doesn't look like I
have much choice. I'll be in tomorrow at eight."
"I'll see you there." Max hung up the phone before she had a chance to
beat him to it.
Sophy sat glaring at the instrument for a long time before she roused
herself to fix something for dinner. She had gotten so wrapped up in her
own dangerously emotional response to Max that she had neglected to
think about the implications of this whole mess for poor Marcie. Somehow
warning Max had taken precedence. She hadn't stopped to consider what
might happen if he dragged S & J management into it.
Not wanting to annoy the highest levels of corporate management, most
of whom she had never met in person, Sophy arrived a little before eight
the next morning and walked through the silent halls to the conference
room. Though she was early, everyone else, it seemed, was there ahead of
her.
Apparently S & J Technology had chosen to take the matter of Marcie
Fremont very seriously. Sophy sighed and wondered what she'd unleashed
as she greeted the president and his assistant very formally. Then she
smiled at Sam Edison, the rather harried-looking man in the polyester suit
who was in charge of S & J Security. She inclined her head very aloofly to
Max, who had risen politely when she entered the room. Flustered by
seeing someone in their midst rise to greet a mere secretary, the other
males in the room had awkwardly done the same. Everyone sat down with
relief.
"Miss Bennet," Graham Younger began pedantically, "we certainly
appreciate your willingness to cooperate with us in this matter."
As if I had any choice, Sophy thought, sliding a glance at Max's
impassive face.
"It was very good of you to go straight to Dr. Travers with a report of
the Fremont incident," he went on pompously. "You have brought to our
attention a serious threat to this firm, Miss Bennet. Industrial and
corporate espionage are major problems these days. As a company
involved in high technology we are especially vulnerable. Therefore we are
most anxious to nip Marcie Fremont's larcenous tendencies in the bud.
We intend to make an example of her."
Sophy stared at the older man's implacable face, feeling suddenly
chilled. Poor Marcie.
"Miss Fremont is only a secretary, of course," the president's assistant
put in mildly, "but we feel we must make it clear that this sort of thing will
not be dealt with lightly."
Only a secretary. The words were vastly annoying. "If you'll excuse me,
sir," Sophy said coolly, "I think too much is being made of all this. I
seriously doubt that any corporate espionage attempt will actually be
made. Miss Fremont is not the sort to involve herself in that kind of thing.
Miss Fremont is very professional."
"I'm afraid we can't take the chance," Sam Edison put in quickly. "We
don't know who she might be working for."
"That's right, Miss Bennet," Younger said evenly. "Frankly, we don't
believe Miss Fremont is working alone. This sort of sophisticated plot
requires planning at much higher levels. We don't just want to stop her.
We want to find out who she's working with and stop the entire espionage
ring."
"Espionage ring! I don't think…" Sophy began earnestly.
"We're not asking for your opinion, Miss Bennet," Younger interrupted
coolly. "You will be expected to give your full cooperation to our plan."
Sophy bit back her annoyance. "What plan?"
"As I understand it, Marcie Fremont seems to feel you, ah, have reason
to be rather upset with Dr. Travers. A lovers' quarrel or something. You're
supposedly motivated by revenge," Edison said quickly, obviously
uncomfortable with the delicate matter.
Sophy's mouth fell open in amazement. Then her head swung around
and she pinned Max with an infuriated glare. "You told him
about…about…" Words dried up in her throat The tide of her fury
threatened to stifle her. Max had told S & J management that she wanted
revenge because of a lovers' quarrel? She'd kill him! She'd slice him
have much choice. I'll be in tomorrow at eight."
"I'll see you there." Max hung up the phone before she had a chance to
beat him to it.
Sophy sat glaring at the instrument for a long time before she roused
herself to fix something for dinner. She had gotten so wrapped up in her
own dangerously emotional response to Max that she had neglected to
think about the implications of this whole mess for poor Marcie. Somehow
warning Max had taken precedence. She hadn't stopped to consider what
might happen if he dragged S & J management into it.
Not wanting to annoy the highest levels of corporate management, most
of whom she had never met in person, Sophy arrived a little before eight
the next morning and walked through the silent halls to the conference
room. Though she was early, everyone else, it seemed, was there ahead of
her.
Apparently S & J Technology had chosen to take the matter of Marcie
Fremont very seriously. Sophy sighed and wondered what she'd unleashed
as she greeted the president and his assistant very formally. Then she
smiled at Sam Edison, the rather harried-looking man in the polyester suit
who was in charge of S & J Security. She inclined her head very aloofly to
Max, who had risen politely when she entered the room. Flustered by
seeing someone in their midst rise to greet a mere secretary, the other
males in the room had awkwardly done the same. Everyone sat down with
relief.
"Miss Bennet," Graham Younger began pedantically, "we certainly
appreciate your willingness to cooperate with us in this matter."
As if I had any choice, Sophy thought, sliding a glance at Max's
impassive face.
"It was very good of you to go straight to Dr. Travers with a report of
the Fremont incident," he went on pompously. "You have brought to our
attention a serious threat to this firm, Miss Bennet. Industrial and
corporate espionage are major problems these days. As a company
involved in high technology we are especially vulnerable. Therefore we are
most anxious to nip Marcie Fremont's larcenous tendencies in the bud.
We intend to make an example of her."
Sophy stared at the older man's implacable face, feeling suddenly
chilled. Poor Marcie.
"Miss Fremont is only a secretary, of course," the president's assistant
put in mildly, "but we feel we must make it clear that this sort of thing will
not be dealt with lightly."
Only a secretary. The words were vastly annoying. "If you'll excuse me,
sir," Sophy said coolly, "I think too much is being made of all this. I
seriously doubt that any corporate espionage attempt will actually be
made. Miss Fremont is not the sort to involve herself in that kind of thing.
Miss Fremont is very professional."
"I'm afraid we can't take the chance," Sam Edison put in quickly. "We
don't know who she might be working for."
"That's right, Miss Bennet," Younger said evenly. "Frankly, we don't
believe Miss Fremont is working alone. This sort of sophisticated plot
requires planning at much higher levels. We don't just want to stop her.
We want to find out who she's working with and stop the entire espionage
ring."
"Espionage ring! I don't think…" Sophy began earnestly.
"We're not asking for your opinion, Miss Bennet," Younger interrupted
coolly. "You will be expected to give your full cooperation to our plan."
Sophy bit back her annoyance. "What plan?"
"As I understand it, Marcie Fremont seems to feel you, ah, have reason
to be rather upset with Dr. Travers. A lovers' quarrel or something. You're
supposedly motivated by revenge," Edison said quickly, obviously
uncomfortable with the delicate matter.
Sophy's mouth fell open in amazement. Then her head swung around
and she pinned Max with an infuriated glare. "You told him
about…about…" Words dried up in her throat The tide of her fury
threatened to stifle her. Max had told S & J management that she wanted
revenge because of a lovers' quarrel? She'd kill him! She'd slice him
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