My Man Pendleton by Elizabeth Bevarly Page B

then back at his boss. "Oh, no, sir. This happened while I was playing squash. Miss McClellan only sprained my wrist. Novak was the one who got a broken arm."
    "Actually, it was just a hairline fracture," Novak said. "It was Bahadoori who got something broken, wasn't it, Bahadoori?"
    The other executive nodded. "Ankle," he replied, as if that explained everything.
    "That's right," McClellan, Sr. recalled with a faint nod. "And, of course, we all know about
Washington
's, um, posterior."
    Washington
shifted a bit awkwardly in his chair, but remained noncommittal otherwise. Oh, wow, so she did bite him on the butt, Pendleton thought with some small measure of triumph … right before he realized just how bizarre the conversation had become.
    " Carmichael was the one who escaped without incident," Bahadoori added.
    Carmichael lifted a hand to her close-cropped hair. "Well, except for the hair," she said. Hastily, she qualified, "But I'd been thinking about going short with it anyway."
    As Pendleton catalogued each of the other executives' experiences with the boss's daughter, he once again received the sensation of having entered an alternate plane of existence. What on earth was going on? Surely Kit hadn't been responsible for all those injuries.
Washington
, after all, topped six feet, and in no way seemed like the kind of man who would put himself in the position of … of … well, of being bitten on the butt. Not even by Kit McClellan.
    "Pendleton, you're up."
    As always, his boss's announcement snapped him right out of what had promised to be a very good preoccupation. And, as always, all he could say in response was, "Sir?"
    His employer eyed him impatiently. "Go get Kit," he reiterated. "Bring her home."
    "But—"
    "Beaches," McClellan, Sr. elaborated. "She likes beaches, Pendleton. Try the beaches."
    Well, gee, that certainly narrowed it down. That is, Pendleton thought further, it would have narrowed it down. If he'd had any intention of going after the boss's daughter. Which, of course, he didn't. Hey, it wasn't in his job description.
    But all he could manage by way of an objection was, "Beaches, sir?"
    Instead of answering him. McClellan, Sr. turned to Rutledge. "Where did you find her, Rutledge?"
    " St. Lucia ," the other man replied.
    McClellan, Sr. nodded, then eyed the next executive in the group. "Hayes, where was she when you went after her?"
    " Antigua , sir."
    "
Washington
?"
    "I found her in Jamaica ."
    "Redhawk?"
    " St. Croix , sir."
    "Bahadoori?"
    " Montserrat ."
    And so it went, all around the table, until McClellan, Sr. had quizzed each of his VPs as to his runaway daughter's various destinations. Clearly, running away from home was a habit of Kit's. And clearly, sending his executives after her was the way McClellan, Sr. handled it. What wasn't clear was why the Hensley's executives would go along with such a thing.
    "It would appear, Pendleton," his boss said, "that she rather likes the Caribbean . You might want to begin your search there."
    "My search, sir?"
    McClellan, Sr.'s expression probably would have been the same if Pendleton had just hopped up onto the table, whipped open his pants, and introduced everyone in the room to Mr. Happy. "Of course, Pendleton," he said evenly. "I thought I made that clear. It's your turn to go after Kit."
    "But, sir," he continued, already feeling defeated, "is that really necessary? After all, your daughter is an adult who's free to do as she—"
    "You can have a week off," his boss interrupted him before he could finish. "I'll look forward to Kit's return to the house by Thursday night, next week. Put all your expenses on the company credit card. Oh, and, Pendleton."
    "Sir?"
    "Don't forget to pack your sunscreen. That sun down there in the Caribbean … it's merciless."
    For one long moment, Pendleton only sat in his chair, pinching his nose harder, squeezing his eyes shut tighter, willing himself to please, in the name of God, wake up from whatever bizarre