Chapter 2 - Dinner Will Be Served
Margot didn’t reach for the envelope.
She called the hotel’s security director and human resources manager instead.
Then she turned to Caleb.
“June is leading the floor until we finish this conversation.”
“I can oversee service.”
“I need you here.”
His face reddened.
Laurel noticed Elias standing near the door, making no attempt to inspect the papers.
“You don’t have to stay,” she told him.
“I know.”
He looked at Margot.
“I’ll give security my account of what I witnessed. The employment matter is yours.”
For the first time since entering the office, Laurel could breathe properly.
He wasn’t taking control.
He was leaving a record.
Margot asked Laurel to explain the florist selection.
There had been three bids. Laurel and procurement had scored them together. Brightstep’s board had approved the final package.
The white box in the photograph contained ribbon samples.
“Who can verify that?”
“Rosa Medina at procurement. Evelyn Shaw at the florist. The loading dock attendant, if he remembers.”
Margot wrote down the names.
Caleb folded his arms.
“An employee accused of misconduct will obviously have an explanation.”
“Yes,” Margot said. “That’s why we check it.”
Security arrived.
Laurel described Preston gripping her elbow.
She gave the time, location, and names of nearby staff.
The director asked whether she wanted Preston removed immediately.
She considered the ballroom, the charity, and the people waiting for a meal.
“I want him told not to approach me or any member of my team. If he ignores that, remove him.”
The director nodded.
“That can be done.”
Her phone rang.
June.
Laurel looked at Margot, who gestured for her to answer.
“The auction tablets are showing duplicate package numbers,” June said. “The vineyard trip and the theater weekend both say twelve.”
Laurel closed her eyes.
The auction.
She had tested the complete catalog at four.
“Is it on every tablet?”
“Yes.”
“Pause bidding. Leave dinner service running. Call the auction vendor’s support number from the contract.”
June hesitated.
“Caleb gave me a different number.”
“Use the contract.”
Margot looked up sharply.
Laurel continued.
“Ask them to restore the approved catalog version from this afternoon. Don’t let anyone manually edit bids.”
“Understood.”
She ended the call.
Margot turned to Caleb.
“What number did you provide?”
“A consultant’s.”
“Which consultant?”
“Wade’s team knows the platform.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Preston’s company made software for event payments and donor management.
Laurel had rejected his proposal for tonight’s benefit.
Too expensive.
Too many unanswered questions about data handling.
He had called her unambitious.
Then he had stopped answering her messages about the furniture still stored in his garage.
“Why,” she asked Caleb, “does Preston’s team have anything to do with our auction?”
“They offered assistance.”
“I didn’t authorize assistance.”
“You were unavailable.”
“I was here.”
Margot set down her pen.
“Contact technology operations. Disable any access that isn’t on the approved list.”
Caleb looked toward Elias.
He found no support there.
A server knocked.
Ben stood in the doorway, holding a garment bag.
“June said Ms. Hensley might need these.”
Inside was a spare pair of black service trousers.
Laurel almost laughed.
Of all the things she had needed in the past twenty minutes, this was the simplest to solve.
“Thank you.”
Ben glanced at the people in the room.
His fingers tightened on the hanger.
“There’s something else.”
Caleb frowned.
“Get back to service.”
Margot spoke before Laurel could.
“What is it, Ben?”
He swallowed.
“I saw Mr. Wade come out of this office before the reception.”
The room went quiet.
May you like
Ben looked at Laurel.
“He had an envelope. And Mr. Sutter told me I hadn’t seen anything important.”
