Kerry just watched her, confused.
Dar pointed at the last field. “I got my number.”
The blonde woman studied the sheet. “But that’s got our stuff in it.”
“Uh hum,” Dar agreed. “It sure does.”
“How did you do that?” Kerry asked, entranced by the smile that now transformed the executive’s face, the smile which now grew broader.
“I made fifty percent of your staff a profit center and awarded them two major government support contracts.” Dar folded her arms over her chest in visible satisfaction.
“Really?” Kerry blinked in surprise. “Can you do that?”
A dark brow edged up. “I just did it.” Dar grinned, then she sobered.
“You’ll still have to make those cuts.” She made several rapid-fire keystrokes, then hit the Transmit key. “It’s done.”
Kerry blinked. “But everyone else gets to stay?”
Dar nodded. “I got your list of people to transition. I think it’s here…”
“I’m not on it.” Kerry said very quietly.
Dar froze, then stared at her. “What?”
Kerry exhaled. “One of me…was worth two of them. I couldn’t take two slots.” She looked up at Dar.
“One of you is worth a lot more than two of them,” Dar blurted indignantly, then almost knocked the phone off the desk when it rang. She punched the button in irritation. “Yeah?”
Kerry slowly sat down on the edge of the desk, watching Dar’s profile with an unfathomable expression.
“Just got the update, Dar. Spectacular.” Alastair’s cheerful voice grated on her like beach sand. “Great job. What do I owe you for this one? You going to finally take me up on using the chalet and taking a damn vacation for once?”
Dar stared at the phone in frustrated silence. “What do you owe me?” she finally asked. “I’ll tell you what, I want fifty-one six-and-sixes, and a head.”
Alastair was stunned. She could hear him coughing a little.
“Wh…”
“You heard me,” the tall woman stated. “Come on, Alastair. That double digit’s going to add twenty percent value to the stock. You can afford it.”
“Well, sure, Dar. I’ll put in the six-and-sixes…but what do you need a head for?” Alastair finally replied, collecting himself. “Whose orgid?”
“Mine,” Dar replied quietly. “I’ve been forty-eight hours without sleep on this one, Alastair. I can’t keep doing this. It’s killing me. I need an assistant.”
The man’s attitude changed immediately. “Well, why didn’t you just say so, you old pirate? I’ve been trying to get you to take on an assistant for years now.” The sound of a keyboard being accessed came through clearly. “For 60 Melissa Good more than a day, that is. You had me worried there for a minute. Hang on…hang on. What are you, a 54010?”
“Uh huh.” Dar replied, playing with pen. “Thanks.”
“Done.” Alastair chuckled. “On your work list, baby. Now I’m gonna go have a glass of champagne. You should too.”
Dar closed her eyes wearily. “Sure, Alastair.” She sighed. “ ’Night.”
Silence settled over the office. Dar kept her eyes closed.
“Forty-eight hours?” Kerry finally said in disbelief. The dark-haired woman nodded. “That’s insane. That isn’t a job, that’s involuntary servitude,”
Kerry spluttered. Dar nodded again. “You must have the world’s best job security, you know that? Nobody in their right mind would want your job.”
A third nod. “Very true.” Dar opened her eyes and gazed at Kerry regretfully. “You ready to go home, Ms. Stuart?” she asked quietly. “We can negotiate your headcount on Monday. I’m sure I can squeeze you back in there.” She paused. “If you want to stay, that is.”
Kerry was perched on the edge of the desk, deep in thought. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I have to think about it.”
“I understand,” Dar said, as she pushed herself to her feet.
“Ms. Roberts?”
“Mmm?”
“What is a six-and-six?” Kerry asked curiously.
“Oh.” Dar stretched a kink out of her neck. “Severance packages for your people.” She sighed. “Six months’ salary and six months’ extension on your health benefits.” Her eyes searched Kerry’s shocked face. “Should make Monday a little easier for you.” She stepped around the desk and started out the door. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Kerry was in a daze as she followed Dar out. Six months’ salary? If she decided not to stay, it would give her half a year to find something…and six months’ health benefits would cover her until she did. Her parents would never have to know, until she was all settled in a new place.
Her eyes studied the cloth-covered back of the woman walking before her. She wondered how she had gone from how she’d felt about Dar Roberts before the sunset, to how she felt now. It felt like the night had lasted half a lifetime, to allow her to experience so much in such a short span. She’d gone from despair, to anger, to terror; from a frustrated hatred to a grudging admiration, all in one evening.
Did she want to remain in charge of Associated Synergenics? She’d been doing it for two years, and was just starting to get comfortable. The routine was becoming regular, almost…boring. She suspected life would never be boring around Dar Roberts. And suddenly, she knew that’s exactly where she wanted to be. She didn’t even stop to wonder why.
“So,” she trotted after the tall executive, catching up to her as they reached the door, “what exactly are these other contracts?”
“Oh.” Dar pushed the door open. “You’ll be supporting the IRS.”
Kerry stopped dead. “You’re joking.”
Pale blue eyes regarded her. “Can’t be. I don’t have a sense of humor, remember?” Dar replied, deadpan. “Goodnight, Jack.” She waved at the security guard. She held the door to the Lexus open. “Ms. Stuart?”
Tropical Storm 61
The blonde woman stepped next to her and peered up. “Could you please call me Kerry?” she asked with a wry smile. “You sound like the librarian at my college when you call me by my last name.”
Dar’s expression softened momentarily, and a quick smile transformed her face. “I thought only your friends called you that,” she demurred.
Kerry rubbed her jaw. “Well, friends and people who save my life—you know.” She felt herself blushing a little. “I have to make an exception for that sort of thing.”
“All right,” the executive agreed softly. “But only if you call me Dar.”
Kerry smiled. “Deal.” She shook her head a little. “You know, you’re not really as awful as I thought you were.”
“Oh really?” Dar found herself too tired to be aggravated by the words.
“I’m losing my touch then. Maybe I should go find some puppies to kick.”
“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”
Dar had a feeling it was far too late for a lot of things. “Probably.” She indicated the car. “Let’s get out of here while we’ve got a break in the weather.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me.” Kerry climbed up into the comfort of the leather seat, and waited for Dar to join her on the driver’s side. “So,” she folded her hands in her lap, “what does your assistant do?”
As she shifted and started to pull out into the rain, Dar shot her a quick look. “I don’t know. I never had one before that lasted more than a week.” She paused. “It’ll probably be a tough, unpleasant, thankless, wild ride.”
Kerry sniffed reflectively, then buckled the safety belt securely around herself and settled back, folding her arms over her chest and glancing sideways. She found Dar looking back at her. They drove on into the night.