Then something that had been polite, even in its condescension, hardened into something else. She turned slightly toward one of the senior vice presidents, a man named Gerald, 50some, silver at the temples, who Damian had read about in three different annual reports. Did anyone book a 2:00 with legal for? She glanced back at Damian and that glance contained an entire opinion for an individual visitor. Gerald was already on his phone.
He frowned at the screen. Nothing in the system. Victoria turned back to Damian. There's no appointment. There is, Damian said.
It may have been booked under North Bridge. North Bridge. She said it flatly, testing it for familiarity. Finding none or pretending to find none. Damian couldn't be sure which.
I'm not familiar with that name. Most people aren't. He said that's intentional. And that that one line spoken without challenge, without arrogance, just quietly and as a statement of fact was the thing that broke whatever restraint Victoria Caldwell had been operating under. Her jaw tightened.
She took a step closer. She spoke at a volume that was just loud enough to carry to the people within 20 ft of them, which was by that point quite a few. Let me tell you something, she said. This company processes over 200 meeting requests a week. Our legal team does not take unscheduled appointments with walk-in visitors.
Whatever you came here hoping to accomplish, whatever meeting you think you have, whatever opportunity you think you've identified, I can save both of us some time and tell you right now that it isn't happening today. Damen said nothing. Do you understand what I'm telling you? She said, "I understand what you're telling me," he said. "Good," she straightened.
Now the reception team can point you toward the correct process for submitting a formal inquiry if you'd like to. Victoria the voice came from across the lobby. Deep unhurried, a security supervisor named Marcus Hill, 58 years old, 22 years with the company, walking toward them with a look on his face that Damen recognized as a man trying very carefully to navigate something delicate. Victoria," Marcus said again, stopping a respectful distance away. "The 2:00 in legal, I signed him in myself this morning.
It came through corporate. I can pull the authorization if then pull it," she said without looking at him. Marcus pulled out his radio, said a few words, waited. 30 Seconds later, he had something on his phone. He held it out toward Gerald, not toward Victoria, because Marcus Hill had been doing this job long enough to understand which conversations happened in the middle of the lobby and which ones happened afterward.
In private, with the door closed, Gerald looked at the screen. His expression changed in the way expressions change when information arrives that doesn't fit the story already in progress. He said quietly, "Victoria, I heard you," she said. But she hadn't turned. She was still looking at Damian.