Perfect Partners

without a fight. Letty was smiling as she crawled into bed. She lay gazing happily at the neon-lit rain coming down outside her window.
    Everything was going to work out beautifully here in Seattle. She had made the right move. She was going to find all the things that had been missing back in Indiana.

    The next morning Letty sat at her desk on the fourth floor of Thornquist Gear and gazed out the window. Her thoughts went back to the phone call she had received from Philip.
    Not just his call but something he had said during the call bothered her. Something about trying to reach her for several days. Letty made up her mind. It was time to confront her secretary.
    She reached out and punched the button on the intercom. “Arthur, will you come in here for a moment, please?”
    “Yes, Ms. Thornquist.”
    The door opened a moment later, and Arthur hurried into the room. He nervously adjusted his tie and blinked frantically. “What is it, Ms. Thornquist? Is something wrong?”
    “Sit down, please, Arthur. I want to talk to you.”
    Arthur’s eyes widened as he sank into the nearest chair. He clutched a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other. “Please, Ms. Thornquist, you’re not going to send me back to Accounting, are you? I know I was promoted to executive secretary too quickly. I did warn Mr. Blackstone that I didn’t have all the skills you would expect, but he said it would be all right. And I am trying very hard. Honest, I am.”
    Letty smiled reassuringly. “I believe you, Arthur. I have no complaints about your skills.”
    “Thanks. That’s relief. I thought maybe you were mad or something.”
    “I’m not angry, but I do have a couple of questions. First, have you been receiving phone calls from a Professor Philip Dixon?”
    Arthur brightened. “Yes, ma’am. Several of them. And I’ve been handling them just the way Mr. Blackstone told me to. I’ve explained to Mr. Dixon that you could not take the calls. Mr. Blackstone said you didn’t want to be bothered.”
    “I see.” Letty tapped her pen on the desk, thinking swiftly. “Did Mr. Blackstone give you any other specific instructions about how to handle your work in this office?”
    Arthur began to look alarmed again. His blinking speed increased rapidly. “Yes, but I’ve been doing exactly what he said when he briefed me on my duties for you, Ms. Thornquist. I swear it. When in doubt I always check with Mrs. Sedgewick.”
    “What, exactly, did Mr. Blackstone tell you to do?”
    “He said I was to route all requests to see you through his office. He said he would deal with them until you were settled in here at Thornquist Gear. He also said I was to let his secretary know if there were any problems. In addition, he made it clear he wants to be kept informed of everything that happens here in your office.”
    “Does he really? How thoughtful of him.” Letty grimly recalled Joel’s short lecture on making certain the staff knew who was in charge around Thornquist Gear. Apparently he had gone out of his way to ensure that.
    “Did I do anything wrong, Ms. Thornquist?”
    “No, Arthur. You followed Mr. Blackstone’s orders very well.” Letty forced a smile. “But it will no longer be necessary to shield me from routine matters such as phone calls and requests from the staff. I’m quite settled in now. You may consider Mr. Blackstone’s orders rescinded.”
    “What does that mean?” Arthur gave her a cautious look. “Rescinded?”
    “It means they are no longer in effect.”
    Arthur coughed discreetly. “Does, uh, Mr. Blackstone know that?”
    “I shall inform him myself,” Letty said grimly. “In fact, I will do so immediately.”
    Arthur appeared only partially relieved by that information. “All right. Could you also tell Mrs. Sedgewick?”
    “Mrs. Sedgewick?”
    “She’s a very forceful woman,” Arthur explained uneasily. “I just want to be certain she understands I no longer have to get everything approved through her.”
    “I will explain matters to Mrs. Sedgewick,” Letty assured him.
    Arthur relaxed a little more. “What about those calls from Mr. Dixon?”
    “Let me know whenever Professor Dixon calls, and I’ll decide for myself whether or not I have time to talk to him.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Arthur got to his feet, blinking. “Is that all?”
    “That’s all for now, Arthur.”
    Letty sat back in her chair and waited for the door to close behind him. Then she picked up one of the computer