Chapter 3

Beckett glanced up when Halle knocked on the door, waving the younger woman in. “What’s up?”

“Mrs. D’s lawyer sent over some papers for you to look at. The accountant sent the reports you asked for, and there’s a package that arrived from an architect in Portland.”

“Busy day.”

“I know something’s going on. Mrs. D never just stops by, and you’ve been stressed out ever since she was here. Now there are lawyer papers coming over.” Halle shifted uncomfortably. “Am I going to lose my job? Because if I am, tell me now so I can start looking.”

“You’re not losing your job. Mrs. D is retiring, so there’s some logistical stuff going on behind the scenes. The paperwork from the accountant and the architect I had requested before I knew about the other. I was planning to pitch an expansion to Mrs. D, and now I’m just gathering all my proposals so they’re ready for whatever happens.” Beckett gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “No one is losing their job. I promise.”

Halle sank gratefully into the plush chair. “Thank God! I don’t know what I’d do without this place. You guys have become more like my friends than my employers, and all the staff is so nice and has always been great to me. I can’t imagine ever working any place else.” She sniffed. “Not many people would take a chance on a girl who dropped out of high school after getting knocked up.”

Beckett folded her hands on the desk. “And I made you get your GED as a condition of employment, now didn’t I?” She smiled softly. “When Mrs. D hired me, I had a screaming baby and a toddler at home. We all pay it forward. Someday you’ll give a chance to another girl who needs it because you’ll remember the one you got.”

Halle wrung her hands together. “Do you know who’s going to buy this place? What if it’s someone who’s going to change everything? Or some company that just cares about making money?” She dropped her hands to her sides and rubbed her palms on her pant legs, tears shining in her eyes. “I just don’t know if I could stand someone changing everything you’ve built!”

“I don’t know. There are a couple things in the works. We’ll see what happens when we get to it. “Beckett leaned back in the chair and toed off her heels, enjoying the plush carpet beneath her toes. “Don’t worry about it too much and certainly don’t tell any of the other staff.”

“My lips are sealed. I called the staff meeting you wanted. Everyone is clear at four this afternoon and will be waiting for you in the conference room.” Cocking her head, Halle studied Beckett closely. “Can I ask what the meeting is about? Or is it a secret, too?”

“No secret. I got Mrs. D to sign off on moving to an employment model. I’m passing out information on it. It’ll save everyone money on health insurance, ensure some vacation and sick leave, and end up making Vive more money. No more worrying about people reporting their books accurately, which none of them do.”

Halle snorted. “Would you?”

“Not a chance in hell.” Beckett grinned. “I know the tricks of the trade. Mrs. D doesn’t.” She fiddled with the ends of her hair, scowling at the red strands. “Would you schedule me for a haircut and mani/pedi sometime this week? Maybe on my lunch?”

“Sure.” Halle stood, taking that as her cue. “I’ll put it on your calendar.”

****

“As you all know, there have been some issues around here lately regarding scheduling, hours, clientele retention and so on.” Beckett lifted her voice so all of the staff could hear her, her eyes raking over the gathered group. “I’ve discussed the conflicts with Mrs. DeLaurentis. After much discussion and thought, she has signed off on the plan to transition Vive from working with independent contractors to a traditional employee approach.”

While waiting for the expected grumblings to quiet down, Beckett surveyed the crowd. Most of the staff was waiting for her to continue, but several, including Paulina, were loudly complaining about the announcement. After giving them a full thirty seconds to vent, Beckett held up her hand.

“I know there are going to be a lot of questions and concerns about a move like this one. It’s not something we take lightly, and this has been in the works for a long time. We’ve done the research to know we’ll all likely be better off.”

“If Vive is going to be better off, you can bet your ass we’ll be taking home less money.” Paulina crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. “I don’t want anyone telling me when I work.”

“You’re already limited to the hours Vive is open, so it won’t make much of a difference in the hours you’re working. The goal is for every person in this room to transition and grow with us. Your tips will still be your own. We’ll install central computer systems in each area and hire a dedicated scheduler and receptionist for each branch. That way there’s no doubt about how many clients each person has, how much they’re making, and the hours being worked.” Beckett placed her hands on her hips and nodded to Halle. “Halle is passing around a chart with the breakdown of pay and benefits.”

Paulina again drew the attention of the room. “If you think I’m going to be someone’s employee, you’ve got another thing coming. There’s no reason for this. We’re all accountable and work fine under the contractor system.”

Getting frustrated, Beckett crossed her own arms to mirror the stance of the other woman. “Is that so? Then why is it you report only about sixty percent of your appointments?” When she was met with stunned silence, she continued. “There’s the issue. You’re not the only one who does it. Our monthly statement from the security company even shows some of you coming and going after hours. I know how much it sucks to get a client and know ten percent of everything I make is going to the owner plus my chair rent. But without Vive here keeping everything maintained, running smoothly, and advertising to bring in the clients, you’d all be a hell of a lot worse off. Including you, Paulina.”

Beckett leveled a hard stare at the blonde, who returned it unblinkingly. Engaging in the silent battle for several seconds, Beckett cleared her throat and shifted back to addressing the entire group rather than just Paulina.

“You can feel free to take the offer or not, but this is what we’re doing and there’s no discussions to be had about it. Two of the last five years, we were in the red. If everyone had reported everything, we’d have been a hell of a lot closer to black. Estimates show not reporting all appointments and earnings cost us half a million dollars over the last year. Average is about thirty percent unreported. That’s a huge difference.”

Halle cleared her throat as she worked her way around the room handing packets to each person. “I know I’m just the receptionist, but I work with Mrs. McKenzie more than anyone else. When you don’t live up to the agreement, it’s just as bad as stealing, and she’s let everyone get away with it for years.” Shrugging, she walked back to the front. “If Vive has to close, we all end up out of work, which is way worse than this. I’ve looked at the proposal she’s got. It’s fair to us all.”

“Thank you, Halle.” Beckett uncrossed her arms and held her hands out. “I’m not trying to screw anyone over. I’d like to keep the team intact, but if you’re not willing to come on as an official employee—which is also good for things like social security and Medicare—then you’ll have to find another place to work.”

****

Three hours of meeting with disgruntled employees later, Beckett laid her head on her desk and took a deep breath, trying to calm the headache brewing behind her eyes. When someone knocked on her door, she groaned and forced herself to lift her head.

“Yes?”

Halle poked her head in. “I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s a woman here to see you. She says it’s urgent.”

“Who is it?”

“Savannah Montgomery.”

Beckett’s brows furrowed as she tried to figure out if she knew Savannah Montgomery. “I don’t know the name. Is she a client?”

“No, ma’am. She’s never been here before. I’d remember. She’s drop dead gorgeous and wearing the best pair of shoes I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Did she say what it was about?”

“No. Only that she needs to speak to you.”

Sighing, Beckett tugged on her hair in frustration and then pushed it back, trying to smooth it away from her face. “Send her in.”

When the chic woman with pitch black hair and ice blue eyes entered the room, Beckett felt plain and unremarkable. As she stood to offer her hand, Beckett noticed Halle’s assessment had been correct. They were the best pair of shoes she’d ever seen.

Savannah Montgomery was tall, thin, and as close to perfect as Beckett thought she’d ever seen. She had dramatically arched brows, a lush mouth, dramatic cheekbones, and a chin just pointed enough to give her some interest along with the traditional beauty. She had a nipped in waist and gently flaring hips that swung slightly as she walked. The killer shoes were attached to long muscled legs that disappeared into a professionally tailored skirt.

“Ms. Montgomery. I’m Beckett McKenzie. Please, have a seat. What can I do for you?”

Savannah gracefully lowered herself into a chair and crossed her legs, placing her handbag neatly on the floor next to her before folding her hands in her lap. “I apologize for the intrusion at your work, but I thought this would be better than coming to see you at home.” She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. “I’m here to talk to you about your late husband, Ryan McKenzie.”

Curiosity and dread melding in her gut, Beckett tucked her hair behind her ears. “My husband has been dead for more than five years.”

“I’m aware of that. I know what I’m about to say is going to be difficult, so I’ll say it quickly and leave you to process.” Savannah took a deep breath. “My sister passed away a year ago. When she died, I was left custody of her daughter Lyla, who is six. My sister never disclosed who Lyla’s father was, but after her death I found correspondence between her and your husband. From the photos and letters I’ve found, it is evident Ryan McKenzie is the father of my niece.”

Beckett’s heart stopped beating. Her whole body went cold as the room did a slow, sick spin. “I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded choked and desperate even to her own ears. “You’ve made a mistake. My husband was in the Army.”

Savannah nodded and continued speaking, her expression filled with sympathy, though her voice was determined. “Captain Ryan McKenzie. He was stationed in Germany, then in Georgia. My sister worked as a bartender just outside the base. They met during her shift and had an affair. She became pregnant soon after and delivered Lyla just before he was deployed to Colombia.”

Savannah shifted in the chair, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. She paused for several seconds, giving Beckett time to catch her breath and control her breathing. When Beckett was reasonably sure she could continue to listen without passing out, she waved her arm at Savannah.

“I’m sorry. Go on.”

“I’m truly sorry to do this to you. I knew coming here there was a good chance you weren’t aware. I don’t want anything from you. I’m not here for money. What I do want is for my niece to know her brother and sister, for you to know her and to give her some semblance of family.” She stood and lifted her bag, removing a sheet of stationary. “I’m at the Wiltshire Inn in Bar Harbor. My cell number is on there. I have proof of everything I’m telling you, and I’ll gladly show you all I have.” Her eyes were sympathetic and sharp. “But I will be back in touch. These children deserve to know one another. I don’t want to deprive my niece of her siblings, and I’m hoping you don’t want to deprive your children of their sister, either.”

Her voice barely a whisper, Beckett managed to force the question out. “What was her name?”

Savannah turned at the door. “My sister? Elaina Montgomery.”