Episode 1154: Lose Things

“You wanted me to call security on your son’s father-in-law and your granddaughter?”

“Why wouldn’t I? They don’t have appointments and they’ve organized some sort of sit-in, obviously without my consent. Calling security is exactly what you should have done.”

Phillip heard a gasp. He recognized it as his granddaughter’s voice. He would not let the girl’s whimper snow him into trusting her again. Not that trusting her again was out of the question. He simply wouldn’t entertain the idea at the present while he still acutely missed the child which could skew his judgments, interfere with him assessing Tansy’s trustworthiness as it clearly had done before.

“What I should do is walk out of here,” his assistant announced, shrugging into her coat and reaching for her bag under the desk. “This job is not worth the potential loss to my humanity.”

Cal Baird waylaid the woman on her way to the elevator, presenting her with a business card. “Come by my office and we’ll see about finding employment for you that doesn’t compromise your values.”

“What a prince,” Philip couldn’t refrain from commenting after his now former assistant boarded the elevator. “If you’re done poaching my employees, you really would be well-advised to follow her out before security escorts you out. I just came out of my office to have some paper work taken care of and now that I need to do that myself I have even less time to indulge this crusade undoubtedly on your daughter’s behalf. So if you’ll excuse me.”

“There is no excuse for how you treat people,” spit the dark haired girl accompanying his granddaughter. Theresa, Phillip believed her name to be.

She turned to Cal Baird. “Can we get in on that business card deal? Not for me, for my friend. Just a job interview, that’s all we’re asking. Please, I promise she’s a great candidate.”

Phillip maintained a cool facade though inside he was seething as he watched his daughter accept a business card from this man he increasingly detested.

“Enough,” he said. “This is not a gathering place. Some of us have work to do. If you don’t clear out shortly security will do the job.”

Exiting into his office was easier said than done with Walter clamoring on the other side of the door with Tansy, the dog apparently having caught the girl’s scent on the air. “Enough from you, too,” Phillip said as he narrowly managed to shut the door without the dog escaping. Ruffling the dog’s fur, he muttered, “it’s bad enough I have to question her loyalty, I don’t need you joining the traitor club, too.”

Episode 1155: We Are Family