Stacey and Colin leant forward in their seats, eyes wide at the prospect of such a big win. Junior sales reps, they were both at least ten years younger than me and dead keen. However, although they worked hard, they seemed to lack the shark-like ambition and confidence of someone like Nick. I tried to encourage them as much and as often as I could.
‘Colin, you’re next up.’ I motioned for him to come and take my place by the flipchart. ‘Would you like to take us through the differentials and then –’ Before I could go any further, I was interrupted by my mobile. I’d balanced it on top of a pile of folders on the floor and as I let it ring out to voicemail, it vibrated its way off the side and toppled onto the carpet.
‘The figures involved are critical –’ I said, trying to regain my train of thought. But once more, my phone’s electronic trill cut me off mid-flow.
‘Do you need to get that?’ asked Nick. ‘Seems important.’
Picking it up off the floor, I checked the screen. I didn’t recognise the number. Keen to avoid any more distractions, I turned it off completely.
‘Sorry,’ I said, my hands fluttering around my neck. ‘Where was I?’
‘The figures,’ said Nick.
‘The figures, yes,’ I said, forcing my hands down to my hips. ‘We need to show we can deliver for under ten per cent and Colin has worked out a way we can do that.’ Colin had just got to his feet when the reception landline blared.
Hayley answered and, after a brief exchange, she held the phone towards me.
‘It’s for you.’
‘Take a message?’
Hayley returned the phone to her ear but after a murmured exchange she was soon back to trying to hand me the receiver.
‘What is it?’
Hayley scanned the breakout area, hesitant to verbalise whatever it was in front of the others.
‘They say it’s urgent. Something to do with Jason.’ She chewed on her thumbnail. ‘They won’t take no for an answer.’
Ignoring the shared glances rippling through my team, I took the phone.
‘Heidi, it’s Tesh,’ said the person on the other end of the line.
‘Tesh?’
I hadn’t seen him since that night at the barbecue. For a moment my head was filled with the image of him doing the flamenco around our garden, a pair of meat tongs held above his head like castanets.
‘I’m in the middle of something,’ I whispered, shielding the receiver with my hand.
A dash of red bobbed at the edge of my vision. Yvonne. She was standing in the doorway to her office, watching me.
‘It’s Jason,’ said Tesh. ‘I need you to get over here right away.’
‘I’m at work,’ I whispered.
‘I don’t want to get the police involved,’ said Tesh, ‘but if we leave it much longer I’ll have no choice.’
‘The police?’
‘He got on-site somehow. He’s on the roof.’
For a moment, everything seemed to pitch.
‘He’s refusing to come down.’
He gave me the address and I handed the phone back to Hayley. Turning to face Colin, Stacey and Nick, I ignored their looks of brazen curiosity and collected my things.
‘I’ve got something I need to take care of,’ I said brightly. ‘We’ll pick this up later.’
Grabbing my bag and coat from my desk, I went over to where Yvonne stood, her mouth twisted into a dense bud.
‘I need to dip out for an hour or so.’ I kept my voice light. ‘Won’t be long.’
‘Everything OK?’
‘Personal emergency.’
She tutted.
‘What about Monday? You weren’t in yesterday and you said you were going to spend all of today and tomorrow preparing.’
‘Don’t worry, we’re all set.’ I shuffled my arms into my coat. ‘And like I said, I won’t be long.’
I went to leave but I hadn’t gone more than a few steps when I heard another tut.
‘You know, if you’re finding it all a bit much,’ she said, ‘Nick has offered to step in and share the load.’ She stopped, giving herself the time to stand back and properly observe the impact of her next sentence. ‘He’s very keen.’
‘I don’t need anyone to share the load,’ I said, giving her a firm smile. ‘I can handle it just fine.’
Chapter Thirty-Five
It had started to rain. Holding my coat over my head, I ran to the car and got in. Tesh had told me to come to a building site based out by Seal Sands. On the other side of the river, it should have been no more than a twenty-minute journey, but the roads were slick with spray. I drove only as