Chapter 3
Scarlett
I don’t think I’d ever been so nervous in all my life. The sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my ears, drowning out any other noises in the room. Deep down, I heard my own voice softly whispering, desperately trying to mentally prepare for this meeting. But every word was like a stone in my stomach, dragging me down into the depths of fear and uncertainty. Felicia's cruel words echoed in the corridors of my mind, lurking around each corner, a constant reminder of why I’d hidden myself all that time.
In that moment, every nerve in my body screamed with fear and anxiety as the torment of the past year or so at her hands played over and over in my mind. Despite her absence, Felicia's power still lingered, a specter of torment and manipulation. I knew deep down that she was the only one with the knowledge and malice to orchestrate such a cruel repeat of that past trauma.
The clock on the wall ticked closer and closer to the start of the meeting, and I felt nauseous when April entered my office. Her face was a mix of concern and determination as she walked towards me to inform me the others were ready. I stood but was shaking, and she rushed to my side.
My entire body was a trembling leaf, each limb a quivering branch ready to break in the slightest breeze. The mere thought of facing that room, of reliving the past horrors and enduring Felicia's manipulative presence once again, threatened to elicit the contents of my stomach as the sour taste of bile rose in my throat. April's quick and concerned movements were the only thing keeping me standing, her presence a comforting anchor amidst the swirling storm of my emotions.
“It’s alright, Scarlett. You’ve got this. There is nothing she can do to harm you now, and you deserve this moment.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside. I knew that April was right - Felicia couldn’t hurt me anymore. “I know. I’ve gone through things in my head. Going over what I would say all weekend. I believe, deep down, this could be the final thing to bring back the person I once was. It just hit me all at once and felt like a semi-truck plowed, full speed, into my chest. It was so overwhelming.”
I stood clutching the edge of the desk. April's calm, reassuring presence was a lifeline in the midst of my emotional turmoil. I took two deep breaths before fixing my sweater and starting for the door. April followed with the file I’d handed her when I faltered. I paused at the door and looked back at her.The bitter taste of adrenaline and anxiety lingered on my tongue, but mixed with the sweetness of relief of knowing that April and the others were by my side. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
Her expression shifted from worry to warmth and she smiled at me, giving me a wink.“Shall we?”
As I approached the door to the conference room, I noticed that Felicia was sitting tall and composed at the table, her posture rigid and her expression stoic. Graham sat across from her, his face serious as he reviewed some papers in front of him. Walter sat on Graham's left, his hands folded neatly on the table in front of him. As I approached, Graham stood from his seat and gestured for me to take the seat at the head of the long table, which was usually his spot. I moved closer to the table and could smell Felicia’s sickening cheap perfume which seemed to suffocate the room.
Like a veil was lifted, I could see the pathetic clown she really was. To me it appeared as a scene set with all the meticulousness of a stage production, the players in their designated places, ready to perform the final act. Felicia sat regally at the table, her eyes sharp and calculating as though she thought she had something to say. Like she was the center, the main event. She’d obviously planned a careful jab but I resolved to not allow her to share it.
I sat without a word as April handed me the folder, and Graham pushed my chair in, his hand gently resting on the back of my chair, providing support and comfort before returning to his seat at my side. His gesture seemed to surprise Felicia, and she sat more rigidly than she had been. It bolstered my confidence, and I could feel the tiniest of smiles tugging at the corners of my tightly pressed lips.
April turned to leave, but before she could get out the door, I called to her,“April, can you remain with Georgia and help her take notes? I will need this typed up as soon as possible at the conclusion of the meeting, and it might be helpful if you stayed.”
I only wanted moral support, and she knew it, as did Graham, who reached beneath the table to squeeze my knee. It surprised me that he’d be so informal, and I glanced at him. His smile was subtle, but the warmth in his eyes told me he was there to support me, reminding me that I was not alone in this meeting.
I grabbed the bottled water at my place and held it without removing the lid as I pretended to look through the file in front of me. I knew what it held. I’d poured over it so many times, I swear, I’d memorized the whole damned thing—every note, document, period, and comma… all in place. But I needed her to experience the silence and complete lack of anything that resembled an acknowledgment of her presence.My mouth felt dry, and I craved a sip of the water, but I resisted the urge to open the bottle, knowing it would disrupt the stoic demeanor I was working so hard to maintain.
This very moment played out in my mind all weekend, and I felt ready. I confidently took a sip of water and held it poised, like a warrior's sword, ready to strike at the opportune moment. The water was cool and refreshing, quenching my dry mouth and giving me a moment to collect my thoughts before I spoke. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Felicia's sneer. It was an unwelcome discord, and I replaced the lid, returning the bottle to the table, intending to speak without looking up from the file for effect.
But Felicia was growing impatient.“Is there a purpose to this?”Felicia began, the sneer growing wider, working hard to rattle me.
Graham's brow furrowed and his lips tightened into a thin line as frustration flashed across his features. His eyes narrowed in annoyance, his jaw twitching with anger as he leaned forward, ready to interject. I reached for his hand, still on my knee under the table and heard his breath catch in his throat, his gaze shifting toward me. I had to admit the comfort from his hand worked just as he intended. It gave me confidence, but it also sent warmth into my core I didn’t expect.
My actions were purposeful and deliberate: completely ignoring her comment. The sound of her breathing, growing more impatient by the second, did not rattle me
I took another sip from the bottle, and as the water flowed down my throat, so too did any lingering doubts or fears, leaving only a steely resolve in my mind.
The pages of the folder rustled beneath my fingers, a shield and a weapon in one, as I prepared to face my adversary without flinching. I had become unbreakable, and my intentions were clear as I addressed her in a tone that demanded respect.
“Ms. Murray,”I began without even raising my eyes from the folder’s pages. The formality of my address to her seemed to take her off guard and I continued,“It seems you’ve had a tumultuous few months with the company.”
She started to speak in protest, and I raised my hand, palm toward her.“That was not a question.”
I had to admit I kind of liked it. In my mind I thought for a moment, ‘Talk to the hand.’
Her eyes shifted to where April and Georgia sat, then over to Walter, then to Graham, who smirked and raised an eyebrow wordlessly.
“Let’s see if I have it all straight. You’ve already been demoted because you plagiarized someone else’s work, you were involved in an office drama that caused emotional distress to an employee, and you physically attacked that same employee at an event while representing the company.” I paused briefly for effect, and when she started to speak, I cut her off to continue.
“All of this brings a shroud of unprofessionalism to this company that is unacceptable. Do you have anything to say about these issues?”I looked up at that point and felt a wave of satisfaction rise within me.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips curled with malice as they twisted into a sneer. She spat out words filled with contempt, each syllable dripped with venom as her body tensed, ready for an argument. “What do you mean, employee? This is all you… claiming it against me.”
My smirk grew as I took in her nervous posture, finding confidence in her obvious discomfort. I slid the police report from the event across the table. The surprise on her face told me she hadn’t realized it would be available to me.
“No less than thirty attendees filed witness statements that you attacked a fellow employee while at a company-represented event. Do you deny it?”
There was a pause as she stared at the paper in horror.
I continued, “Isn’t it true that they released you on bail, pending charges for assaulting that employee? Do you deny that?”
Felicia stammered a moment and looked back down at the report and then over at Graham.
He shook his head in a slow sway from side to side and said,“I believe your supervisor asked you a question.”He wasn’t going to give her even a passing glimmer of hope.
“I, uh,” she stammered and looked from face to face and then back to me. “That’s my personal life.”
I almost felt bad that I was enjoying this a little bit. Almost. I slid another report across the table at her.“Proof you plagiarized another’s work for your own gain within the company. Do you deny this?”
“I… This was already addressed.”
“Correct,”I replied,“but it shows a consistent level of unprofessionalism that this company finds unacceptable.”
My fingers brushed against the smooth surface of the folder I pushed towards Felicia containing statements from her two cronies. They’d ratted her out, stating that she’d asked them to corner me and scare me with the scenario of being attacked at the event held for Graham. She’d tricked me into doing the serving that night for the sole reason of tormenting me. She found out just how fast they’d turned on her when confronted.
It was a twisted and tangled web of betrayal and deceit, a dark and suffocating air of secrets and lies. The folder was like a physical manifestation of her downfall, each document a sharp and pointed accusation aimed directly at her. And as she read through them, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks
- her allies had turned against her, leaving her alone and vulnerable in the face of her own actions. It was a cruel and bitter irony, a stunning and brutal twist of fate.
Deep inside I felt satiated, vindicated for all the things she’d done, and I continued. “You orchestrated bullying techniques meant to keep the employee whose work you were plagiarizing in fear of you. Fear that due to a prior assault against her from one of this very company’s employees, you did capitalize on and use it to your advantage, enlisting other employees to carry out this attack. Do you deny it?”
“What? Who said this? It’s a lie,” she stammered, sweat beading on her forehead.
I slammed both hands on the table and stood, sending the wheeled chair sailing out behind me, and she jumped in her seat.
“Felicia Murray, it is the company’s opinion that your actions make you a liability. You’ve created a hostile work environment and been implicated in criminal activity. We cannot maintain our relationship with you as an employee.”I slid the paper over to her, outlining the terms of separation, and continued,“Your employment with us is terminated, and security will see you out of the building.”
I sat down silently in the chair Graham had hurried to bring back and grasped the water bottle without fully looking at her, watching from the corner of my eye. She shivered as she stood up, her face drained of all color and her hands trembling as she turned to leave. April hurried to my side, seeming to offer another file but more so offering a steadying hand. Everyone in that room knew she’d been the one who had me hurt, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of addressing that.
April whispered in my ear,“Watch this.”
Her smile was smug, her eyes narrowed as she watched Felicia leaving the room. Her chin lifted in a triumphant gesture towards the door where Christian stood. He blocked Felicia's path as she tried to leave, looking stern and resolute.
“Ms. Murray?”
“Yes,”she said, her voice shaking.
Christian produced a badge and flashed a look at April and me. “I’m Detective Harden, and we need you to come down to the station for some questions about an attack Friday night and a suspect with whom you’ve had recent dealings. When you’re finished here, there is an officer waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs who will take you to the station.”
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not yet.”
“Then, I’m not going.”
“Fine, if that’s the way you want it. Ms. Murray, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder.”
On the balcony in front of the entire office, he spun her around and slammed her into the wall, pulling her hands back with little care for her comfort and cuffed her. The officer came up the stairs and helped security escort her to gather her things from her desk.
I was stunned and sat looking at her through the glass wall, her face plastered against the glass, eyes wide with fear. Graham moved around the table, took my arm, helped me out of my seat, and escorted me through the doorway.
She stumbled while whining about her innocence for everyone to hear as they escorted her down the stairs and out into the open office.
“Keep an eye on her mean girls, as you call them. I want to see their reactions. There may yet be more terminations today.”
I looked up at him, his handsome face smiling at me, and felt gratitude wash over me. Drake had emerged from Graham’s office to stand on the other side of me. Each of them, with a hand on my back, comforted me.
“We have to get ready for the interview,”I said and started to move away, but Graham held me in place.
“Wait, I want her to see you standing here watching. Stand straight and take the moment.”
Rory and Stewart, April’s other men, met with Christian before he left. He spoke with them for a brief moment then exited, escorting Felicia into the elevator. They ascended the stairs toward us with looks I could only describe as amused.
When the doors closed, erasing her from my view, I relaxed and let out a loud sigh. My entire body wanted to collapse as I gripped the handrail to steady myself. Graham and Drake, on each side of me, took an arm and escorted me back into the conference room, where I now had the task of explaining to Walter who Samuel was.
April joined us after speaking to Rory and Stewart.
“It’s all set,”she said.“The CSI crew will be finishing up in your apartment today, and Brody has already scheduled movers to take care of the rest of your things. He let Stewart know that one of the garage bays at his home would be used to store the rest of your belongings. He hired a crew to take care of the move, and it will be cleaned and vacated by the end of the day.”
“Wow,”I said, a little shocked at the speed at which things were moving, but she simply bowed her head and continued with her report. “Samuel is here and checking in with the security guard at the elevator. He is asking questions loudly, acting confused about where to go so people know he is interviewing.”She slid the file into place as I took a seat.
“Ok, I need a few minutes to bring Walter up to speed, then you can bring him in.” Exhaustion tinged my voice and like a mind reader, Georgia slid a steaming cup of coffee in front of me.
April nodded to Georgia, an unspoken note of approval, and turned to leave. I called out to her,“April?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think it would be possible to have a fresh carafe of coffee brought up? I have a feeling I’m gonna need more before this day is done.”
She laughed and nodded, heading for the door.
“Oh. April?”
“Yes?”She paused, glancing back.
“Thank you. You know it is not your job to fetch coffee.”
“I know, but Georgia told me it is how she gets the best intel. Graham always tells her she doesn’t have to, but we have fun chatting about it like it is some kind of spy ops.”She giggled and exited with a wink.
I leaned back in the chair with my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose, letting out a loud sigh. It was a cleansing breath to begin the next part of the day. More than anything, I just needed to close my eyes and breathe for a moment to settle my nerves. Walter sat silent. He knew some things but not all of it, and I had to fill him in.
I sat up and gripped the warm cup, taking in the bitter scent of the strong dark liquid before sipping and offered a strained smile.
“Thanks for waiting, Walter. I know all of this may seem a little crazy, but I have a lot to tell you in only a few minutes.”
“If I may, Ms. Swanson? First, can I get my own spy ops agent?” He laughed and it lightened the mood. His expression looked to me almost fatherly. “You don’t have to tell me anything. If even half the gossip running around the cubbies is true, I don’t need to know more.”
“Gossip?”
“Yeah, it seems that they know what happened to you last year and how Felicia had taken advantage of that. Most of them are quite angry and determined to make your job easier.”
“How?”
“One of Felicia’s little minions went around telling everyone this morning.”
“Who?”
“Rosa Miller. She’s a sly one. I’ve been watching her and planning to submit information for termination for several things.” He took a deep breath and continued, “But I wanted to wait, being new and all.”
I sighed.“Thank you, Walter. I will leave it in your hands. I’ll sign off on whatever you do, but I must fill you in on Samuel.”
“Yes?”
“He will be here for an interview in just a few moments, but that is not what we are doing. Samuel is with the FBI and will be here undercover. We are not interviewing him. He is briefing us on what he needs us to do.”
“Oh, the stuff of spy novels. They’re my favorite,”he said, laughing.“Anything you need, Ms. Swanson.”
“Walter, call me Scarlett. The change in office doesn’t mean you have to call me that.”
“Oh, but I do. The rest of this office needs to get a lesson in respect.”
“Okay, well, not in private, alright?”
“Fair enough,”he said, smiling at me.
April returned, knocking on the door with Samuel. Georgia followed behind with the coffee and more water.
“Thank you,”I said, standing and holding my hand out toward Samuel.
We shook hands, and I introduced Walter. April and Georgia started to leave, and I waved them to stay.“I think it is important that you two also be briefed, as you are the front line in this whole damn office with your spy ops and all.”
Samuel looked at me, and I winked at the ladies, waving it off as a joke.
He grinned. I assumed, knowing April, he understood.“I agree,”Samuel said and reached for April’s hand.“Good to see you again.”
April smiled and gripped his hand.“I don’t know why we haven’t seen you in so long. Christian had to go, but Rory and Stewart are here.”
“I saw them, and we will have to get together soon, but not right now. We have to appear as strangers, and association with the detectives on the case might compromise my cover.”
“Understood,”she said, winking and taking a seat at the far end of the table with Georgia.
Samuel was quick and direct with his instructions, and Walter agreed to help him in areas he was not qualified for within the company. They made a big show of handshakes on the balcony, after which Walter took him to his new desk. Felicia’s desk.
The plan was to let him get acclimated to the location for a few moments, then a meeting in Walter’s office where he would leave, carrying the employee manual, making it visible to all, and stating his thanks for the job. Walter would welcome him to the team and tell him he would see him bright and early the next morning.
Everything seemed to be in its place, the plan unfolding perfectly. Felicia's desk, now Samuel’s, was neat and organized, ready for him to start his new job. Samuel was to train with Ruby for a few days to ascertain if anything further than termination would be needed, but Walter indicated that he would let her go by Friday and request a replacement with HR.
Things seemed to be settled. A sense of relief filled the air, the tension and worry dissipating. I didn’t break down like I’d worried I would. I didn’t falter once and felt stronger than I’d felt in years.