Captured Read Online Free

started.
    He cut her off with a wink. “I think you owe me a coffee.”
    She smiled, intrigued. “I think I do.”
    From that day on, they flirted mildly every time they saw each other, which was increasingly often. Two weeks after she received her parking ticket, he called her.
    “Are you free for lunch today? I’d like to get your opinion on our information security policies. Most of our working groups are made up of partners in the firm, so I’m keen to hear different points of view.”
    “Sure.” She was way behind in her preparations for a case, but his gruff, Scottish drawl had a strange hold over her. She couldn’t say no.
    “Right. I’ll meet you in the lobby at 1.”
     
    “Are you sure it’s safe to talk about the company’s information security outside of the building?” Grace asked, oblivious, as they walked along Moorgate.
    Neil laughed. “Yeah you’re right. Let’s skip straight to lunch.”
    “Oh. Okay,” she replied, the surprise evident in her voice.
    Lunch had turned into coffee. Normally so conscientious, Grace had barely been able to tear herself away. They moved in together after six weeks, astonishing most of Grace’s friends and acquaintances, who had pictured her marrying an insipid but wealthy corporate lawyer and moving to the Home Counties. Kirsty was delighted.
    “Honestly?” Grace continued, looking unsure. “I’ve been spending so much time in the office that I’ve had no time to think. The only time I saw him at work was when we first started going out. I think he went out of his way, even though I didn’t realise it at the time.” She smiled sadly, before shaking her head and smiling half-heartedly. “Anyway, even if I’d known his ultimatum was serious, I didn’t have a choice. Those are the hours I have to put in if I ever want to be made a partner. There are people in the office who don’t see their children; I couldn’t complain about not seeing enough of my boyfriend.”
    “I don’t think I’m the only one who needs to get out,” Kirsty replied, eyebrows raised.
    Grace shrugged. “That’s probably true. Although...it’s easier said than done.”
     
    Buoyed by her conversation with Grace, Kirsty took the stairs down a level to the fourteenth floor early on Monday morning. The Human Resources department shared the floor with IT; the unmanned reception desk where the internal telephone sat was covered with computer components and old telephones. A door opened to her left, and Angela, one of the HR managers, popped her head out.
    “Kirsty,” she smiled. “Do you want to come on through? Ignore the mess, we’ve had some staffing changes, and IT is currently out of storage space.”
    Kirsty’s heart sank. She knew that this meant there had been more redundancies made within the firm. 
    Angela led her into a meeting room identical to the ones on Kirsty’s floor. “So what is it you’d like to discuss?”
    Kirsty looked around the bland room. Each of the walls was internal so the only source of light was the buzzing fluorescent strip above their heads. She suddenly felt very unsure of herself. Richard was out of the office for two weeks, an absence necessitated by the firm’s mandatory vacation policy. She hadn’t seen him since she left his office the previous week. 
    The policy, dictated by their overlords in the New York headquarters, was designed to prevent – or at least limit – an employee’s ability to defraud the company, or to cover up errors. During a two week period each year, every employee had to stay out of the office with no access to firm email or software. Any anomalies would be identified by the person covering their duties, and reported.
    “I’m concerned about my position within my department,” Kirsty explained. “The responsibilities have been changed around in such a way that I’ll have to report to a new employee who is at the same level as me.” She scrutinised Angela’s face to see her reaction.
    Angela leaned