Mourning Dove by Donna Simmons Read Free Book Online Page B

drink the trough dry,” the Texan began. “You’re aware that Ross
Gordon has relocated to the San Francisco office?” She nodded.
    He walked to the white
ceramic carafe on the sideboard to pour a glass of ice water. “Would you like
some?” He held up a glass.
    “All right, thank you.” 
She watched as he poured a second glass and returned to the conference table to
sit in the recently vacated seat.
    “I wasn’t sure if he was
still with the company.” She sat back down, crossed her legs, and smoothed out
her skirt. “But either way, you have an important seat to fill, and no time to
train a replacement. What do you have in mind?”
    “Normally, I would start
all three of you next Monday for three weeks of orientation, and then job
shadowing for another two to four. The other two who made the grade in the
interview process will be doing just that. They’ll begin on Monday, spend three
weeks in orientation here at corporate headquarters and then job shadow in Chicago. Jack Randall will be training for an assistant comptroller position in the Midwest and waiting in the wings if, or when, Ross leaves the company. Ms. Kelly will be in
training for the staff accountant position in Chicago. You, of course, will
spend some time with both of them in the next couple weeks. You’re not to
confide anything of your arrangement with either of them. Just be aware what
position they will eventually be holding. Understood?”
    “Yes, of course. What’s
your plan for me?” Feeling more relaxed she took a sip of the cool water and
leaned back in her chair.
    “I want to start you the
day after tomorrow: half a day in orientation, half-day and part of the evening
getting comfortable with your new office. I want you to read and familiarize
yourself with everything in the credenza and in the computer in your office.
Anything you don’t see and want access to, ask me. If I’m not available, ask
Louise. If she has access, she’ll get it for you. I’ll try to make myself
available to you at the end of each day when the rest of the office is quiet.
We’re going to dump a lot of information onto you in a very short period of
time. Think you can handle it?”
    “I can handle it. How
long am I in orientation?”
    “You’ll have a week and a
half of mornings in the training center. I’m compressing your total orientation
from seven weeks to three.”
    “I’m lucky I don’t have a
social life,” she said. “I want to bring some reading material home. I’d also
like to start with that tomorrow if it’s okay with you.”
    He nodded agreement. “We
have arranged for you to meet with a local physician at eight tomorrow
morning.” He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out the card of a doctor
in the South Portland area.
    “You were sure I would
accept?”
    His answer was another
smile.
    “I don’t anticipate any
problems tomorrow morning. All right if I stop by for any material you have on
company policies, organization charts, history, the last three years annual
reports, things like that?”
    He nodded and asked,
“What is it you don’t like about the salary and benefit package?”
    “As I will be working
into the wee hours from the get go and cramming seven weeks into three, I want
to drop any waiting period on the benefit package and expect it to be fully
paid by the company. And , my hire date is tomorrow, not Wednesday.”
    “Come to dinner with me
tonight, and I’ll begin filling you in on the personalities of those you’ll be
working with and the routines of the position. I want to mentor you for the first
year so you’re an extension of my right arm. I’ll set today as your hire date.
Benefits for upper management are always completely paid by the company
effective with the hire date. Will you accept that?” He leaned back in his
chair with his right index finger over his mustache again.
    “Yes, on one condition.”
    “Another one?” He tilted
his head to the right lifting his left eyebrow in