Chương 12
“What exactly did he say?”
“I already sent screenshots.”
“I saw some.”
“Then you saw enough.”
“Yes.”
She inhaled.
“I didn’t want to transfer.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
I stopped.
“My mother lives in Cincinnati.”
Her voice had gone flatter.
“She has MS.”
The detail landed with more force than the screenshots had.
“I help her three nights a week.”
I looked toward the window.
Sophie had stopped pretending to read.
“When they moved me to Louisville, I had to start driving back on weekends.”
Jenna continued before I could respond.
“My boyfriend has been covering more for her.”
A pause.
“He’s great about it, but that isn’t the point.”
“No.”
“The point is I had a life.”
Her voice shook now, but only slightly.
“I had a routine.”
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You’re right.”
She exhaled.
“I hate when people say they understand.”
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
I waited.
“I was good at my job in Cincinnati.”
“I’ve seen your reviews.”
“I trained half the dispatchers there.”
“I saw that too.”
“And then one guy decides I owe him attention because his sister is married to the owner.”
The sentence made my stomach turn.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not calling for an apology.”
“What are you calling for?”
“I wanted to hear whether you’d lie.”
I looked at the carpet.
“Did I?”
“Not yet.”
That was fair.
“What do you want to happen?”
I asked it carefully.
Rebecca shifted somewhere on the other end of our silent conference.
Jenna answered immediately.
“I want him gone.”
I did not blame her.
“I can’t promise an outcome before the process finishes.”
“That sounds like HR.”
“It is.”
“So you’re hiding now too.”
“No.”
I felt the old instinct to defend myself.
I swallowed it.
“I’m trying not to repeat the mistake that created this.”
She was quiet.
“I spent years making special decisions because of someone’s last name.”
I continued.
“If I fire him today because I’m furious, I’m still making special decisions because of his last name.”
“That’s convenient.”
“Yes.”
“It protects you.”
“It does.”
“And him.”
“For a little while.”
She laughed sharply.
“That must be nice.”
“It isn’t fair.”
“No.”
“But I’m going to let Marcus and Rebecca finish the review.”
Jenna did not respond.
“And if the evidence supports termination, I won’t interfere.”
“You did before.”
“Yes.”
“Why should I believe you now?”
“You shouldn’t yet.”
That silence was different.
I heard a cabinet close on her end.
Someone said something too faint to understand.
Jenna lowered her voice.
“You really own the company?”
“Yes.”
“I always thought some private equity guys did.”
“A lot of people do.”
“Why?”
I looked across the hotel room at Sophie.
“Long story.”
“Sounds like it.”
Another pause.
“Marcus asked if I’d give a formal statement tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
“Will you?”
“I think so.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.”
“I’m not thanking you for helping me.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“I’m thanking you for giving the company another chance to do this correctly.”
Jenna was quiet for a moment.
“That sounded rehearsed.”
“It wasn’t.”
“It sounded like something from a leadership seminar.”
“Then I take it back.”
She laughed.
A real laugh this time, small and involuntary.
“Okay.”
The tension loosened by one degree.
Then she said, “I want something in writing.”
“What?”
“That my transfer doesn’t become permanent unless I choose it.”
I looked toward the phone.
Rebecca finally spoke.
“Jenna, this is Rebecca Shaw.”
Jenna stiffened immediately.
“I know who you are.”
“Daniel asked me to remain silent unless needed.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“It isn’t meant to.”
Rebecca continued.
“Your transfer status is something we can review independently of the complaint.”
“I want Cincinnati.”
“I understand.”
“Don’t say that.”
Rebecca paused.
“Fair.”
Sophie looked at me and almost smiled.
Rebecca said, “I can commit to reviewing the transfer tomorrow morning and giving you a written answer as quickly as our records allow.”
“Can Daniel just move me back?”
“Yes,” I said.
Rebecca said, “No.”
Jenna laughed again.
I looked at the phone.
Rebecca added, “He technically has authority, but using it before reviewing staffing and the transfer documentation would be exactly the sort of executive interference we are currently trying to stop.”
“That woman scares me,” Jenna said.
“She scares everyone.”
Rebecca ignored us.
“Jenna, I can also make sure you are not required to communicate directly with Nathan during the review.”
“Good.”
“And if you participate tomorrow, you may have a support person present.”
“Okay.”
The conversation ended five minutes later.
Jenna did not forgive me.
She did not trust me.
But she agreed to speak with HR.
After the call, I sat without moving.
Sophie closed her book.
“She was mad at you.”
“Yes.”
“Did that bother you?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t sound mad back.”
“Growth.”
“Don’t get excited.”
I looked at her.
“You’re brutal.”
“I’m freezing.”
The heater had stopped again.
I stood and hit the wall control.
Nothing happened.
“Great.”
Sophie folded her arms.
“The multimillionaire is defeated by hotel climate control.”
“Apparently.”
“You should call maintenance.”
“I refuse on principle.”
“Because you are maintenance?”
“Exactly.”
I pulled the cover off the thermostat.
Sophie groaned.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“You’re going to get us charged for that.”
“I own a property maintenance company.”
“You are also wearing yesterday’s shirt.”
“That is irrelevant.”
It turned out the thermostat batteries were dead.
I replaced them with batteries from the television remote.
The heater started immediately.
Sophie stared at me.
“That was annoyingly competent.”
“Thank you.”
“You stole batteries.”
“I redistributed resources.”
She laughed.
For five minutes, the world was manageable again.
Then Eric called.
I let it go to voicemail.
He called again.
I ignored that too.
The third time, Sophie looked at me.
“You’re going to answer eventually.”
“I don’t have to.”
“You answered Claire.”
“That was different.”
“Because you love her?”
I gave her a look.
She lifted both hands.
“I’m just saying.”
The phone stopped.
May you like
Then a message appeared.
WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY CARD?
