fired has nothing to do with that. I gave you my word that I wouldn’t let him go unless he did not deliver. He did not and was fired as a result.”
“You are the most infuriating person I have ever met. You had no right to talk to Jenny about my projects and you should have at least talked to me before you decided to fire him,” I state.
The phone on his desk rings and he answers the call as if dismissing me. He has got to be the most insufferable, arrogant asshole that I know. Two can play at this game. I leave the office and not seeing security around, head for the elevator in need of some fresh air. The arrogance of that man! It’s breezy outside and I search in my purse for a hair tie, quickly pulling it into a pony and wishing I had my running shoes on. I hear the swoosh of an incoming message and check my phone as I exit the building.
Message:Where are you?
My phone rings and it’s Chase’s ringtone so I turn it on vibrate and keep moving at a good pace until I get to the next block and out of securities reach. I hear a buzzing sound and realize it’s the other phone that Jay gave me this morning.You have got to be kidding. I fumble in my purse and lay the phone on a park bench as I pass by.Let Jay and his team track that!
There are lots of people milling around the lake taking advantage of the fall weather and brilliantly colored leaves before winter sets in. I’m thankful that I wore flats today and decide to walk the lake path. I’m sure Mark knows by now that he won’t be working on the project and I can’t imagine what rumors he’ll spread given the way he talked about me in Aruba. Pretty soon the whole architectural world will think that Prestian Corp is advocating Lean methodologies because I’m sleeping with him.
The guy has some serious control issues.Yes, and you usually like it…and, why am I so set on protecting Mark? Maybe Chase is right, I haven’t even told my mom about him for fear of what she may think. I’ll have to call Jenny and talk to her about the Prestian Corporation accounts. It’s not as if I have that many others and some are wrapping up. He could’ve asked me though, or at least, told me what he was thinking instead of going to her first. And what if he really is doing something illegal? I try to keep my thoughts at bay, but it would explain so many things. As I reflect back to the conversation, I realize he completely circumvented the discussion about his illegal activity.
I glance at the time and realize I’ve been walking for over an hour and head to the local bookstore that I frequent. It’s almost five when I realize I am famished since we were supposed to have a late lunch after the meeting. I decide to eat at one of the restaurants within walking distance before dark settles in and determine how to handle the situation.
The restaurant is not overly crowded and after a short while, the waitress takes my order. The creamy dill tomato soup arrives with a small basket of fresh bread. I ponder going to Jenny’s for the night, but that will be the first place Chase looks. I need some time away from him to get my thoughts together and decide to get a hotel room for the night. It’s early and I hail one of the available taxis lined up along the street.The cab driver is older and seems friendly. “Where to miss?” he asks.
“Can you please take me to one of the nice hotels?” I ask.
“Sure, ma’am, anything you like,” he replies. In about fifteen minutes he pulls up before the entrance of one of the best hotels in Chicago.I’ll stay here for the night and it’ll give me time to think about what I want to do. Thank God, I have my laptop and my iPad in my tote with me. I can get some work done and try to get my head screwed back on.I give the cab driver fare and a generous tip thanking him for the drive. The hotel entrance is grand and I try not to think about the cost. Luckily they have availability and I ask for one of the suites. As long as I’m staying at this hotel I might as well go all out. Although I am without luggage, the bellboy escorts me to my room. I give him a tip, put my tote down on the floor, and sink into the inviting overstuffed armchair. I feel like an emotional wreck and just need time to calm down and think about my next steps. I decide to call Jenny and let her know what’s going on and fish my phone from the bottom of my purse and power it up.
Message:Where are you?
Message:Katarina, where are you?
Message:I’m going to turn on the tracking device.
Message:Damn it, Katarina. The receptionist saw you leave by yourself. Turn around and head back. You’re not safe in the city by yourself.
Message:Where are you? Chase called to find out if you had contacted me. Text me… I need to make sure you are okay. Love, Jenny.
My phone vibrates and I glance at it, expecting it to be Chase again, but answer when I see it's Jenny.
“Kate, where are you and what the hell is going on? Chase was blowing up my phone earlier to see if you had contacted me. Now, Matt just called rambling on and on that he can’t live anymore without you in his life. He didn’t have your new phone number so called me and didn’t sound like himself at all, Kate. He wants you to come to his apartment and talk. I seriously think it’s a cry for help… he sounds utterly dismal.”
My heart sinks in my chest. “I’m heading to his apartment right now, Jenny,” I say, already halfway to the elevators. The damn things are as slow as waiting for a watched pot to boil and seem to stop at every floor. As they reach the ground level, I hurry out and dash across the lobby and into the street to hail a cab. I give the man Matt’s address and am impressed with his ability to quickly navigate the busy city traffic.
The cell vibrates again and this time, it’s Chase. I turn it off not wanting to explain the situation to him right now. How am I going to explain my relationship with Matt to him?Please hurryI pray silently,wishing the streets were not so congested with traffic.
As we reach Matt’s the driver pulls to the curb and I hand him some cash. Matt’s apartment is on the lower level of the small compound and the lights are on. I knock on the door and realize it is not all the way closed.
“Matt, it’s me, Kate,” I call out, pushing the door open a little farther.
My heart sinks as I see him slumped forward on the couch, a piece of paper hanging out of his mouth. I fear I may be too late. As I reach him, I feel a forceful blow to the back of the head and fall into an enveloping world of pitch dark. I am unaware of how much time has passed but am acutely aware of the throbbing in myhead and the pain of the restraints pinching the sensitive skin of my wrists as I come to. I try to concentrate on my surroundings as things begin to regain focus. Matt is next to me on the sofa, gagged, his eyes wide open and grave. The alarming smell of gasoline has permeated my senses and instantly sobers me. My heart is racing a million miles a minute as I watch Mark pouring it all over the furnishings in the room. I try to yell out, but the gag sufficiently hampers any attempts of being heard. My heart is pounding in fear as the smell engulfs the room and my senses. I look up in despair and see triumph on Mark Martel’s face. “You won’t be happy until you have taken everything from me, will you?” he snarls. “It wasn’t good enough that you got Matt, but you had to get in the way of my business, too! You’ve cost me millions! Where are your precious Chase and his security team now? He’s not going to save your ass this time, bitch. And you…” He turns to Matt. “You sniveling coward. Scared of what everyone would think if they found out we were a couple, you turn to this slut? Well now they’ll believe you were so depressed over losing her that you took both of your lives and then Prestian Corp will have no other option but to buy the designs if they want to meet their deadlines. Right now, I want the pleasure of taking this bitch out while you watch. Once this place ignites there won’t be any way to determine what happened. ”
