Sally: Autumn Storms (F&L Story #4)

Sally: Part 38

Part 38

Shortly before the noon hour, Sally walked into a government building on West Capitol Street, hell-bent on seeing Peter one last time, give him a chance to make things right, or suffer her wrath. She approached a woman behind a low-walled desk, typing away at a computer.

“Excuse me,” Sally said, “I need to see Peter Benson.”

The woman looked up through square glasses and asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I know he’ll want to see me.”

“Your name, please.”

“Sally Sanborn,” she supplied and leaned on her arms over the wall. The woman bobbed her head and pulled a clipboard forward.

“Mr. Benson is in a meeting right now. I can schedule you for an appointment at one o’clock.”

Sally bristled internally. On the outside, she smiled calmly. “It’s important that I see him as soon as possible.”

The woman eyed Sally for a moment. “The best I can do right now is send a message to his secretary. You may wait here, if you like.”

“Can’t I wait in his office?”

“I’m afraid not, dear. You must have an appointment to be admitted to the inner offices. Security reasons and all.”

Sally exhaled and went to stand by the front windows. The woman at the desk dialed back to Peter’s office and after a few minutes, she called Sally. “Ms. Sanborn? Mr. Benson said he would see you in a few minutes after his meeting is over. You may go back. Suite 1D.”

Sally thanked the woman and took the security pass from her. Down the hall, she endured a search of her person and a metal detector, and within another minute, she entered Peter’s outer office area. His secretary looked up. She was pretty…and the same young girl from the costume shop. Immediately, the girl’s eyes widened and then narrowed with hatred.

Sally smirked. Typical of Peter to seduce his secretary. “Mr. Benson asked that you wait in his office,” the girl – Jamie was her name, Sally remembered – said with a slight sneer.

“I’ll wait here,” Sally replied. What she had to say to him required a witness…even of Jamie’s standard. She paced a few times, and finally Peter stepped through the glass door, accompanied by two men dressed in immaculate suits. She recognized one as being the current Attorney General, mainly because she voted for the other guy.

“Sally,” Peter crooned amiably. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“You think so now,” she retorted, and Peter’s face pinched just slightly. But then, the fake smile was back, and he turned to his companions.

“If you will excuse me for a moment,” he murmured and ushered Sally by her elbow toward his office. She dug her heels into the carpet, not letting him get her alone. The Attorney General and his associate waited by the door, thinking nothing untoward was happening. Jamie’s eyes never left Peter’s face.

“What I have to say won’t take long,” Sally said to Peter, not dropping her voice.

Peter continued to smile, but it looked forced. He glanced back at the others. “Sweetheart, we should talk in private.”

Sally jerked her elbow away from him, feeling unclean just from his touch. “I’m not going anywhere private with you,” she spit out, “and I’m not your sweetheart.”

The room suddenly grew quiet. Peter’s expression formed from ice. “Sally,” he whispered, leaning closer. “Now is not the time for this.”

“Now is exactly the time for this,” she returned.