The Fate Merchant

Chapter 17

     “I know.”

     She let out a soft “Humpf” and dialed Arnold’s phone. Her frown deepened, her thin, plucked brows dipping toward each other.

     “It’s going straight to voice mail.”

     “I know.”

     She hung up the phone. It rang a second later. She scooped up the receiver. “Arnold Gleason’s office.”

     Carol listened for a moment, then glanced up at Frank and shook her head. It wasn’t him.

     Frank turned and managed three steps before Carol charged out of her office and grabbed his arm.

     “It’s a reporter. He wants Arnold to comment on the murder of Barry Watts? Is Barry—”

     Frank nodded.

     Carol’s hands shot to her mouth. “When?”

     “Last night.”

     “How?”

     “Tell him no comment,” Frank said. “Then send out an email asking everyone to meet in the conference room at nine.”

     Carol didn’t move.

     Frank wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her back to her office. “Let me know if you hear from Andrew, okay?”

     “Okay,” she said, her voice weak, tremulous. She sat down and picked up the receiver to speak to the reporter.

     “Can you keep this to yourself for an hour?” Frank asked. He hoped Andrew would show up by then and take the reigns.

     By nine, Andrew still hadn’t appeared. The staff had gathered in the conference room, and he’d made the announcement.

     Six and a half hours ago.

     Frank leaned his elbows on his desk and rubbed his temples. Outside his office door, the ceaseless babble continued. A third of the staff had opted to go home for the day, while the rest had decided to stay and gossip and pretend to work. Andrew’s absence had factored into the conversation: Where was he? Has anyone heard from him? Was there a link between Barry’s murder and Arnold’s disappearance? There had even been talk about a supposed affair between Barry and Arnold’s wife. Frank hated office gossip. It was a waste of time and energy, and it reminded him of high school.

     Someone knocked on his door.

     “Go away,” Frank said. It was amazing to him how many people wanted to know the gory details, from the amount of blood at the scene to Barry’s appearance. Someone had even asked about the smell.