Page 31 of Barging In
They looked at each other again, and as if reading her mind, Jasper answered his own question. “Christine?”
“It’s likely.” She glanced at the clock. “She’s due in any minute.”
“What will you do?”
Victoria twitched her shoulders. “I’ve never gelled with the woman, but she is efficient.”
“But could someone else be more efficient?”
She hadn’t considered it from that angle before. She didn’t want to lose Christine — she did a good enough job — but would someone else do it better?
“What would you do?” she asked.
“Sack her,” Jasper answered without hesitation.
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ve never liked her.”
“Why didn’t you mention that when we hired her?” Victoria demanded, leaning back into her chair.
“Youhired her. We agreed I’d run the museum, and everything else was your domain, including the hiring and firing.”
“You are welcome to give your input, you know.”
Jasper shrugged. “Well, I have now.”
“You know disliking someone isn’t a reason to sack them,” she said — as much as Victoria wanted it to be. She hadn’t liked her much either, but Drew had suggested Christine would be the most qualified candidate when he’d sat in on the interview. She would have preferred one of the more personable applicants.
“So get her to admit it,” he said, “and then sack her for gross misconduct.”
At the sound of the café door opening in the corridor, Victoria’s gaze shot to Jasper.
He raised his eyebrows. “If that’s her, then there’s no time like the present.”
Spotting her catering manager passing by her door, she nodded at Jasper to confirm his suspicions.
“Oh, Christine,” the curator sang out. He flashed a grin at Victoria as he got up. “Good luck,” he whispered, then added in a louder voice, “Let’s do lunch,” as he squeezed past Christine in the doorway.
Victoria shot him a look — half scathing, half pleading — but he simply winked in response and vanished down the corridor.
“Yes?” Christine said abruptly.
“Come in and close the door, please,” Victoria said, resisting the urge to stand and pace. She shifted in her chair.
With a cautious eye on her boss, Christine shut the door and helped herself to the seat opposite.
“I’ll get straight to the point,” Victoria said, interlacing her fidgety fingers. “Did you post some bad reviews about Clem’s business?”
Christine’s forehead creased. “Clem now, is it?”
“Yes, it’s her name.”
“I was only doing what I thought best to helpthisbusiness,” she answered, folding her arms.
“By writing fake reviews?” Victoria questioned.
“You gave me free rein for my ideas.”
