Noncompliance （n.） – Liam
NONCOMPLIANCE (N.):
THE FAILURE OR REFUSAL TO FOLLOW OR OBEY ESTABLISHED LAWS, REGULATIONS, RULES, COURT ORDERS, OR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
LIAM
“Aspecial interview is coming your way at seven tomorrow night!” The anchor of the local news smiled on my office’s television screen. “You get to go behind the scenes with one of New York’s top judges!”
“He’s the man who’s been credited with his unique sentences and dubbed ‘the people’s judge!’ Unlike other judges—”
I clicked it off before she could finish.
I’d only turned it on for a distraction, to keep my mind off dinner, but it still wasn’t here.
Hmmm.
I picked up my phone and called Olivia.
No answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Confused, I walked over to my door and opened it to call for her, but she wasn’t at her desk.
Maybe she’s stuck in traffic…
I waited for another half hour before bringing in Mara.
Come to my office. It’s an emergency.
My door swung open two minutes later and she stepped in, breathing hard.
“I’m here,” she said. “What do I need to do?”
“An employee has disappeared,” I said. “We may need to file a missing person’s report.”
“What?”
“I told Miss Spencer to get my dinner over two hours ago, and she still hasn’t returned with it.” I pointed to the clock. “Something must have happened to her on the way, correct?”
“Not necessarily…Have you called her?”
“Twice.”
She let out a sigh and took out her phone, tapping the speaker button.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
“Hello?” Olivia’s soft and raspy voice suddenly filled the room.
“Hello, Miss Spencer, this is Mara,” she said. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine.” There was a smile in her voice. “I just got home not too long ago.”
WHAT?
“Okay, good to know,” Mara said. “Judge Ashton was just worried since you weren’t here.”
“He told me I could leave early tonight,” she said. “I offered to get his dinner before leaving, but he told me I didn’t have to. I left his credit card on my desk.”
She really does need to be an actress…
“Okay, then.” Mara shrugged and slipped out of the room to grab it. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Spencer.”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Crisis averted.” Mara ended the call. “She’s alive.”
“So, she actually left here without doing what I told her to do?” I asked. “And she just lied to you about it?”
“You really need to go home before midnight.”
“I’m spending the night here.”
“Suit yourself.” She shook her head. “In the meantime, I’ll call the chef and have a waiter run a quick meal over within the hour. Problem solved.”
“No, Mara. You just made things far more complicated.”
“How so?” She tilted her head. “You’re hungry and want dinner. I’m making sure it’s being delivered.”
“I want Miss Spencer to get it for me.”
“Why does it matter who gets it?” She crossed her arms. “Am I missing something?”
“No, but I think Miss Spencer must be.” I leaned back in my chair. “Her mind, obviously.”
“Why are you being so hard on her?” She crossed her arms. “Like, did she do something wrong?”
“She’s done quite a few things wrong.”
“Are any of them bad enough for you to fire her?” She arched a brow. “Because if not, you’re going to run off the best clerk you’ve had in a very long time.”
“I’ve had far better clerks than her, Mara.”
“Name one.”
I couldn’t.
“I thought so.” She looked at her watch. “After dinner, you should go home. You’re spiraling over nothing and you’re starting to scare me.”
No, I’m scaring myself.