to be completely disappointed when it had been some blonde at the desk and not the little brunette whoâd been haunting him for days. âSo why did you get rid of the other one? On whose authority? For what reason?â He rapped out the questions, the nasty feeling in his gut growing.
Jo looked even more uncomfortable. âIt was the recruitment agency. They phoned and said theyâd made a mistake with her file. They hadnât been able to verify her school qualifications so they pulled her.â
Alex stared at her, anger churning. âSo sheâs no longer working for the agency?â
âNo. I donât believe she is.â
It was his turn to take a deep breathâhe had to force his jaw apart to do it. âThey couldnât verify her school qualifications?â Alex shook his head. âBut we had security clearance for her? And proof of her banking exams?â
âYes.â
So the records meant diddly, then. If she had her banking qualifications, then they didnât need to verify any other recordsâshe couldnât have got the bank ones if she hadnât had the school ones. It was a trumped up excuse to get rid of her.
âSo it wouldnât have had anything to do with this?â He strode to his desk and spun his computer screen round so the image heâd paused it on was viewable from her side of the room.
His head of HR went beet red.
Alex leaned back on his desk and folded his arms, hiding the fists. âDonât tell me you havenât seen it. Everyone in the office has seen it. Havenât they?â
Jo nodded.
âAnd now youâre telling me sheâs been removed for the most flimsy of reasons.â
âWeâre covered, Alex. It was the agency who removed her. Her dismissal had nothing to do with thisâ¦incident.â
Alex stared at her, unable to believe his ears. Like hell it didnât. Sheâd done nothing wrong. She shouldnât have lost her job. His fists bunched tighter.
âDoes she have another job?â He could only hope she had a better one.
âI donât know.â
âThen you better phone the agency and find out,â he growledâhe was not going to be able to rest until he knew. The job market was horrendous at the moment. That meant the temp market was even more vicious.
âExcuse me, Alex.â Kelly came back in, shutting the doorfast behind her and stepping forward. âI have someone outside insisting on seeing you.â
âWho is it?â Alex asked crossly. âI donât want interruptions now, Kelly.â
âI know you donât. But this one is different. Itâs her.â
âWho?â
âThat temp.â
Alex froze. âSheâs here?â
Kelly nodded.
âNow?â The ripple that ran through his body was pure testosterone. âYou. Out,â he barked at Jo.
She was out of there faster than a condemned prisoner getting a last-minute reprieve. But Alex was the one feeling the edge of desperation. He turned to the woman who knew more about what went on in the building than anyone. âKelly, please, whatâs her name?â
Kelly looked up at him through her half-glasses, her face as impassive and composed as always. When she finally answered, it was with marked deliberation. âYou really ought to know that already.â Then she left.
Alex stared at the door and wondered how on earth he was going to get away with it.
Â
Dani perched on the edge of the chairâthe one nearest to the exit. She shouldnât have come. What was she doing back here? Sweating for one thing and she was all shaky inside, as if it wouldnât take much for tears to sting. She couldnât let that happenâgetting all emo was one sure way to come off the loser. She blinked and went rigid as the hideous HR dragon appeared from his office. She glanced at Dani but made no acknowledgement as she swept past. That was