On My Team
Late morning the next day, I stood in my newly painted, newly carpeted office space—more accurately, in my soon-to-be office—and I looked out the window at the view.
Downtown. Mostly other tall buildings. But around the corner of the one across the street, I could see the mountains.
Righteous view.
Slowly, I turned my head and took it all in. In my office, there was a box containing a brand new computer. There were two more, one in Daisy’s space, one in the extra office. There was also a printer box, scanner box and a fax machine box as well as boxes holding routers and other IT shit in Daisy’s space.
There was a copy machine in the conference room.
And The Majestic was already on the wall. Ralphie and Buddy had come in and hung it that weekend.
The furniture was on order and would be delivered on Wednesday.
Brody was showing on Wednesday night to set up the network.
In other words, Daisy had been busy.
And Ava had phoned that day and said she’d emailed five different logos to look at. It had been hard to choose, but I’d picked one that was classy and professional and had more blacks and grays than the hot pink, just so it wouldn’t be too girlie.
Further, Mr. Kumar had stopped by Fortnum’s that morning to give me the “kitty” he’d collected from his neighbors. It wasn’t a lot, but since Tex, Hector nor Mace would accept payment, it worked.
This meant I’d closed and been paid for my first case.
And I was standing in my offices that would be furnished and operational by Thursday.
It had happened.
Me. Ally Nightingale was in the business.
I smiled.
The door opened and Lee appeared.
My smile died and I drew in breath.
Indy had come into Fortnum’s forty-five minutes ago, saying she was over the worst of it and was going to give work a try. Five minutes after that, Lee had called asking to meet me at my offices.
I wasn’t apprehensive. I knew I’d passed the Lee Tests, all of them. He wouldn’t have involved me, given me a choice (and dangerous) assignment or a soft look before I left last night if I hadn’t.
I just didn’t know what he was going to do with that.
I didn’t move from my place at the window as he walked in, eyes on me, and stopped in the doorway.
He leaned against the jamb.
“Nice space,” he remarked, even though he barely looked at it.
“Yep,” I replied because it sure the fuck was.
Then he announced, “Luke fell last night.”
Hunh?
I felt my brows draw together. “Luke fell?”
“If he was even on the fence,” he went on.
“Lee, you’ve lost me,” I told him.
His eyes grew intent when he said, “Thinks you’re the shit, Ally.”
That was when I got it.
Luke was backing my play.
This meant I had them all, except Monty. And Jack and Matt hadn’t weighed in yet.
Okay, I had a majority.
That feeling hit me again, the fucking good one.
But I just nodded and said, “That’s great.”
“It was the right decision to come to me with that note,” Lee stated.
I didn’t reply because I already knew that.
