by Ellery Adams
“There’s one other problem, though. If we have a run on strangers in the office, the others might get suspicious. Everybody’s on edge these days.”
“That’s understandable,” Cooper said. “I’ll need to come on my lunch break. I’m not technically a repairperson anymore, and I don’t want to use company time to do this.” She stopped. “But if I’m there at lunch, will everyone be out?”
Christine shook her head. “We all ate lunch in the office the past two days. Kenneth’s been ordering in for all of us, because there’s too much work to go out. Tomorrow a few of us will be gone part of the day at a client meeting, but the day after that we should all be around.”
“Then I’ll come before lunch,” Jake offered. “I might still be there when Cooper arrives, but it’ll space out our arrivals.”
“And I’ll come in the afternoon,” Trish said.
“That’ll be perfect,” Christine said. “If anyone asks, I can say that I thought it best to just get everything done in one fell swoop. All the repairs and meetings done in a day. We’ve got a client coming in Friday, anyway, so it’ll be better to have the office in the best possible shape before then. And if anyone doesn’t like it, I’ll suggest they take on the role of office manager. I’ll see you all Thursday.” She leaned over toward Nathan and rested her head against his shoulder. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Nathan, you have the most wonderful friends.”
Nathan smiled at Cooper. “I agree.”
7
Thursday promised to be a good day. Mama made omelets for breakfast, along with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Traffic was surprisingly light on the way to work. At lunchtime, Cooper would head over to Sphinx to help Christine, and before and after that she had a full but not insurmountable day planned.
When she arrived at the office, Emilio was already there and on the phone with a client. Since she’d met him, Cooper couldn’t remember him ever sounding as humble and respectful as he did on that call. He was learning. She greeted him with a quick wave and a quiet “Good morning!” before settling into her office. The light on her phone was blinking red. She had a new message.
It began with a phlegmy cough. “Hi, Cooper, this is Bobby Weller.” Her employee’s usually chipper voice was raspy and tired. “My youngest was sick, and I caught it. Don’t know what it is, but it’s pretty bad.” He paused and coughed again. “My wife says if I throw up one more time, she’s taking me to the ER . . . I guess you didn’t really need to know that. So, I won’t be in today.” Another bout of coughing. “For your sake and mine. I hope that doesn’t inconvenience you too much. When I can, I’ll give you an update.”
In the background, Bobby’s wife told him to hang up the phone and lie down. He sounded like he had the plague, but at least he was in good hands. Knowing Bobby as she did, Cooper suspected that the most difficult part of being sick wasn’t feeling terrible. It was being idle. He wasn’t a quick worker, but he was always working, always moving, always doing something.
That thought gave Cooper pause. Anxious pause.
Bobby was always working. There was absolutely no way Josh could handle all those repairs on his own. Even if some of their clients were able to wait for repairs, Cooper had no idea how long Bobby would be out.
If Bobby was out very long, the repair orders would pile up. Her office would be inundated with angry calls and messages from customers. Customers would abandon Make It Work! By the time Mr. Farmer returned from his trip, the doors would be boarded shut and the business he’d built would be destroyed.
As her thoughts spiraled out of control, Cooper allowed herself a moment to bask in the sheer panic before telling herself to snap out of it. Under her breath, she muttered a quick prayer.
“Lord, help me not go nuts today or lose all the clients. Amen.”
Next, she tried to think of solutions. She knew several clients on the schedule today, and she could probably convince them to wait for their repairs. Some wouldn’t be able to wait, but she might be able to cut them a deal; Ben could provide them with the necessary machines for a few days at no charge.
That still left a hefty workload.
Cooper rubbed her forehead. How could she solve this? And then it hit her! There was really only one way to solve the problem. It was time for her to step into her old uniform and get to work doing repairs. Just then she saw Ben enter through the front door and wave, and Cooper left her office to stop him.
“I need to talk to you,” she said. “I’ve got a problem. One of my employees is sick, and I need to know if you’ll be able to provide machines to a handful of clients if need be.”
“No problem,” Ben said. “We don’t have many orders to fill today, so Brandi can take care of it. Just let me know what you need.”
Cooper felt herself relax. “Thank you. I think this is gonna work. Emilio, I’ll look through Bobby’s and Josh’s repair schedules to figure out who’s top priority. Those are the customers Josh and I will take care of today. I’ll give you a list of clients, and I need you to call them and ask if they can live without their machines for an additional day or two. If they absolutely can’t, ask if they can make do with a lease at no charge. We’ll send Brandi over to their office ASAP.”
Emilio nodded. “Got it.”
“And apologize profusely to all of them.”
“Okay.”
“And be . . . deferential.”
“Don’t know what that means, but if you’re telling me not to mention getting their panties in a bunch, don’t worry. I’ll be nice.”
“One more thing. When Josh gets in, send him to see me right away.”
Cooper quickly put together a list of clients for Emilio to call and emailed it to him. Less than fifteen minutes later, Josh strolled into her office.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked with a boyish grin. Sometimes he didn’t seem at all like the young man she’d hired. He’d started out reserved and unsure, but he’d blossomed.
“What could I possibly have to complain about?” Cooper laughed at his comment and motioned to the chair across from her. “You’re a gold-star employee.”
“Glad to hear it! Say, I didn’t see Bobby. I usually run into him.”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you. Bobby’s sick. He sounded horrible on the phone. I’m guessing he’ll be out for the rest of the week.”
Josh nodded along, listening, as Cooper explained her plan for taking care of repairs. When she’d finished, she asked, “What do you think?”
“Don’t see a problem with it,” Josh replied. “You and I ought to be able to get the work done. And just to put your mind at ease, I’m feeling terrific.”
“Glad to hear it.”
He left Cooper alone, staring at her screen and rubbing her hands together. A part of her was excited to get back into the oil and toner of repair work. She enjoyed managing Josh and Bobby, and the increased pay of her position was a perk, but fixing problems was her first love. Unlike the old days, though, she’d have to balance repair work with her managerial duties and her interim boss duties.
At least she’d had a good breakfast.
• • •
Cooper started off the day by making a trip to two longtime customers in downtown Richmond to service their copiers. Both companies relied on all-in-one machines for their printing, copying, and faxing, so when those machines went down, business stopped.
They were on the high-priority list.
Before lunch, she managed to fit in a third repair and catch up on paperwork at the office.
Shortly after noon, Cooper headed to Sphinx. Wearing her old Make It Work! uniform, she blasted the Beatles and sang along. She’d forgotten just how freeing it could be, being on the road for work, getting away from the office and out from behind a desk. For a little while she was able to forget the reason for her lunchtime outing—the murder, the imminent investigation, the possibility that poor Christine not only worked with a killer but would be firmly planted in McNamara’s crosshairs, s
hould he decide to pursue a murder investigation. Instead of all those things, Cooper’s mind was filled with lyrics. “Hard Day’s Night,” “Yesterday,” “Eleanor Rigby.” This was why she’d come to love her job at Make It Work! This and the people. Only now, while she still spent time with Angela, Mr. Farmer, and Ben, she no longer enjoyed the freedom of driving through Richmond day to day. She missed this.
For today, Cooper let herself get lost in the nostalgia. It was fun to reminisce.
All too soon, she saw the office park in which Sphinx Digital Systems and Solutions was situated and she pulled into the parking lot. The building was a simple one-story brown brick structure with very large windows along the front. An inviting little courtyard was situated in front of each office space.
Cooper wondered how many of these offices had need of a good, reliable office machine repair company. She made a mental note to drop by with some business cards after Mr. Farmer was back and she had a bit more time on her hands.
Tool kit in hand, Cooper started toward the office with a large sphinx emblazoned on the front window. As she neared the front courtyard, loud voices cut through the air. Cooper slowed and then stopped. The words were muddled, but the tone was very clear.
Anger. Hurt. Venom.
Patiently, she waited, not wanting to interrupt a fight. A minute later, the voices quieted, and then they were silent. When she was sure the dispute was over, she continued toward the office. There was no one in sight in the courtyard.
A blast of cool air greeted Cooper inside the office. The reception desk at the front was empty, so she surveyed the rest of the room. Beyond the front desk she could see into the main work area. It was all one open space, with four L-shaped desks arranged neatly so that the employees could either face one another for conversation or turn and work alone. There was plenty of space between the desks for moving equipment—such as a copier—if the need should arise.
Christine sat at the desk nearest the front, focused on her computer. Three other employees occupied the other desks. Cooper tried to remember their names. Mandy was the brunette. Nala was the short, thin one. And Dave was the taller fellow with a grim expression.
Behind the reception desk were two doors—small offices—one with a nameplate reading “Sinclair Gordon,” and the other “Kenneth Amery.”
At the back of the office, past the desks, was a little break area, complete with a round table, a fridge, and a coffeemaker similar to the one at Make It Work! The restroom doors were beside the break area with a water fountain in between. And in the main aisle between the desks, back toward the water fountain, stood two large copiers.
Cooper took another step past the reception desk, shaking her tool kit ever so slightly so that it made just enough noise to draw Christine’s attention. Christine looked up from her computer. She was so deeply entrenched in her work that it took a moment before recognition registered on her face. She smiled and hurried to Cooper.
“Is it lunchtime already?” she asked, glancing at her watch. “I’ve been so busy, I didn’t realize!”
“Did Jake leave already?”
Christine shook her head, gesturing to the restroom doors near the break area. “He’s fixing a leaky toilet in the ladies’ room.”
It was difficult for Cooper to imagine Jake being comfortable in the ladies’ room, even for work. Something about the visual made her chuckle. “I’ll have to ask him what he thinks of the ladies’ room.” She lowered her voice. “He can’t observe people from in there, though.”
“I know, but we actually did have a leaky toilet in there, so he’s fixing it. Before that, I had him take a look at one of the faucets in the men’s room, and when he’s done in the bathroom, he’s got a couple more jobs out here. Once I started thinking about it, I realized we really did need some plumbing repairs!”
“I’m glad to see you’re keeping him busy! Now, which of these machines is in need of repairs?”
“Follow me!” Christine spun on her heel and led Cooper to the two copiers. Cooper did her best to nonchalantly watch the employees as she walked past. Nala was wiping her eyes. Dave wore headphones and stared intently at his screen. His music was so loud in his headphones that Cooper could hear the bass from several feet away.
“The color printer seems to be working just fine,” Christine explained. “It streaks at the bottom of the page just a little bit, but it works. It’s the black and white that keeps jamming.”
“I’ll take a look and let you know what I find.”
Christine mouthed “Thank you” and returned to her desk. A quick glance at the machine told Cooper what the problem was, so she took some time to observe Christine’s coworkers. As she tinkered with the printer, she watched the activity around her out of the corner of her eye.
Kenneth stepped out of his office and asked Dave to join him. When Dave was gone, Nala relaxed. Rather than continue to work, however, she closed her eyes and rested her head on her hands. She and her husband were obviously having issues. Apparently they were the ones fighting in the courtyard.
Mandy spoke on the phone and wore a smile that reminded Cooper of a used car salesman. Her expression was unsettlingly insincere. She must have been talking to a client. Remembering what Christine told her about Mandy, Cooper wondered if Mandy really wouldn’t recognize her.
And then there was Christine, hands glued to her keyboard, eyes stealing glances in Cooper’s direction. Christine looked every bit the loyal, hardworking employee. How could anyone possibly think she’d murdered another human being?
Dave returned to his desk, a slight pallor to his countenance, and Cooper wondered what Kenneth and he had talked about. Did he mess up an important task? Was he underperforming? Was his job on the line? It all really boiled down to a single question: Did he have a motive to commit murder?
Finally, Cooper decided she’d fiddled with the printer enough. The next time Christine glanced up, Cooper caught her eye and waved her over.
“What’s the diagnosis?” Christine asked, joining her at the machines.
“Did you use this machine to print on envelopes, by chance?”
Christine nodded. “Yeah, about a month ago . . . That’s when the problem started, actually. How’d you know?”
Cooper moved the plastic guide on the paper tray from the #10 envelope line to the standard paper line. “There isn’t anything wrong with the machine. The guide was in the wrong place. When you tried to print on eight and a half by eleven paper, the paper would shift slightly, and that confused the printer.”
Christine stared blankly at the machine. “That’s it? Seriously? That’s what’s been causing us problems all this time?”
Cooper stifled a laugh. “Afraid so.”
“I feel like such an idiot.”
“Don’t, please,” Cooper said. “It’s a really common mistake. Most people don’t realize how important the paper guide is. Next time you print envelopes, be sure to move the guide back when you’re done. You shouldn’t have any more issues.”
“I’m glad to hear it!”
“And now, I’ll give both machines a good once-over for you before I head out.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
Cooper grinned. “It’ll give me more time to watch your coworkers.”
“Ah.” Christine nodded. “I see. Then once-over away!” For just a moment, as Christine returned Cooper’s smile, she looked exactly like Nathan. She spun to return to her desk, but Cooper caught her arm.
“Something wrong?” Christine asked.
“Just a question,” Cooper said quietly. “When I was on my way in, I heard shouting in the courtyard. I waited until it was finished before I came in. I didn’t want to interrupt. Was that . . . ?” Cooper jerked her head in the direction of Dave and Nala.
Christine moved so her back was to the couple. “Yeah. They’re at each other’s throats again. You’d think they’d take a break while we figure things out without Sinclair, but no such luck.”
“Ah,” Cooper said. Suspicion confirmed. “Do you know why they’re fighting?”
“Today? Let’s see . . . I’m pretty sure I heard Dave say that Nala used too much of the special cardstock.”
Cooper’s jaw literally dropped, and for a few seconds she stood there, mouth agape, staring at Christine. “Are you serious? Cardstock?”
Christine nodded.
“That didn’t sound like an argument over using too much paper.”
“I’m not sure it’s ever really about using paper, or drinking the last soda, or Dave playing his music too loud. I don’t know what it is about, but I figure there has to be more to it. Mandy might know. She tends to . . . hear things.”
“Do you think she’d get suspicious if you asked her about it?”
Christine grimaced. “I don’t like the idea of getting involved in the office gossip. Mandy’s a rumor mill—nice enough to me, but still.”
“I understand. I wouldn’t want to make you do something that makes you uncomfortable.”
Christine hesitated. “But it would be for the greater good, right?”
“I suppose so.”
The door to the ladies’ room opened and Jake strode out, wiping his hands on his jeans. He stepped over to the water fountain, between the restroom doors, acknowledging Cooper with an almost indiscernible nod. Cooper was glad to see him. If Mandy told them anything useful, it would be nice to have a second pair of ears listening and remembering.
With a deep breath, Christine put on a happy expression and turned to the desk beside hers. “Hey, Mandy! Come check this out!”
Mandy rose and quickly joined Christine and Cooper. “What is it?”
“The copier’s all fixed. Isn’t that great?”
Cooper averted her eyes. This would be the real test to see whether or not Mandy recognized her.
“It’s terrific!” Mandy replied. In a quiet voice, she added, “Now I don’t have to listen to you know who fight about the printers anymore.”
