To Find Her Place (Redemption's Light #2) - Susan Anne Mason Page 0,3

enough pressure as it was. It would be up to her as directress to set the tone and guide everyone through the uncertain weeks ahead. If she had to put in more hours over the next few weeks until matters settled down, then she would do it.

Thankfully, Mama was feeling somewhat better than yesterday, which had given Jane one less problem to deal with this morning. She would need all her wits about her to handle everything on her plate today.

Unusual quiet surrounded the main hallway as she entered the Children’s Aid building. Jane took a moment to allow her system to settle before stepping into the clerical office.

“Good morning, Melanie,” she said to the girl seated at the reception desk. “No sign of Mr. Wilder yet, I hope.”

“Not yet.” The cheerful blonde looked up from the papers on her desk. “Any idea what this audit is really about?”

Jane hesitated. Knowing Melanie’s propensity for gossip, Jane decided to keep what little knowledge she had to herself. “I’m not really sure. Mr. Fenmore was very vague about the whole situation.”

“Well, I, for one, find the timing suspicious.” Melanie leaned closer. “Do you think it’s a coincidence that they’re bringing someone in to do an audit the day after Mr. Mills announced his retirement?”

Jane removed her hat and patted her hair back into place, attempting to ignore the jump in her stomach. Melanie was voicing the very thoughts that had plagued her all night. “I don’t know. I hope it’s merely a matter of wanting a clearer picture of where things stand before the new director is hired.”

“Or directress.” Melanie winked at Jane. “Did you tell them you want to apply yourself?”

“I mentioned it.” Jane shifted, uncomfortably aware of the other staff in the room straining to listen. “The board won’t be interviewing anyone until the audit is complete. Now, were you able to reschedule my meeting with the mayor?”

She hated to put off Mayor Conboy, since he held the majority of the Children’s Aid’s purse strings, but it couldn’t be helped. Not knowing what to expect from Mr. Wilder, Jane wanted to be available as much as possible during his first day on the job. She imagined the interloper to be a middle-aged businessman who knew nothing about running a social agency. Their organization was very different from big corporations, and she intended to make sure he understood how they worked. That making a profit wasn’t their main goal. And that the welfare of the children was their ultimate concern.

“Yes. Mayor Conboy was actually relieved, since he’d had a conflict arise as well. It’s now moved to next Thursday at one o’clock.”

“Good. And what about the budget meeting with Mr. Warren and the other board members?”

“It’s now on Friday at four o’clock.” Melanie glanced over at Jane, as though anticipating her next question. “Don’t worry. I rearranged your schedule to make room for it. I figured one of the upstairs rooms should be free at that time.”

“Thank you.” Jane’s shoulders sagged a little. She hated having meetings that late in the day, but the lack of space in this building made it necessary to either rent outside facilities for meetings or wait until later in the day, when most of the caseworkers had vacated the rooms upstairs.

“When Mr. Wilder does arrive,” Jane said, “please show him to my office right away and then hold my calls.”

“Sure thing, Jane. I mean, Mrs. Linder.” Melanie turned back to her typewriter.

Jane shook her head as she turned down the hall. It had been a tough adjustment for everyone having to address her as Mrs. Linder. For Melanie, in particular. Her friendship with the younger girl hadn’t seemed quite so problematic when Jane was simply another caseworker. However, it had proven challenging over the last six months to keep her professional life separate from her personal one.

She unlocked the door and slipped into her office—or more accurately Bob Mills’s office—which she currently occupied while he was away. With a sigh, she sat down in the captain’s chair, realizing that he would never be back to run the organization. Making a mental note to speak to the board about a retirement party for him, she pulled a file open on her desk. When Mr. Wilder arrived, she wanted to appear hard at work, in control, and not as flustered as she felt.

A few minutes later, a soft knock on her door made her jump. “Come in.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Linder.” Bonnie Dupuis, one of the newer caseworkers,