Chapter 29
M y interview with HR was set up for a cold Friday morning in November, the same week Adam had been formally notified of the allegations against him. In the past, such meetings had been handled in person, but I couldn’t say I was surprised to receive an online calendar invite only.
I’d booked out the meeting room for my allocated slot and put a do not disturb – meeting in progress sign outside the door. (Actually it said ‘mood swing in progress’, but the effect was the same.)
Although I’d been ready half an hour before the meeting, I didn’t log in until the official start time. I didn’t want to seem too eager, as it usually meant nervousness or lack of self-control on the interviewee’s part.
After the usual introductions and pleasantries (from their side), I decided to jumpstart the conversation. ‘May I ask why I’m being interviewed?’
My question immediately seemed to upset the rhythm of the meeting as the two HR people looked perplexed for a second. Still, the man, whose name I’d already forgotten, quickly gathered his thoughts and said, ‘We understand you may be able to provide some useful information to this case.’
I wondered who would have suggested me as a witness. I discounted Katie herself. Perhaps it was David. But why? Did he think I’d save Adam or destroy him? I could still recall his mocking tone when he’d called Adam my friend.
‘How would you describe your colleague, Adam?’ asked the man.
‘Polite and professional. ’
‘How long have you known him for?’
‘A year.’
‘Can you tell us more about your working relationship with him?’
‘I’m a commercial manager; Adam’s a site manager. We don’t work directly together; my job is to liaise with his supervisor, David White.’
‘Have you ever seen him being inappropriate with a female colleague?’ he continued.
‘No.’
‘Has he ever been inappropriate with you verbally or otherwise at work?’
‘No.’
He cleared his throat, and both interviewers tried not to give away too much, but I sensed their frustration at my brief replies. They were on the hunt to declare him guilty, and they weren’t getting the answers from me that they needed to do so.
‘May I ask when this alleged incident between Katie and Adam happened?’
Again, there was a brief silence at the other end before the woman replied. Based on her demeanour, I assumed she was the more senior of the two. ‘Friday, twenty-seventh October.’
‘Are you sure?’
There was another pause whilst the woman checked her notes, then she nodded at me.
‘I take it there are no eyewitnesses to the alleged incident that Katie could produce?’
I’d been using the phrase ‘alleged incident’ to emphasise how ridiculous I found it all and show I wouldn’t accept the possibility of Adam acting out of line for a second.
‘We can’t discuss that with you,’ said the man.
Gotcha! If there were any, they wouldn’t be questioning me or others. They were going round in circles, trying to find that little piece of information that could conclude the case.
‘Right,’ I said slowly. ‘Then I think I can end this charade once and for all. ’
They looked at me, confused.
‘On the day in question, Adam and I left the office together , and we got into his car and drove away – together .’
‘How can you be so sure of the date? Are you two… involved ?’ the woman asked, unable to hide her disapproval and shock.
My reply came without hesitation. ‘That was the day I introduced him to my parents.’ I paused to let it sink in. ‘If you consider that being involved, then the answer is yes, we are.’ They were speechless, so I went on. ‘As I understand, what we do outside work is no one’s business. But do correct me if I’m wrong and we’ve broken some ethical code of conduct.’
To my surprise, we had – there had been a recent rule change that meant we should have disclosed our relationship to HR and higher management (not that it would have meant we couldn’t work together anymore).
I told them I’d never got the memo and asked what date the notification had been sent out so I could look it up in my emails. When they were unable to locate the announcement, and it turned out there hadn’t been any electronic communication on the matter, they sank lower in their chairs.
Since they had nothing else to say, they thanked me for my time and made to end the conversation. Before they hung up on me, I quickly asked what would happen next; they just said Katie and Adam would be formally advised of the outcome of the investigation shortly.
I hoped that ‘shortly’ meant today as I couldn’t bear the thought of Adam spending one more day deprived of the only thing he craved: company.