when she heard the retreating footsteps stop and then turn as Quentin
Rowe started to head rapidly in her direction.
She hurried as fast as she could down the hallway, reached the main
office door, was through it in an instant and found herself back in the
reception area, staring at Charlie, who looked back at her anxiously.
“Sidney, you okay? You look white as a ghost.”
The footsteps were nearing the door. Sidney put one finger to her lips,
pointed in the direction of the door and motioned Charlie to go behind
his console. He rapidly caught both the sounds of the footsteps and her
meaning and quickly followed her instructions. Then Sidney slipped over
to the rest room door that stood to the right of the entrance to the
lobby. She opened her purse, poised herself at the door to the ladies’
room, which she held partially open with one hand, and kept an eye on
the door to the hallway. As soon as it opened and Rowe appeared, Sidney
pretended to stroll out of the ladies’ room, fumbling with something in
her purse. When she looked up, Rowe was staring at her. He held the
door to the secured area open with one hand.
“Quentin?” She said it with as much surprise as she could muster.
Rowe looked from Sidney to Charlie, suspicion written all over his
features.
“What are you doing here?” He did not try to hide his displeasure.
“I came to see Kay. We had talked earlier. She had some things of
Jason’s. Some personal effects she wanted me to have.”
Rowe snapped back, “Nothing can leave the premises without prior
authorization. Certainly nothing having to do with Jason.”
Sidney looked at him squarely. “I know that, Quentin.”
Her response surprised him.
She looked at Charlie, who stared at Rowe with unfriendly eyes.
“Charlie already informed me of that, though in a much less offensive
way than you just did. And he wouldn’t let me back into the office area
because we all know that’s against the company’s security policy.”
“I apologize if I was little abrupt. I’ve been under a lot of pressure
lately.”
Charlie’s voice was tense with a mixture of anger and incredulity.
“And she hasn’t? She just lost her husband, for God’s sake.”
Before Rowe could answer, Sidney cut in. “Quentin and I have already
covered that topic, Charlie, in an earlier conversation. Haven’t we,
Quentin?”
Rowe seemed to dissolve under her withering gaze.
He decided it best to change subjects. “I thought I heard a noise.”
He again looked accusingly at Sidney.
Sidney answered immediately. “So did we. Right before I went to the
ladies’ room, Charlie went to check it out. I guess he heard you and
you heard him. He didn’t think anyone was still in the office.
But you were.” Her tone matched his in its accusatory implications.
Rowe bristled. “I’m the president of this company. I can be here at
any time of the day or night and it’s nobody’s business but my own.”
Sidney stared him down. “I’m sure you can. However, I would think that
you would be working late on their behalf rather than conducting
personal business, even though it’s long’ after regular business hours.
I’m just speaking as a legal representative of the company, Quentin.”
Under normal circumstances, she never would have uttered those words to
a client’s senior executive.
Rowe started to sputter. “Well, of course, I meant I was working for
the company. I know all–” Rowe stopped abruptly when Sidney walked
over to Charlie and took his hand.
“Thank you very much, Charlie. I understand that rules are rules.” Rowe
could not see the look she gave the elderly security guard, but it
brought a grateful smile to Charlie’s face.
As she turned to leave, Rowe said, “Good night, Sidney.”
She didn’t answer him, nor did she even look at him. After she
disappeared into the elevator, Rowe looked angrily over at Charlie, who
was getting up to head out the door.
“Where are you going?” he demanded.
Charlie’s expression was calm. “I’ve got rounds to make. That’s part
of my job.” He bent down to the smaller man’s height when he said it.