Captured Read Online Free Page B

told you.”
    “Told me what?”
    He rubbed his chin and stopped moving.
    “What?” she leaned forward and drummed her fingers on the desk.
    “Nothing.”
    She continued staring at him.
    “This is awkward. Look, forget I said anything.” He looked sheepish. “I just assumed he’d told you, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    “Oh just spill it, would you?”
    He exhaled sharply. “I’m sorry. Believe me, it’s not the type of thing you should be hearing from a virtual stranger, and I never would have said anything if I hadn’t thought you’d known.” He rubbed his face again.
    Kirsty used her foot to pull her chair closer to the table that separated them. She nodded at him, eyes wide, wishing he’d hurry up and tell her whatever it was he had to say.
    “We were friends at school,” he said at last. “We played rugby together, snuck out drinking. We even shared a dorm. The usual lad stuff.
    “One night when we were sixteen, I woke up and noticed he was missing. I snuck out to find him. Long story short, he had lost his temper and punched up a local girl pretty badly.”
    “What?” Kirsty breathed, dumbfounded.
    “Yeah, he knocked her around pretty bad.  The police found out and he was hauled off, but he was a minor so he got off pretty easily I suppose. “
    Kirsty shook her head. “I’ve known him for years. He wouldn’t hurt a fly, never mind a person.”
    “I’m sorry.” Daniel shook his head and looked at her sympathetically.
    She leaned back in the chair and ran her hands through her hair, trying to picture what Daniel had just described. “But how can he do something like that and then get a job in a bank? They have such tight checks on everything.”
    Daniel wore an awkward expression. “No idea. I hadn’t seen him since that night. I’m sorry you had to hear it from me, I really am.”
    “It’s okay,” she looked back at him, hardly seeing him. “I’m glad you told me, it’s just...”
    He stood up. “I’ll leave you alone. Rich is out, maybe you should just go home. It’s a lot to take in.”
    She smiled at him shakily as he walked past her to the door.

Chapter 4
     
    When Jones walked past to his office, it felt like several months had gone by since Kirsty last saw him. Her heart sank: throughout his absence it had been business as usual. She anxiously waited for ten minutes to tick past before going to his office.
    “Can I have a word?” she asked, not waiting for a response before she walked in and sat down.
    He sighed. “Well if it can’t wait. I’ve just returned from mandatory leave. I have a lot of emails to get through. As I’m sure you know.”
    “It won’t take long. I’m concerned about the restructure... reallocation... whatever ... and I hoped we could address any performance issues...” she began, before he cut off with a tremendous sigh.
    “We’ve had this discussion. And I hear you’ve had the same one with HR too.” He looked at her. “Angela was concerned that I might have a mutiny on my hands, so she called me,” he added, defensively. “There is no performance issue. I’m acting in the interest of the client. That’s my job .”
    “If there’s no performance issue, then why is it in the interest of the client? And why the fuck did the client think that I was leaving the company?” Kirsty hissed, angry at herself for losing control. His exaggerated calm always had an incendiary effect on her.
    He tutted. “This is ridiculous. We’re not getting anywhere with this conversation. Do I need to call HR and turn it into a disciplinary matter?”
    She stared at him, shocked, before standing up and leaving the room. She left the door ajar knowing that she wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to slam it.
    As she sat back down at her desk and unlocked her computer, a message appeared in the corner of her screen.
    Coffee?
    She smiled.
     
    “Look, you’ll probably accuse me of trying to usurp your other client, but I’m going