Chapter 12 The Offer of a Death Slide
The Offer of a Death Slide
A few days later, Morgan sat at her laptop, one ear tuned for the thumpity-thump of Heidi coming downstairs.
She switched screens from the professional employment website and opened her training spreadsheet, making sure it was a different tab from last time on the faint chance that Heidi actually looked at what she was doing.
It seemed unlikely—she barely ever glanced at the screen—but Morgan was paranoid enough to take no chances.
One part of her wondered why she simply didn’t say to Heidi she was taking a break, was between jobs, was considering her options—any of the carefully worded excuses that screamed “unemployed.” But the days trickled past, and Heidi had been living with her for nearly a week, and Morgan had yet to tell her.
It was bad enough being a failure in her own head. How much worse to be a failure in someone else’s eyes, even if that someone was a minimum wage employee in an unskilled position.
So every weekday, she continued to sit at the laptop during business hours when Heidi was home. At least since Heidi had started putting her shifts on the pinboard in the kitchen, she now had warning.
Her daily checks of the professional employment agencies and job ads took up a couple of hours each day, and she tried to call or email financial firms daily to let them know of her availability.
But the hours in the day were still too many, especially when her awake time stretched long into the night.
At least she was fit, thanks to her basement home gym, which hadn’t had so much use in months.
The thumpity-thump started down the stairs. Morgan counted the double beat and waited for the louder thump as Heidi jumped the last two stairs and landed on timber boards rather than carpeted stairs. Every time, it was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
At least Heidi was considerate in other ways. Even now, she would be peering around the doorway into the living area, checking that Morgan wasn’t in the middle of a call before she came clattering in. Not that Morgan ever was on a call, but she could pretend with the best of them.
“Hi.” Heidi wiggled her fingers as she went on past to the kitchen. “Want a coffee?”
“Yes, please. But use mine. You don’t have to use yours all the time.”
Heidi’s beans were a generic supermarket brand and didn’t taste nearly as good as hers, which came from the local coffee shop. Although, with no job offers coming her way, maybe she should start getting used to the supermarket stuff.
“No worries.” Heidi disappeared into the kitchen, and the sound of her humming drifted out.
A few minutes later, she was back with the coffees.
She put hers on the side table, delivered Morgan’s to her desk, then threw herself onto the couch and draped her feet over the end.
“My day off!” She grinned at Morgan. “A whole day to”—her mouth turned down—“launder my sheets, vacuum, clean the bathroom, and grocery shop. At least I don’t have to mow the lawn.
” She waved outside at the snowflakes drifting down. “Has it been snowing for long?”
“It started sometime early this morning, I think. But it should melt by the afternoon.”
“Great! I don’t want to waste my day off, so I thought I’d go and explore somewhere. Got any suggestions? I’d like a walk.”
“You won’t have time to go to the foothills if you’re doing all that first. Maybe Cherry Creek Reservoir? Nice flat trails. View of the mountains. Lots of dogs.”
“That sounds perfect. Is it on public transport?”
Oh. Of course. “I’m not sure.” Morgan nibbled her lip.
“I’ll check online. I’m looking forward to a relaxing day whatever I do. Well, apart from the chores. Thought I’d cook tonight as well. I can cook for both of us, if you’d like. I’m guessing you eat chicken—unless those breasts in the freezer are for next door’s cat?”
Morgan nodded. “I do, but you don’t have to cook for me.”
“Don’t have to,” Heidi agreed. “But I want to. I’ve got a great recipe for chicken—it’s marinated in soy and lime and garlic and chopped cashews and heaps of coriand—er, cilantro. Good with rice and salad. How does that sound?”
It sounded better than good, and a far cry from her assumption that Heidi would eat bland or processed food. “It sounds great. If you’re sure…?”
“Nah, yeah, of course I’m sure. Wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” She levered herself off the sofa. “I better not hold your work up. The more I chat and listen at work, the more tips I get. I need to remember it’s not the same for you.”
“It’s not a problem. I should probably move my office space to my bedroom so I don’t interfere with you.” That wasn’t a bad idea, now that she thought of it.
“Oh no,” Heidi said. “I can’t kick you out of your space.
Besides, your files are here and everything.
It’s not a problem, really.” She pulled off her hoodie and dropped it onto the couch.
“It’s warm in here. I can’t get used to how cold it is outside but how warm inside.
You’ve never known cold until you’ve lived in a weatherboard share house in Melbourne with no heating in the middle of winter. You go inside and put more clothes on.”
Morgan laughed. “You can’t fool me on that one.”
“I’m not.” Heidi gave an exaggerated shiver. “My water bottle by the bed would freeze overnight sometimes.”
She must have seen Morgan’s disbelieving expression because she added, “Okay, that is an exaggeration, but it does get cold.”
Heidi flashed a smile, and Morgan found herself grinning back in response. There was something so free and unfettered about Heidi, as if life was pure pleasure. Even when she was whining about her job, she made it sound like a comedy of errors rather than the stress and annoyance it must surely be.
Morgan wiggled her toes in her thick socks. Her phone rang, and she glanced at the screen. Oh! Jerry Grogan. She flicked a glance at Heidi. “Sorry, I have to take this.”
Heidi nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, closing the door behind her.
Morgan answered the call. “Morgan Favola.”
“Hi, Morgan, this is Jerry Grogan. I’m sorry our last call ended abruptly—I had to take a call.”
“I understand. How are things, Jerry?”
“Good, good. Look, I won’t draw this out. I’ve always considered us equals in the financial world, and I appreciated the business you sometimes passed my way. You were decent, Morgan, and that’s not something you often come across in our field.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. Where was he going with this? Surely he hadn’t called to pat her on the back?
“I heard what happened to you.”
“I’m sure everyone has. Bad news travels fast, although I think it was good news for some.”
“You’re right there. For what it’s worth, I heard Javid took over your accounts and is struggling. But that’s not why I called. I know of a job opening.” He cleared his throat.
A job. Her breath hitched, and she concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply. Maybe the job at Blackstar was on offer after all. “I’m listening.”
“It’s not at Blackstar. But one of the senior advisors here is going out on his own. He’s looking to hire two advisors, plus support staff. Nothing’s advertised yet, and he’s not opening shop for another month, but, if you’d like, I could put in a word for you.”
“I’d like that very much, Jerry. Thank you. Can you tell me who it is?”
A slight hesitation on the line. “It’s Murray Price.”
Murray. The bubble of excitement in her throat popped. Murray had a reputation for providing advice that skirted what was ethical. Before he came to Blackstar, he’d been with two or three other firms, never staying too long with any of them. There were whispers of kickbacks.
“Do you know why he’s leaving Blackstar?”
Silence sat on the call. Then, “I can’t say, Morgan. Not officially—”
“Unofficially? Our industry knows a millisecond after someone treads outside the lines. I’d rather hear it from you.
” No need to mention to Jerry that for all intents and purposes she was no longer a part of that industry, and there was no one —apart from Jerry—who would give her the down-low.
She shot a glance at the kitchen door. Still closed.
“Give me a moment.” Footsteps sounded, then traffic noise. “He’s being encouraged to resign.”
“Because? I count at least three other firms he left abruptly in the last six years.”
“Two years in a job isn’t unusual.”
“No. But you would have heard the rumors the same as I did. That is unusual. Our industry has worked hard to build the public’s trust after the global financial crisis.
” She gripped the phone and suppressed a frustrated scream.
Had she come to this already? Mere weeks after a single mistake?
That the only person who would even consider hiring her—even with a recommendation—was the most dubious of all.
Murray’s shingle should say Shady Bros. Inc.
Jerry sighed. “It seems Murray doesn’t learn from his mistakes. That’s all I’m saying.”
With him as the principal of his own firm, there would be no one to check him. Not until he was reported, or sued for malpractice. The final hope that this might be a worthwhile position withered and died. Was nine in the morning too early for wine?
“Thank you for thinking of me, Jerry, but I don’t think I’m the right person to work with Murray.”
“I understand. And if you can wait this out, I’m sure you’ll find a position soon. It could be a career death slide with Murray. If he goes down spectacularly, you don’t want to go with him.”
“No, it seems I’m doing that all by myself right now.”
Jerry didn’t laugh. “I think you’ll get past this. You had a solid reputation, Morgan. Murray never did. Would you like me to put the word out that you were notified of Murray’s interest but that you declined his offer?”
She considered. That should demonstrate she was ethical and help mitigate any reek of desperation attached to her name. “Please. And, Jerry… I still owe you lunch. Maybe in a week or two?”
“Sure. We can do that. Why don’t you give me a call when you’ve got time?”
She had all the time in the world, and Jerry had to know that. The traffic noise receded. Jerry had to be back in the office. “I’ll do that. And thanks for thinking of me, Jerry.”
“No problem. We’ll do lunch soon. Ciao.”
Morgan blew out a breath. After that call, the day could only get better. She stood and stretched. The kitchen door was still closed. She padded across and opened it.
Heidi leaned against the counter, scrolling on her phone. Toast crumbs scattered across the counter, and a jar of something thick and dark was open on the counter.
“Thanks for the privacy.”
“No worries. I’m on the Denver transportation site.
I can take the light rail and then a bus out to Belmar Park.
Thanks for the suggestion.” Heidi crunched a piece of toast covered in the spread.
She must have seen Morgan looking because she said, “Vegemite toast. My sister sent me a jar. You’re welcome to try it, but most people hate it if it wasn’t infused into their veins as babies. ”
“Thanks, but I’ll pass.” Even the smell was weird.
She put her mug down onto the counter. The initial high of Jerry’s call had plummeted, filling her legs with lead.
Really, why was she spending every workday stuck in the house, scrolling the job sites and pretending to work?
Outside, the sky was the clearest blue, and no doubt the air was crisp and sharp.
It was a day for hiking, for skiing, for being outdoors in the cold, dry air. For being alive.
“I’ve got a better idea than you taking the light rail. If you’re ready by noon, we could head out to Red Rocks instead. It’s on the edge of the foothills and there are several hiking trails with fabulous views. I’ll drive.”
Heidi bounced away from the counter. “That would be amazing. I’d love to go there—you okay to take the afternoon off work?”
“I can swing it.”
“Then I’m not even here. I’m doing laundry.” Heidi set down her mug with a bang and hurtled out of the room.