Captured Read Online Free Page A

forward in her seat, clearly engaged, but offered Kirsty no sign of approval or disapproval. “I see. Have you spoken to your line manager?”
    “Yes, but he said I was imagining the problem. That he was only changing responsibilities around for the good of the client.”
    “So it’s a reassignment of responsibility rather than a restructure of the team?” Angela asked, writing something on the yellow legal pad in front of her.
    Kirsty started to nod but stopped abruptly. “Yes. Well, no. If I have to work beneath someone, then surely that counts as a restructure?”
    Angela smiled condescendingly. “I’m afraid it’s entirely within Richard’s remit to reassign client coverage within his team. Perhaps Daniel has more experience with this type of client than you do? This company’s about giving the clients what they want, not pandering to the egos of our staff.” She drummed her acrylic nails on the notepad.
    Kirsty knew then that she had made a mistake. It was obvious that Angela knew more about the situation than she had just told her. Jones had clearly had his plans cleared by HR before putting Daniel on the Callan account. She remembered Grace’s advice from earlier that morning. If you get a negative reaction, keep it neutral and get out.
    “I’ve got another meeting in a moment, but thanks for your help.” Kirsty stood up, brushing the creases from her skirt.
    “No problem, I’m here to help.” Angela smiled her lightless smile again, and held the door open.
     
    Back at her desk, Kirsty seethed. Grace wasn’t answering her phone. She had called Simon late the night before – ostensibly to chat about her meeting with HR – but he had curtly told her that he believed they should stay away from each other for a while. She mulled over their conversation now, trying to decide whether to IM him or not. She typed a message quickly. The cursor blinked back at her.
    “Kirsty, do you have a sec?” she hadn’t noticed Daniel walk over, but he now loomed over her screen from the other side of the partition.
    She looked up coldly, but stayed silent.
    “I need to talk to you about Thursday. Can we go to one of the meeting rooms?”
    “I’m pretty busy.”
    “It’s important.”
    She glanced at the screen. Simon hadn’t responded. I could use a chat , she thought.
    “Fine,” she replied, standing up. She had no desire to be in the same room as the man right now, but the strange atmosphere between him and Simon the week before had piqued her curiosity. She led him to the empty office beside Jones’s.
    Closing the door, he got straight to the point before he had even sat down. “Look, I never got a chance to talk to you after the meeting with the Callans on Thursday. I didn’t know Jones was going to do that, he just forwarded me the meeting invite. I’m not going to apologise for doing my job, but I just wanted you to know that it’s not like I asked Jones to take you off the account.”
    He stopped and looked at her.
    “Okay, thanks, I appreciate you telling me that,” she nodded. He seems...nervous , she thought.
    He was silent, watching her. She looked back at him.
    “It’s office politics Kirsty, I’m sorry but it’s not my fault. Jones obviously thinks I’ll make a good Girl Friday on his ride to the top, nothing else.”
    The image was so ridiculous that she couldn’t help laughing.
    “I don’t like this any more than you do. The last thing I wanted is to come in and start making enemies...” he trailed off, leaning back to look out the window.
    “Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?” she asked, smiling.
    “Yeah,” he smiled back. “So how do you know Williams?” Daniel swivelled in his chair.
    “We used to go out. We were in the same grad programme,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m in the bad books at the moment though.”
    “You’re in the what?”
    “Oh we just broke up recently, that’s all.”
    “So it’s finished between you two.”
    She nodded.
    “Good. He