*
“Mr. Martin?” Steph pushed open the door to the office and peered around the edge. “Charlie needs to talk with you before you call it a night.”
Charlie. He didn’t need to deal with the man again today. “Does he know what time it is?”
“Yes, Mr. Martin. But he’s quite insistent.” She glanced behind her then shot a quick look at Alan, rolling her eyes as she gave a subtle jerk of her head. Okay, so Charlie was in hearing range, making it harder for Steph to blow him off, or give Alan a real heads up as to what was going on.
“Fine, let him in, but make sure he understands I only have about ten minutes before I need to leave for the day.” He could have pushed it a little further, but he wanted plenty of time to prepare for his date with Sue. He’d already managed to get everything in place for the meeting the following morning, and only those attending the meeting now knew about the change of time and location.
“Thank you, Alan. Appreciate this.”
His jaw clenched as Charlie spoke. “What can I do for you?”
“It’s about the report. I need the new password to access some of the files. You changed it and…”
“And if you had everything in place you’d already have that information. Charlie, I’m growing very tired of this. Apart from that, everything you need should be in your memos and files on your own computer, unless you’re claiming you never saved it, or backed up your work, which is a part of your contract if you recall?” Alan kept his voice calm as he leaned back in his chair.
Charlie paled. “No, I have everything backed up. It’s just it would be easier if I could…”
“No. I changed the password for a reason, and only key members of staff will be granted access. We’ve had far too many leaks in the past few weeks and I’m putting a stop to it.”
“But, Alan, surely you don’t think that I’d be involved in passing on information, do you?” Charlie took a step closer to the desk. “And I need that access. I can’t do my job properly without it.”
“Charlie Welch, you haven’t been doing your job properly to begin with. Your reports are always late, you’ve had more hard drive crashes, email errors, and file corruption issues than the rest of this company put together.”
“I’ve been unlucky, and I think I’ve pissed off a few people in the company so they’re…”
“Out to get you?” Alan’s jaw tightened.
“Yes, sure.”
Did the man not understand how foolish he sounded? Did he really believe that his story was plausible? “Charlie, I’m going to make this very clear to you. You will get this report done, using the files on your computer, the copies you told me you’d made when I first spoke to you about this. Now, if there had really been an issue you’d have brought it up to me this morning and shown me the proof. So it sounds to me as though you’re stalling for time.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then you won’t object to my taking a look at your computer tomorrow, or rather having our tech department do it, will you?”
Charlie shook his head. “That won’t be needed, sir. I’ve got everything I need. I just thought it would be best to double-check some of the files. I’m sorry I bothered you about this. I know you’re pressed for time.”
Alan didn’t bother to hide his smile. “You know where the door is, Charlie.”
“Yes sir, again, my apologies.” The man darted out of the office before Alan had a chance to say anything else.
Alan watched the door close, the soft click ringing through the room, his gaze narrowing. Just what was that man up to? Why would he come in to try and get the password when he had to know just how much trouble he was in? He wasn’t the first employee to try and get the new password, and no doubt wouldn’t be the last, but why take the risk when he knew he was on thin ice to begin with?
The intercom beeped on his desk.
“Yes?”
“You asked me to remind you of your
“Mr. Martin?” Steph pushed open the door to the office and peered around the edge. “Charlie needs to talk with you before you call it a night.”
Charlie. He didn’t need to deal with the man again today. “Does he know what time it is?”
“Yes, Mr. Martin. But he’s quite insistent.” She glanced behind her then shot a quick look at Alan, rolling her eyes as she gave a subtle jerk of her head. Okay, so Charlie was in hearing range, making it harder for Steph to blow him off, or give Alan a real heads up as to what was going on.
“Fine, let him in, but make sure he understands I only have about ten minutes before I need to leave for the day.” He could have pushed it a little further, but he wanted plenty of time to prepare for his date with Sue. He’d already managed to get everything in place for the meeting the following morning, and only those attending the meeting now knew about the change of time and location.
“Thank you, Alan. Appreciate this.”
His jaw clenched as Charlie spoke. “What can I do for you?”
“It’s about the report. I need the new password to access some of the files. You changed it and…”
“And if you had everything in place you’d already have that information. Charlie, I’m growing very tired of this. Apart from that, everything you need should be in your memos and files on your own computer, unless you’re claiming you never saved it, or backed up your work, which is a part of your contract if you recall?” Alan kept his voice calm as he leaned back in his chair.
Charlie paled. “No, I have everything backed up. It’s just it would be easier if I could…”
“No. I changed the password for a reason, and only key members of staff will be granted access. We’ve had far too many leaks in the past few weeks and I’m putting a stop to it.”
“But, Alan, surely you don’t think that I’d be involved in passing on information, do you?” Charlie took a step closer to the desk. “And I need that access. I can’t do my job properly without it.”
“Charlie Welch, you haven’t been doing your job properly to begin with. Your reports are always late, you’ve had more hard drive crashes, email errors, and file corruption issues than the rest of this company put together.”
“I’ve been unlucky, and I think I’ve pissed off a few people in the company so they’re…”
“Out to get you?” Alan’s jaw tightened.
“Yes, sure.”
Did the man not understand how foolish he sounded? Did he really believe that his story was plausible? “Charlie, I’m going to make this very clear to you. You will get this report done, using the files on your computer, the copies you told me you’d made when I first spoke to you about this. Now, if there had really been an issue you’d have brought it up to me this morning and shown me the proof. So it sounds to me as though you’re stalling for time.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then you won’t object to my taking a look at your computer tomorrow, or rather having our tech department do it, will you?”
Charlie shook his head. “That won’t be needed, sir. I’ve got everything I need. I just thought it would be best to double-check some of the files. I’m sorry I bothered you about this. I know you’re pressed for time.”
Alan didn’t bother to hide his smile. “You know where the door is, Charlie.”
“Yes sir, again, my apologies.” The man darted out of the office before Alan had a chance to say anything else.
Alan watched the door close, the soft click ringing through the room, his gaze narrowing. Just what was that man up to? Why would he come in to try and get the password when he had to know just how much trouble he was in? He wasn’t the first employee to try and get the new password, and no doubt wouldn’t be the last, but why take the risk when he knew he was on thin ice to begin with?
The intercom beeped on his desk.
“Yes?”
“You asked me to remind you of your
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