Julia O’Connell was lost in thought, trying to figure a way out of the mess she’d been part of creating, when Dammerman burst into her office like a tidal wave ready to destroy everything in its path.
“Betty Ladd is your fucking cousin,” he shouted. “When were you going to let me or Reid know?”
Julia was knocked completely off balance.
“What kind of shit are you trying to pull on us?”
Julia forced herself to get it together, because in less than twenty-four hours, win, lose, or draw, she was out of here. “Lower your voice,” she said. “This is my office.”
“This office belongs to Burnham Pike, not you. And maybe you should never have been here in the first place. Maybe Butch could round up a crew to move you out.”
“I’ve had my fill of you, Clyde. Your loudmouth bullying, your low-class attitude, your wrong-side-of-the-tracks boorish mouth.”
Dammerman was nonplussed for a moment.
“When it’s done, I’ll have all the money I’ve ever wanted, and delighted to never see you or this place again.” Her voice was even, despite the effort it took her. “And if you and Reid don’t stop with the threats, maybe you’ll find out why you still need me. The hard way.”
Dammerman came to the edge of her desk, his bulk towering over her. “Reid wants to know what you and Betty talked about.”
“I’ve already told him.”
“I mean about our work here.”
Julia got to her feet and came around the desk to him. “I’ll go up and tell him again. Maybe he’s as dim-witted as you are, and he needs me to draw him a diagram.”
Dammerman pushed her back. “You’re not going anywhere until you start giving me some straight answers.”
“Get away from me, you bastard,” Julia shouted and tried to step around him, but he grabbed her arm so hard it hurt.
“She saved your ass in college after you pulled your little stunt, and now you owe her something. What is it?”
“Don’t be an idiot. I’m sure as hell not going to blow the whistle on myself.”
“Bitch.”
The door swung open, and Todd Borman, an IT tech who’d been with her for a long time, came in. Broad-shouldered and six-three, he’d played football at Stanford starting his freshman year. He thought Julia was a goddess.
“May I help?” he asked.
“Get the fuck outa here,” Dammerman said.
“I’m sorry, sir, but if you don’t release Ms. O’Connell and step away, I will have to help you do it.”
“You’re fired,” Dammerman shouted.
Todd was on him in a flash. “Yes, sir,” he said, his voice flat as he broke Dammerman’s grip on Julia’s upper arm and shoved him away.
“You son of a bitch.”
“I really don’t want to hurt you, Mr. Dammerman, but I will.”
Julia got between them. “Its okay, Todd. I’ll take it from here.” She turned to Dammerman. “I’m going upstairs now to straighten this out with Reid.”
“You’re staying here,” Dammerman told her. “I’m ordering it.”
“Order this, Clyde,” Julia said, and she gave him the finger then stepped back. “How’d you like to head upstairs with me?” she asked Todd.
“Yes, ma’am.”
A half dozen of Julia’s IT personnel were lined up outside the glass-walled office and holding their phones up as they took videos of the encounter with BP’s COO.
“I wonder what HR is going to say when I show them the videos of your assault on me,” Julia said, and she and Todd marched out the door.