Chapter 85: The Apartment – Richard

Perching a hip on the edge of her desk, "Francis, can you make me an appointment with the mayor for..."

The elevator doors swish open and Klempner sweeps in as though he owned the place. "Haswell, I don't know if you need me to check in or similar, but I'll be in the apartment upstairs."

Francis half rises from her seat at his entry, but I wriggle fingers at her...

Let it lie...

With a touch of Jack-in-the-Box about her, Lydia's head pops up from behind some training manual Francis has her working on. "Apartment? You're living here?"

"Lydia!" Francis snaps the word in a tone to blister leather.

Klempner, face masked neutral, enunciates his words. "I'm using office facilities as provided by your employer." He eye-points her to me.

As if a man like him would be interested in some kid barely out of pigtails.

"Oh! That sounds exciting." Her eyes light up. "What is it you do?