Chapter 11: Three Conditions

She asked me to talk in her office, and I agreed on one condition.

The door stayed open.

Kayla stood outside it with her arms crossed, and I let her be a witness.

Allison's office was the same as ever.

Glass desk, one plant, a framed photo of the first warehouse.

On the corner of the desk sat a plain gold band on a chain, the one she wore under her blouse.

Beside it lay the second band, the one from the party.

She had taken both off.

"Sit down, please," she said.

"I'll stand."

She nodded and stayed on her feet too.

"I want to say something first."

"No."

"Russell, please."

"You'll say sorry to me last," I said. "Not first."

She stopped with her mouth open.

"I have three conditions," I said. "If you want to talk to me, ever, you meet them in order."

"Tell me."

"One."

I held up a finger.

"You apologize to every person you docked, out loud, to their face."

"Not me. Them."

"Every one of them lost money because you needed a clean record."

"Three hundred and eleven deductions came out of my pay."

"But you shouted at the others and shamed them, too, when you needed an example."

"I did," she whispered.

"Two. You repay what you took."

"I'll write you a check today."

"Not me. Not the company either."

"Then who?"

"You'll know who, when you've thought about it."

She swallowed.

"Three."

I put my hand down.

"You don't contact me directly. Everything goes through Kayla."

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