The reason for termination should not be stated explicitly to Ms. Morris nor inferred/alluded to in any documentation in order to mitigate risk for future recompense. Furthermore, we advise that Mr. Sullivan not be charged with conducting the dismissal interview. I’ve taken the liberty of cc-ing Mr. Davies and his administrator to this email as it is our recommendation that he handle the matter as Mr. Sullivan’s designee.
The other option is for Ms. Morris to resign her position. In either case, we’ve drafted a release form which Ms. Morris should sign and which, regardless of future outcomes, should, as much as is feasible or possible and to the extent allowable by law, absolve Cypher Systems from any related future litigation. I recommend that she sign the release as a condition for receiving the severance.
Please let us know if Mr. Sullivan decides to proceed so that we may move to nullify the non-compete agreement. Likely, Ms. Morris will have great difficulty finding new employment until it is expunged.
Henry LeDuc, J.D.
CHAPTER 27
“Have you shown this to him? Asked him about it?”
I shook my head and chewed on my thumbnail, staring over Elizabeth’s shoulder at nothing in particular.
We were in the Starbucks four blocks away from my building. As soon as I found the email I used the dratted cell phone to call her and beg her to meet me for lunch. As it turned out, I woke her up at home and she immediately left to meet me for coffee. As such, she was dressed in pajamas and boots.
“I have to be honest, Janie. I don’t speak lawyer gibberish so I’m not really sure what this says. But,” Elizabeth reached for and held my hand, drawing my attention to her, “I think you should ask him about it before you jump to any conclusions.”
I swallowed, “I know. I will.”
Elizabeth’s frown deepened, “How did you get a copy of this? Did they accidentally email it to you?”
“No, it was with my memos on my desk. Someone must’ve…” I blinked, my eyes losing focus again, then I shuddered my lids.
Of course.
“What? What is it?”
“Olivia.” Blood drained from my face even as heat spread up my neck, “I found Olivia, Carlos’ assistant, in my office yesterday morning. She must have left it there.”
“The one who gives you dirty looks at work? Any chance it’s fake then?”
“I don’t think so.” I debated the theory for a moment but dismissed the possibility, “It’s real. She just wanted me to find it.”
Elizabeth rolled her lips into her mouth and between her teeth, surveying me. Finally she said, “After everything you’ve told me about him, about Quinn, I seriously doubt he wants to fire you.”
I nodded and was surprised to find that I agreed with Elizabeth’s assessment, “I don’t believe it either.”
She smiled, a wry hopeful smile, “So, does that mean, despite this strange email and its indecipherable but damning contents, you trust Quinn?”
I nodded again without thinking and spoke-thought my words, “It does. I do.” I met her clear blue eyes, “I do trust him. I think that there has to be a perfectly reasonable explanation.”
“Yay!” Elizabeth’s smile was full and immediate; she squeezed my hand, “Although I don’t advocate love as a rule, yay for you and Quinn!”
My head tilted to the side in a very Quinn-like expression before I could stop the movement, “What- love- yay for- what are you talking about?”
“You and Quinn-” Elizabeth sipped at her mocha with whip, licking off a residual creamy mustache, “You are in love, Janie.”
“I’m not in love! I’m in lust, I’m in deep infatuation, I’m in- in- in definite a lot of like with Quinn but I’m not…”
Was I in love?
Though I loathed to admit it, it was a distinct possibility.
I loved being around Quinn. I loved talking to him. I loved his laugh and, at times, his bossiness. I loved his self-doubt and loved his determination. I loved that he seemed to be changing, wanted to change, even as I was changing. I loved that we were growing into something new, together. I loved trusting him. I loved making love to him… like, really loved making love to him.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck and loves like a duck…
Well, Thor!
My ears were suddenly ringing.
Elizabeth wiggled in her seat and wagged her eyebrows, “You looooove him.”
“You don’t even believe in love.” I leveled her with a severe glare, hoping to quell the unexpected dawn of realization. If I could just think about it a little more without Elizabeth’s wagging eyebrows I might be able to analyze the situation with the pragmatism it deserved.