time, his or anyone else’s. When he finally opened the door, her bottom remained epoxied to the chair.
“Come in.” Turner walked to the table in the center of his office, placed a white, eight-and-a-half-by-eleven envelope on the surface and waited for her to follow.
She released her grip from the armrest and dragged her feet into his office.
“I’m disappointed in you.”
Disappointment she could take.
“I understand how upsetting it is to lose a good friend and how that might cloud your judgment.”
Jessica relaxed her shoulders, and the tension in her back subsided.
“Because you’re the finance center manager, I’m holding you responsible for the theft.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Turner held up his hand.
“I’m not saying you stole the money. I’m saying you didn’t have the right processes in place to prevent a theft. You left the combination to the safe the same for a month. You lost your key and didn’t have the lock changed. You can’t ignore company policy and expect no repercussions.”
“I’ve updated the training manual, and I’m going to put the clerks through a new course on the process.” As long as Turner didn’t check the truth in her statement, and if she still had a job at the end of the meeting, she could churn out a new manual in an evening.
“That’s great, and I’m sure we’ll be able to use it. However, I need to think about what’s best for the company, and right now I don’t think that’s you.”
“I’m not what’s best for the company?” Jessica dug her fingernails into her palm. “Are you firing me?”
“Don’t be obtuse. That is exactly what I’m doing.”
Jessica tried holding his gaze, but his eyes sliced through her like the edge of a ski through soft snow. “You have no grounds to fire me. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“You have. I checked with our employment lawyer, and because you lost your key, didn’t have the lock changed and didn’t report the incident, I do have grounds. Gertrude is cleaning out your office now.”
Jessica’s pulse quickened, and a headache pounded at her temples. “She knew before I came in here you were going to fire me. That bitch just sat and typed. She never said a word.”
“Careful with your language. Her job is to do as I ask.”
Jessica crossed her arms and dug her heels into the carpet. “I won’t go.”
“You have no choice. We no longer have a constructive working relationship.”
“What if I take the polygraph?”
“It’s too late for that. You can take it if you like, but it won’t change anything.”
“Has Kalin approved this?”
“This is not about her.” Turner handed Jessica the envelope. “Your termination papers are in here. You’re being let go with cause.”
Jessica eyed him for a moment. She thought about the idea Aiden had planted in her head. Time to get busy. With rent due February 1 st , she needed money. She’d lose her free ski pass and have to buy another. Her overdue car loan hovered in the periphery, waiting for payment. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
She snatched the envelope and stormed out.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shortly before eight a.m., Kalin leaned her snowshoes against the wall outside her office. She slid her key into the lock and felt a hand press on the small of her back. She stumbled through the door and twisted violently to face her attacker.
Chica growled, and the hair along her spine bristled.
“If that mutt bites me, I’ll have her put down.”
“Easy, Chica.” Kalin rested her hand on Chica’s head, and the dog settled.
Jessica’s face flushed, and she wiped an eye with the back of her hand. “How could you let Turner fire me?”
Kalin waited until her pulse returned to normal. “Can you calm down and have a seat?”
“I don’t want to sit. I want answers.”
“I’m happy to talk to you but only if you settle down. Please have a seat.” Kalin waited for Jessica to take the guest chair, then sat
“Come in.” Turner walked to the table in the center of his office, placed a white, eight-and-a-half-by-eleven envelope on the surface and waited for her to follow.
She released her grip from the armrest and dragged her feet into his office.
“I’m disappointed in you.”
Disappointment she could take.
“I understand how upsetting it is to lose a good friend and how that might cloud your judgment.”
Jessica relaxed her shoulders, and the tension in her back subsided.
“Because you’re the finance center manager, I’m holding you responsible for the theft.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Turner held up his hand.
“I’m not saying you stole the money. I’m saying you didn’t have the right processes in place to prevent a theft. You left the combination to the safe the same for a month. You lost your key and didn’t have the lock changed. You can’t ignore company policy and expect no repercussions.”
“I’ve updated the training manual, and I’m going to put the clerks through a new course on the process.” As long as Turner didn’t check the truth in her statement, and if she still had a job at the end of the meeting, she could churn out a new manual in an evening.
“That’s great, and I’m sure we’ll be able to use it. However, I need to think about what’s best for the company, and right now I don’t think that’s you.”
“I’m not what’s best for the company?” Jessica dug her fingernails into her palm. “Are you firing me?”
“Don’t be obtuse. That is exactly what I’m doing.”
Jessica tried holding his gaze, but his eyes sliced through her like the edge of a ski through soft snow. “You have no grounds to fire me. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“You have. I checked with our employment lawyer, and because you lost your key, didn’t have the lock changed and didn’t report the incident, I do have grounds. Gertrude is cleaning out your office now.”
Jessica’s pulse quickened, and a headache pounded at her temples. “She knew before I came in here you were going to fire me. That bitch just sat and typed. She never said a word.”
“Careful with your language. Her job is to do as I ask.”
Jessica crossed her arms and dug her heels into the carpet. “I won’t go.”
“You have no choice. We no longer have a constructive working relationship.”
“What if I take the polygraph?”
“It’s too late for that. You can take it if you like, but it won’t change anything.”
“Has Kalin approved this?”
“This is not about her.” Turner handed Jessica the envelope. “Your termination papers are in here. You’re being let go with cause.”
Jessica eyed him for a moment. She thought about the idea Aiden had planted in her head. Time to get busy. With rent due February 1 st , she needed money. She’d lose her free ski pass and have to buy another. Her overdue car loan hovered in the periphery, waiting for payment. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
She snatched the envelope and stormed out.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shortly before eight a.m., Kalin leaned her snowshoes against the wall outside her office. She slid her key into the lock and felt a hand press on the small of her back. She stumbled through the door and twisted violently to face her attacker.
Chica growled, and the hair along her spine bristled.
“If that mutt bites me, I’ll have her put down.”
“Easy, Chica.” Kalin rested her hand on Chica’s head, and the dog settled.
Jessica’s face flushed, and she wiped an eye with the back of her hand. “How could you let Turner fire me?”
Kalin waited until her pulse returned to normal. “Can you calm down and have a seat?”
“I don’t want to sit. I want answers.”
“I’m happy to talk to you but only if you settle down. Please have a seat.” Kalin waited for Jessica to take the guest chair, then sat
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