“”You’re joking?” This was the one scenario they hadn’t considered. “What made them decide to do that?” She stepped aside to let the woman enter. “Gang, Ms. Wallace has a contract for our consideration.”
The babble ended. Jenessa noted the smug look on Claire’s face. Suspicion welled. Just what did the contract say?
Sandra placed her well-stuffed briefcase on the coffee table. As she pulled a thick packet free, the case fell spilling white papers across the dark blue carpet. She handed the packet to Jenessa and scrambled to gather the papers.
Jenessa opened the envelope and pulled out a stapled copy. She passed the packet to Nan.
Sandra straightened. “I’m sure you’ll want to read and discuss the terms so I’ll leave you.” She paused at the door. “A word of warning. This is the only offer you’re going to receive.” She closed the door.
Chapter 12
For several minutes, Jenessa stared at the closed door. Then she turned and read on her colleagues faces the same puzzled expressions she knew she wore. Why, after months of refusal, had the Board decided to offer a contract? She thought about the things she and Eric had said and how he’d left Eastlake tonight.
She started to read the terms. The voices of the other women rose from whispered comments to near shrieks. Wages remain at present levels. Health benefits cut. Job security lost. Personal days eliminated.
To achieve his goals, Bishop had to push the nurses into a strike. This offer would certainly accomplish that goal. She had to stall the vote. When a representative from the Labor Board compared this latest offer with the expired one, the charge of “poor faith” would be proved.
“This isn’t a contract. It’s a farce,” Dru said.
Nan bounced to her feet. “The nerve of them to think they can get away with this.”
“They’re offering less than we already have,” Simone said.
“I don’t know what the rest of you think, but I’m not accepting this.” One of Claire’s friends spoke.
“Maybe they’ll negotiate,” Megan said.
Claire raised her copy of the contract. “If Sandra says this is the best offer we’ll get, I’m sure she knows. Just remember how tight she and Bishop are and how much control he has over the Board’s decisions.”
“We have to call the union rep,” Jenessa said.
“Why?” Claire asked. “Are we babies running to Mommy for advice? The rep isn’t going to tell us anything we don’t already know. We need to consider rejecting this contract and call for a strike vote.”
“Can’t we hold off on recommendations until we hear from the Labor Board?” Jenessa asked.
“What kind of leaders would we be if we did that?” The brassy blonde’s lip curled into a sneer.
“Sensible ones,” Simone said.
“Don’t you think a strike vote would put us in the wrong?” Megan asked. “Any negotiator would see this offer as an insult.”
“We’ll end up with less than we have now if we don’t take a stand,” Claire said. “We might as well continue to work without a contract the way we have for months. I say we vote to strike. We have no other choice.”
Jenessa watched the expressions on the faces of the other women. It’s a trap and Claire is helping to spring it shut. Jenessa gripped the contract. Could she stall the vote until after the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Monday? Once proof of the conspiracy was in the open, the Board would be forced to condemn Bishop’s actions. “Let’s wait until tomorrow after we’ve talked to the rep.”
“Please,” Claire said. “Do you really think we can afford to sit back and let the Board push us against a wall? I move we call a meeting to discuss the contract and also a strike vote.”
Nan looked at Jenessa. “She’s right. We’ve waited long enough. I second the motion.”
“Any further discussion?” Claire asked.
Jenessa sat on the carpet. Though she wanted to point out Claire’s role in the betrayal of the union and the hospital, she had to wait. If she spoke, within an hour, the story would sweep the hospital with the swiftness of a forest fire.
Megan moved to Jenessa’s side. “Do something,” she whispered.
Jenessa stared at the rolled contract in her hand. “I can’t.”
“A motion has been made and seconded,” Claire said. “We’ll have a voice vote.”
Eight of the women voted to accept Claire’s motion. Jenessa, Simone and Megan voted against.
Claire’s smug smile irritated Jenessa. “The motion carries. I’ve reserved the hospital auditorium for a general meeting tomorrow night at eight.”
“Why there?” Jenessa asked. “Do you really think we should hold our meeting in enemy territory? What about one of the schools?”
“The schools are booked and none of the motels have a large enough space available.”
“And I suppose you’re going to insist on an immediate vote,” Jenessa said. “We’ll need monitors for that.”
“Already taken care of,” Claire said.
“Sounds like this has been planned for a long time,” Simone said.
“Contingency plans,” Claire said. “When you’re dealing with someone like Bishop, you can’t be passive.”
“Just what are you getting out of this?” Megan asked.
Claire picked up her purse. “I’ll see you all tomorrow evening at eight.” At the door, she paused. “Jenessa, do you want a chance to present your views?”
Jenessa considered the question and knew she had no choice. She had to be on the stage with the other union leaders. Even though Eric wanted to wait until the hospital Board met, she had to use their evidence. Once the strike vote passed, the conspirators would act. “I’ll be there.”
After the rest of the women left, Megan sat on the couch. “I feel like we’ve been steam-rollered. What can we do?”
“There are some facts and arguments I can use to urge people to wait for the Labor Board’s intervention.” Jenessa paced across the room. “I don’t like the way Claire managed to arrange a general meeting before we saw the contract.”
“We all know where she got her information.” Megan shook her head. “I can’t believe Dad voted to send us that contract.”
“Maybe he didn’t.” Jenessa wished she could tell Megan the evidence she and Eric had found, but he hadn’t even told Sam what they suspected.
Megan frowned. “I wonder what Claire expects to gain from this.”
“A way to leave the bedside.” Of course, Jenessa thought. “Lately, she’s been complaining about not being considered for the spot in staff ed.”
“How? She doesn’t have a degree.”
“Let’s hope we don’t find out.” Jenessa started to collect the paper cups, plates and napkins. Once the clutter had been gathered, she sat on the couch and turned on the television.
Megan raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you going down to Eric’s? He’ll need to know about the meeting.”
“He’s not home.”
Megan stood in the kitchen doorway. “Where is he? What kind of D.O.N. runs from problems?”
“Didn’t you once tell me to give him a chance?” Jenessa flipped the television off. “There was something he had to do.”
“What could be more important that staying here and helping you develop your arguments?”
Jenessa shrugged. There were things she couldn’t tell Megan. Facts that would sway the union members, but only if she could spring them without Claire being primed to offer counter arguments.
*****
Jenessa spent a restless night filled with nightmare encounters with Bishop and Sandra. At six, she heard Megan’s alarm. Though awake, she waited until her roommate left to get out of bed. The first thing she did was call Eric’s apartment to leave a message about the meeting.
While she ate breakfast, she thought about the pair of appointments she had in the city. The information the broker had might hand her Bishop’s motives and she hoped the nurse recruiter would let
her know something about Sandra.
She put her dishes in the sink and headed to the bedroom. In the back of the closet, she found the black suit she’d worn to Chuck’s funeral. She selected a white silk blouse that softened the severity of the straight skirt and the thigh-length jacket.
She used the hour drive to the city to refine the questions she wanted to ask about MASCHCO. If the woman admitted the company’s interest in Eastlake Community, Jenessa was sure the nurses would reject the idea of a strike.
Her thoughts wandered. What if the Board hadn’t voted against making Sandra the D.O.N., and to give Eric the position? Thoughts of Eric raised responses she couldn’t afford to explore. Since his arrival in Eastlake, her life had changed. She felt alive. At the same time, she felt afraid and unsure of the future. Would he stay in Eastlake? She wanted to. The town was a perfect place to raise a family.
Lord. She shook her head. How could she believe in a settled life with him when she didn’t know if he loved her? He wanted her. She had no doubts about the depth of their sexual attraction, but sex wasn’t love. What if there was nothing more behind his feelings for her?
She gulped a deep breath. The hospital, the strike, the answers she needed. Concentrate on those.
In the city, she found a parking garage within walking distance of the offices of the broker and MASCHCO. At twenty-five minutes after ten, she arrived at the broker’s. A receptionist showed her into his office. The portly man rose and smiled. “Mrs. Robertson, I see you had no problem finding the offices.”
“Your directions were excellent.”
“I’ve studied your request for information and I can suggest some alternative investments with better risk factors.”
Jenessa hoped she could cut off his sales pitch. “The company was recommended by an acquaintance who thought because I’m a nurse, I’d jump at the chance to invest. What did you learn?”
He opened a folder. “You were right to question making a large investment. For the past two years, the company in question has suffered some financial losses and this year, they’ll go into the red.”
“Enough to push them into bankruptcy?”
“It’s a possibility though there’s a persistent rumor that they’re about to acquire a healthy infusion of cash. I don’t find a rumor enough to recommend their stock.”
“Interesting rumor.” Jenessa nodded. There wouldn’t be an infusion of cash if she could prevent a strike. “If you have copies of your information, I’d like to show the figures to the person who recommended the investment.”
“I’ll have copies made for you.” He smiled. “Would you like to hear about some other investments?”
She looked at her watch. Though her appointment with the nurse recruiter wasn’t until one, she had no patience for listening to a sales pitch. “I have a job interview scheduled. Why don’t you put a package together? As I told you I have about twenty five thousand dollars to invest.”
“I’m glad to be of service.” He escorted her to the door. “I’ll call you next week. Those copies you want will be done in a few minutes.”
“Thank you again.” She sat on the end of a brown leather couch in the outer office. She wasn’t sure how the information would effect the nurses, but what she’d learned about MASCHCO would help Eric when he met with the hospital Board. Would the visit to the company headquarters be as productive?
*****
Eric stood outside the offices of MASCHCO and watched a cluster of women leave. He glanced into the room where a half wall separated the reception area from several rows of desks. When only the receptionist remained, he entered. With luck and the right questions, he believed the young woman could supply the information he needed.
The blonde looked up and smiled. “How can I help you?”
He returned the smile. “Depends.”
She laughed. “On what?”
Eric relaxed. “I’m in town on business and wanted to look up an old college friend. I thought she worked here, but when I called, no one seemed to know where she is.”
“Just who might your friend be?”
“Sandra Wallace.”
The blonde wrinkled her nose. “Figures she would pluck the prize. She works here, but right now, she’s on an extended leave of absence, with pay. Lucky her.”
“Some kind of trouble?”
“Don’t I wish.” She giggled. “When she’s here, she makes sure everyone takes their job seriously.”
“When will she be back? Maybe I can catch her next time.”
She shrugged. “It’s been months, but office talk says she’ll be back before long. Maybe in a couple of weeks. She’s working on some project up north.”
Eric groaned. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back in town. Have any idea where north? I might take a side trip if it’s not too far.”
“Do you think she’d let the peasants know?” She smiled. “You should have been here yesterday afternoon. She came in for a meeting with the CEO and to collect some
papers from the legal department.”
“Sounds like she has a responsible position.”
“President for Nursing. Works directly under the CEO.” She studied her nails. “We all think she has her eye on his job, and she always gets what she goes after.”
He laughed. “She was that way in school, too.” He looked at his watch. “I’m not due at my next appointment until three. Thought I’d pass time by taking her to lunch. Guess it’s not to be.” He started to the door and stopped. “Would you happen to be available? Sure hate to eat alone.”
She patted her hair. “As soon as one of the secretaries comes back to relieve me.”
He nodded. “I’ll wait. Hey, I have a great idea. Why don’t I leave a note on Sandra’s desk to let her know what she missed?”
“Why not? Would serve her right.” She laughed and led him down the hall. She paused in front of a door with Sandra’s name in guilt letters beneath the company’s logo. “I can’t leave the desk for long. Go in.”
“I’ll just jot a note.”
After the woman left, Eric took several pictures of the door. He lifted some of the stationary with Sandra’s name beneath the MASCHCO letterhead. folded them and put them in his pocket. He wished he had time to check the desk and files for material relating to Eastlake Community, but if he stayed too long, the receptionist might wonder what he really wanted.
Reluctantly, he left Sandra’s office and returned to the waiting room. The receptionist reached for her purse. “My relief just arrived. By the way, I’m Sally Foster.”
“Eric.” He opened the door. “Where would you like to have lunch? You’ll have to choose. My knowledge of the area is limited.”
“I’ll have to be back by one thirty. Let’s go to Billie’s. They have a great soup, salad and sandwich menu.”
When they left the office building, she put her hand on his arm. For a moment, Eric paused. Was that Jenessa across the street? He shook his head. He couldn’t imagine why she’d be here.
“We’re here.” Sally entered the restaurant. Eric followed.
Bright quilts decorated the walls. The cloths on the small square tables echoed the colors of the patchwork. After they ordered, Eric leaned forward. “Have you worked for MASCHCO long?”
“Three and a half years.” She made a face. “Sandra and I started the same day. She was the nurse recruiter then.
Eric considered this bit of information. According to Dr. Carter, that was about the time Bishop had tried to persuade the Board to consider selling the hospital. “Sounds like she moved up rapidly.”
The blonde’s lower lip curled. “Especially after she made friends with the chairman of the board of directors.”
In that, she hadn’t changed, unless -- “Interesting.” He raised an eyebrow.
She giggled. “I wouldn’t put it past her to sleep her way to the top, but he’s old, fat and bald.”
Bishop? “Does he visit the offices often?”
“I’ve o
nly seen him a time or two.”
The waitress brought their orders. For a long time neither of them spoke. While they lingered over coffee, Eric tried to learn more about the company.
“Who makes the decisions about how the company is run?”
“How would I know? I answer phones and greet people.” She looked at her watch. “Oh, dear, it’s nearly one thirty. Mary’ll be upset if I’m late.”
Eric signaled the waitress for the bill. “I’ll walk back with you. I’m sure your boss will understand how time gets away when you’re in good company.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
*****
At five minutes to one, Jenessa was taken to the ante-room of the nurse recruiter’s office. She fingered the tape recorder in the outer pocket of her briefcase and hoped she could tape some damaging information.
While she waited to be invited into the inner office, she glanced at the magazines on the table in front of the couch. A copy of the MASCHCO employees’ newsletter caught her eye. She opened the glossy magazine. The sight of Bishop’s smiling face made her want to cheer. Here was proof of his connection to the company. When she read the caption, she grinned. Chairman of the Board of Directors. Though she wanted to shove the newsletter in her briefcase, she put it back on the table. When I leave, she thought. A door opened. She looked up.
A brown haired woman dressed in a navy skirt and matching blazer stood in the doorway. “Mrs. Robertson, I’m Gail Paxton. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Jenessa rose and walked to the door. “Thank you for agreeing to talk to me on such short notice.”
“We’re always willing to talk to nurses with advanced degrees about the opportunities here.”
As Jenessa followed the woman into the tastefully decorated office, she turned on the tape recorder. Jenessa sat on a chrome and leather chair across from the oval chrome and glass desk. “At the present time, I’m just considering the possibilities.”
Gail Paxton laughed. “A good way to find the best placement. Would your husband be upset if you were assigned to a hospital out of state?”
On Opposite Sides Page 16
