The empire he stole from me

ely s

in that records room, looking at the document in my hand

denied s

me more than

e and took photographs of each one. I sent them to Nathaniel, along with

ame ten min

to anyone else. I

d at the

more th

me, he

you too," he said

ns the

h com

nsfer document. You

cking the regis

telling me not to

s a shor

k International has known about the transfer for thr

Gideon

take it

N

threat

me to be

aled. "That's

he street, a delivery truck bloc

t he was doing with

without giving him a reaso

anning to ha

hen let

with more quest

ently advertised for a senior executive assistant in its acquisitions division. The position requ

all

believe Gideon would let me throu

my applica

ted confirmation. By noon, I had a

lled

ery?" a w

es

m the office of Mr Rusk. We'd like to arra

stra

utive assista

Two thirty, if

pplication confirm

rather

ed your applica

urse

hirty

send the detail

all e

my phone f

ed an assistant. He wanted to know why I had returned,

ring a restricted room. Instead, h

an opportuni

d to find

anhattan. The lobby was all pale stone, dark wood and carefully placed artwo

ame to the

pected, Mi

the first

opened on the executive floor and I fo

y thirties, with her hair pulled into a ne

lery. I'

n, pl

te smile. "Mr Rusk

ed between meeting rooms carrying folders and laptops. Nobody appe

d a set of d

his desk, reading so

ook surpris

llery,"

Ru

ught the slight change in her e

ring in the other candi

lied. "That won'

dded a

ined s

he desk. "You applied for the

t the appli

operations, financial administration and property management.

d

er owned t

miliar with my

wed slightly.

the

y dec

save each other some time. You know who I am. I know who y

died me fo

u want to

an answer on

tions division is expanding, and the position off

unds reh

erview an

rless smile to

hotel's records

e it

is gaze.

ted area and removed c

that should never

nts belong to

m belonged t

ession h

sold those

ed before he could def

not an

was your

ettled be

e interview. Instead, Gideon walked aro

estigate the circumstances o

ly to investi

N

for a job. You

re trying to decide which p

eturned t

reviewing acquisition reports and coordinating with lega

lin

tly to

re a pr

ual for an execu

ow who has acce

ning wa

where he co

hing to do. But the executive floor gave me access to th

n losing an opportunit

he salary

named a

re generous than th

"Are you trying t

ssion tur

your silence, I wouldn't offer

ost s

e we understan

ontract acr

expect you to start to

before I could lea

condi

aus

do not remove company documents from this building. And anythi

his

cour

knew I w

the off

hed me put

usk Internati

y of the contra

we'll get to know e

llowed me t

ing for a way i

ad hande

I hadn't returned to New York to ask permiss

to find out wha

e a reason to walk throug