Royce(10)

The nurse came in a minute later and with instructions to take “this vile tray away.” The nurse left. Annamarie pulled out her cell phone.

“Darling, pick up some of that wonderful chicken broth while you’re there and see if Dominic has any of that delicious beef broth he uses for his roast beef sandwiches…yes, I did look at it and it’s nasty. Hold on, let me ask her. Kasey, sweetheart, Royce wants to know if you would care for some tea with your lunch or would you like some bottled water?”

Kasey was reasonably sure that it hadn’t been put that way, but didn’t quibble over the delivery of the question. She told her that she liked iced tea, not hot, and water would be fine if it wasn’t available.





Chapter 4



“She has worked for you just over ten years. But for reasons I can’t figure out, she’s only considered part-time.”

Royce looked at his brother Jesse. “What do you mean? You know we have a number of employees that are considered part-time. It works out well for all of us.”

“Yeah, but for her…look at her average weekly pay. I checked with records and the girl averages about eighty hours a week. I mean, Christ, that’s more than you work in a week and she does it consistently.”

Royce picked up her payroll sheet. It looked like over the past year she’d worked enough hours to triple her income. He looked over at her hourly wage and then back at Jesse.

“She ever apply for a full-time position?” He knew the answer before his brother showed him the applications. There were over three dozen of them.

“She’s been applying for a full-time spot since she was hired. Those are only over the past three years. She can’t apply and be turned down but every six months.” Jesse pulled out another sheet from the file in his hand and handed it to him. “These are her job performances. In order to be eligible for the yearly bonus, it’s required that you score a seventy-five or above. The bigger your score, the bigger your bonus.”

Her scores were fantastic. Nothing below a ninety-seven and several one hundreds. All the comments seemed to center around her good deeds and her ability to do her job. He looked at Jesse again, knowing he was missing something.

“She can’t get them. The bonuses. She’s not eligible because of her part-time status. White had been keeping her as part-time so that his bonus would be bigger. The less he gives out, the bigger his is for his department. Kasey was caught where he wanted her. A great employee who needed to work and who did it very well and no bonus.”

Royce leaned back in his chair and read the comments in the spaces for the supervisor she worked for. “Exemplary work.” “Good work ethic and code of conduct.” “Amazing trainer, keeps things running when I’m not available.” And there were more than that.

“Find out what her bonuses would have been, change her status to full-time retro from the day she was hired, and give her the benefits that she’s entitled to.” Royce took the next sheet of paper he handed him. “Christ, you’re good.”

On this sheet were the bonuses she’d been entitled to, a check for the amount, and the change in her status. Both needed his signature to complete. Also, there was a form to have her promoted to White’s position.

“I thought you’d want someone in the position that you knew would do a good job. She’s the best you have in that department. From all accounts she runs the department when he’s not there or even when he was. There’s not one employee there who wouldn’t jump for her.”

Royce figured as much. Every time he saw one of the other officers, they asked about her. She was very well liked. He wondered if anyone of them had felt the bite of her tongue when she was pissed, but didn’t ask. She was entirely too mouthy as far as he was concerned.

“Let me think on this promotion for a bit. She won’t be back for awhile yet so I have time.” Jesse laughed and Royce glared at him. “She isn’t exactly what I’d consider management material is all.”

“Sure. And this has nothing to do with the fact that you’re attracted to her, I suppose. Mom said she isn’t afraid of you. I think that’s hilarious.”

But Royce had stopped listening. “Attracted to her? When hell freezes over. The girl has the most annoying, mouthy, bitchy…well, as far as I’m concerned, there aren’t enough adjectives to describe what she is. Attracted to her. Mom, right? She put you up to this. Well, she’s wrong.”

Jesse stood up and gathered his papers. “Me thinks thou doth protest a bit too much, brother dear. Admit it, she’s gotten under your skin. Even I can see that.”