Knowing Me Knowing You (20 page)

‘
It’s being offered Sweetie and I won’t take no for an answer,
’
Hermione said firmly.

‘
CHOCOLATE!
’
Cyrus whispered loudly, walking into the kitchen and drumming his feet on the floor.

‘
Mum, I can’t find my school tie,
’
Heather called, appearing at the door as Cyrus started to march around and around in a circle.

‘
Sorry Kate, I’d better go and sort my tribe out or no one’s going to get to school today,
’
Hermione spoke, getting to her feet.

‘
That’s OK; I’ve got to head off anyway
.
T
hanks for the tea, bye
Bethan
,
’
Kate called into the living room as she passed.

She looked in on her daughter and saw
she
and Sky were making the beginnings of a den using the chairs and a sheet.

‘
See you later. Stop that Cyrus!
’
Hermione said firmly.

When Kate arrived in the Probate department at
Randall’s
she could barely see her desk for the second time that week. This time it wasn’t covered with streamers and balloons, it was covered in files. Probate files were always large and bulky due to the nature of the work but the files piled high on her workspace looked fit to burst and eerily old, some even had cobwebs on them.

‘
Morning,
’
Lynn
greeted, entering the room and approaching Kate.

‘
Morning, what happened here? Did someone clear out archives and leave it all on my desk?
’
Kate asked her secretary, staring at the files in horror.

‘
Afraid not Kate,
’
the Lady Dragon’s voice boomed as she materialised before them like something out of
Quantum Leap
.

‘
I’d like you to look at these for me, they’ve all got money on client account, small amounts mainly and I don’t remember who gets what. Could you go through and sort them out for me?
’
Miranda finished, batting her eyelashes and flicking her blonde hair back.

‘
Well, actually, I’ve got quite a lot on today and….,
’
Kate began, deciding she didn’t want to be walked over.

‘
What do you have outstanding?
’
Miranda asked her mouth thinning as she looked at Kate disapprovingly.

‘
Well, I need to finish the accounts on
Carruthers
and st
art the IHT papers on Watson and…
’

‘
That shouldn’t take you too long though should it? If you could sort these by tomorrow that would be perfect,
’
Miranda spoke
the smile returning as she sensed triumph.

Kate just smiled back, not knowing what else she could really do or say. And then before she knew it she was studying Miranda’s hair again. Was it a wig? I
f it was then it wasn’t obvious.
I
t looked like real
hair,
it moved like real hair, it had to be real hair.

‘
And I’ll have a coffee when you have a minute
Lynn
,
’
Miranda said, facing the secretary and flicking back her hair again.

Lynn
met her boss’ eyes and then cracked a false smile that resembled an over enthusiastic clown.

Appearing satisfied with her show of power, Miranda tip
-
tapped back across the room and returned to her lair.

‘
I’m going to have to move these or I won’t be able to get on with any work,
’
Kate spoke as she began to lift the files down from her desk.

‘
Here, let me help you,
’
Lynn
offered.

‘
Stupid bloody Dragon, I don’t know why she’s got it in for me,
’
Kate said, putting the files onto the floor next to her desk.

‘
I might. Rumour has it Colin Sykes wan
ts you to take that exam thingy -
you know
-
the one that turns you from a legal executive into a solicitor. I think she’s terrified of that happening because once you’re a solicitor you could become a partner,
’
Lynn
explained.

‘
Where do you get these rumours from? You spend far too much time chatting by the water cooler in my opinion,
’
Kate joked.

‘
Actually I got it from Colin’s secretary, Sophia. She told me in the strictest confidence. He’s been looking at the exams, timescales and stuff.
’

‘
For me?
’

‘
Yep, but don’t tell anyone I told you because it’s not common knowledge. The only people that know are Colin, Sophia and me
-
and the water cooler obviously. Expect a memo though.
’

‘
Why would he want me to do that? Miranda is ripe for becoming a partner; it’s virtually a done deal,
’
Kate spoke, dumping the last file on the floor and sending up a cloud of dust from the carpet.

‘
I think s
he’s putting noses out of joint.
R
umour has it a few clients have complained about her,
’
Lynn
informed as quietly as sh
e could manage which was about two
decibels below a Boeing engine.

‘
Really?
But I thought she was always good with clients, I thought she was everyone’s golden girl.
’

‘
Good with the chat, less good with the knowledge, allegedly.
You didn’t hear that from me either.
’

‘
God, I would never have thought that, she always seems so capable.
’

‘
Things aren’t always what they seem. By the way, she
did
change those accounts you did. I checked my copy, yours were perfect, she’s taken bits out and put bits
in, and I know it was her because she left her log in name on the system.
Not very clever to forget to cover your tracks.
Two sandwiches short in the deception department if you ask me,
’
Lynn
informed.

‘
But why would she
…
’

‘
Dur
!
Colin thinks you’re partner material, she’s under scrutiny because clients have complained,
she’ll
be looking to discredit you.
’

‘
But at the expense of sending incorrect papers to the clients?
’
Kate asked horrified.

‘
She’s a ruthless
bunny, that won’t matter to her. T
hey’ll be
your
mistakes and she can take the credit for sorting them out. Come on Kate, stop being so nice all the time,
’
Lynn
boomed.

‘
God, is
this what
they call warfare in the workplace?
’

‘
Yes! Good! Nice to hear you’re awake now! I’ve sorted the accounts; I’ve sent a copy to your email and saved them in triplicate.
’

‘
Well what do I do?
If she’s determined to make me look like an idiot?
She’s the boss, she has all the means.
’

‘
Give me the
Carruthers
case for a start; they only need a tidy up. You can get on with Watson, I can help you with these balances later, and then, at lunchtime, when she’s out having her talons manicured or whatever today’s beauty treatment is
,
we can strategise and plan our attack,
’
Lynn spoke almost excitedly.

‘
God Lynn, I’m not sure I have the enthusiasm for it. Playing games isn’t really my thing.
’

‘
No?
Four little words,
Knowing Me Knowing You
.
’

‘
That’s not fair.
’

‘
You can’t let her get away with it.
’

‘
You really think Colin’s earmarked me for the solicitors’ exam?
’

‘
Sophia never lies when I’ve plied her with Hob
Nobs
,
’
Lynn
insisted.

At 1.00pm, just as Lynn and Kate were about to gather around a desk with sandwiches and strategy, Kate’s telephone rang.

‘
Hello, Kate Baxter.
’

‘
Hello Kate, I have a Joel Brown in reception for you,
’
the switchboard operator announced.

‘
Oh, OK, I’ll come down
-
Lynn, Joel’s in re
ception for me, I won’t be long.
S
hall I make some tea when I come back up?
’
Kate suggested.

‘
Sure, I’ll just log in to the Lady Dragon’s emails and see what she’s been plotting,
’
Lynn
replied, tapping away on the keyboard and concentrating on the screen.

Kate hurried from the room and went down the two flights of stairs to reception. When she got there, Joel was sat in one of the really uncomfortable, yet classy looking, leather chairs, flicking through a magazine. He was smartly dressed in a plain white shirt and dark trousers looking as gorgeous as ever. He raised his head and she caught sight of the charcoal coloured eyes.

‘
Hello,
’
Kate greeted rather stiffly.

‘
Hi,
’
Joel replied and he hurriedly stood up and kissed her on the cheek.

‘
Shall we go outside?
’
Kate suggested quickly as she blushed from head to foot.

She knew they were supposed to be giving the impression they were madly in love but every time he did something as simple as pecking her on the cheek she was taken aback and embarrassed. Plus she didn’t want either of the receptionists to be privy to anything she was going to say. Ruby was terribly nosey and she was related to Miranda in some bizarre way, Miranda’s aunt’s boyfriend’s mother or something. And the less Miranda knew about her relationship with Joel the better.

‘
Sure,
’
Joel agreed and he opened the door for her.

Once outside, Kate realised just how cold it was and wished she hadn’t made the suggestion. Privacy wasn’t worth freezing to death for. She hugged her jacket to her and tried not to shiver.

‘
Sorry, to bother you at work, I just wanted to apologise for leaving so abruptly last night
.
I
t was really rude of me and I didn’t thank you properly for the dinner,
’
Joel spoke, looking a little ashamed.

‘
Oh, well that’s OK. I think I drank a bit too much and I was going on and on about the Army and
…
’

‘
No you weren’t, you were fine
-
it was me,
’
Joel insisted.

‘
Oh good, I’m glad I didn’t do anything stupid
.
I had a vague recollection that I was doing really bad impressions of Larry Rawlins. Tell me I’m wrong.
’

‘
Ah, well, I hate to
be the bearer of bad news but…
’

‘
I guess it could have been worse, I could have been pretending to be the Love Dove.
’

‘
Maybe you can try that the next time,
’
Joel suggested.

‘
I was going to call you about the next time actually. If you still want to do it that is, I mean I promise, no more interrogation, just gentle questioning,
’
Kate spoke concerned.

She didn’t want him deciding it was all too much hassle and back out of the whole thing.