Behind them was a loud crash. They all turned. A young boy stood there, staring in dismay at a package he had dropped. He was carrying three suitcases. The boy looked about fifteen and was small for his age. He had curly brown hair and bright green eyes, and he was fragile-looking.
“For Christ’s sake,” Renard snapped. “Be careful with those things!”
“I’m sorry,” the boy said nervously. “Excuse me. Where shall I put the suitcases?”
Renard said impatiently, “Put them anywhere. We’ll get them later.”
Catherine looked at the boy inquiringly. Evelyn explained, “He quit his job as an office boy in Athens. We needed another office boy here.”
“What’s your name?” Catherine asked.
“Atanas Stavich, ma’am.” He was near tears.
“All right, Atanas. There’s a room in back where you can put the suitcases. I’ll see that they’re taken care of.”
The boy said gratefully, “Thank you, ma’am.”
Catherine turned back to the men. “Mr. Demiris said that you’ll be studying our operation here. I’ll help you in every way I can. If there is anything at all you need, I’ll try to arrange it for you. Now, if you gentlemen will come with me, I’ll introduce you to Wim and the rest of the staff.” As they walked down the corridor, Catherine stopped to make the introductions. They reached Wim’s office.
“Wim, this is the delegation Mr. Demiris sent. This is Yves Renard, Dino Mattusi, and Jerry Haley. They just arrived from Greece.”
Wim glared at them. “Greece has a population of only seven million six hundred and thirty thousand.” The men looked at one another, puzzled.
Catherine smiled to herself. They were having exactly the same reaction to Wim that she had had when she first met him.
“I’ve had your offices prepared,” Catherine said to the men. “Would you like to follow me?”
When they were out in the corridor, Jerry Haley asked, “What the hell was that? Someone said he was important around here.”
“He is,” Catherine assured him. “Wim keeps track of the finances of all the various divisions.”
“I wouldn’t let him keep track of my cat,” Haley snorted.
“When you get to know him better…”
“I do not wish to get to know him better,” the Frenchman muttered.
“I’ve arranged your hotels for you,” Catherine told the group. “I understand each of you wants to stay in a different hotel.”
“That’s right,” Mattusi replied.
Catherine started to make a comment, then decided not to. It was none of her business why they had chosen to stay at different hotels.
He watched Catherine, thinking. She’s much prettier than I expected. That will make it more interesting. And she has suffered pain. I can read it in her eyes. I will teach her how exquisite pain can be. We will enjoy it together. And when I have finished with her, I will send her where there is no more pain. She will go to the Maker or the Baker. I’m going to enjoy this. I am going to enjoy this very much.
Catherine showed the men to their respective offices, and when they were settled in, she started to return to her own desk. From the corridor Catherine heard the Frenchman yelling at the young boy.
“This is the wrong briefcase, stupid. Mine is the brown one. Brown! Do you understand English?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.” His voice was filled with panic.
I’m going to have to do something about this, Catherine thought.
Evelyn Kaye said, “If you need any help with this group, I’m here.”
“I appreciate it, Evelyn. I’ll let you know.”
A few minutes later, Atanas Stavich walked past Catherine’s office. She called out, “Would you come in here a moment, please?”
The boy looked at her with a frightened expression. “Yes, ma’am.” He walked in looking as though he expected to be whipped.
“Close the door, please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Take a chair, Atanas. It is Atanas, isn’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She was trying to put him at ease, and was not succeeding. “There’s nothing to be frightened of.”
“No, ma’am.”
Catherine sat there studying him, wondering what terrible things had been done to him to make him so fearful. She decided she was going to have to try to learn more about his past.