It was a bright spring afternoon and Carrie White was quietly working at her desk. She was relatively new to the company and anxious to perform well. Her previous role had been as an administrator at a small printing company, but she had yearned for a faster environment for a long time. And now she was here, at the biggest Logistics company in St. Louis.
Carrie looked up from her desk and scanned the room. It was bustling with people, most working at desks, the light rhythmic tapping of keyboards and hum of the air conditioning were the prevailing sounds. In a glass room she saw a small group huddled around a whiteboard, their drawings and numbers scrawled across it.
As she gazed around, her eyes were naturally drawn to the closed door that stood in one corner. For the most part the office was open plan. The desks were arranged in banks with no dividers separating them, the meeting rooms were glass walled so all could see within. There was only one room that bucked this trend, one room that could not be seen into, and that was Richard Stone's office. The director of her division.
Carrie had only seen him a couple of times in the few months she had been working there. He seemed a mysterious character, often getting in early and leaving late, with his door closed most of the time. When in that corner of the floor, she could just make out the sound of his voice, presumably speaking to someone on the phone.
"You fancy a coffee?" A voice said, piercing her daydream.
Carrie sighed and looked at the time. It was two-thirty, and she still had plenty of work to finish. "Go on then," she replied. "You know what I've been thinking? I can't believe I've only seen Mr. Stone a handful of times since I started."
"You're still thinking about that! I think you're obsessed," the woman joked. "You mention it at least once a week."
"I'm not obsessed, I just think it's strange, that's all. I mean is he really that busy in there?"
"Who cares, all I'm worried about is finishing my work and getting the hell out of here. I'm going to try and sneak out a bit early today."
"Don't you think he should be a bit more present, you know, a visible leader? I think it would be good for the team," Carrie continued.
"Well, he's been like this in the five years I've worked here. Besides people only get called into his office if they've done something wrong, so I say, the less we see of him the better."
Carrie paused. "Maybe you're right."
"Now, are we getting this coffee or not?"
"Yeah, let's go."
As they walked towards the elevator, Carrie turned and took another brief glance at Mr. Stone's closed door. Of course, she could never say the real reason she wanted him to be more visible. He was incredibly attractive. Tall, dark-haired, and always dressed in an immaculate suit. On the few occasions Carrie had seen him, she had savoured every second.
It was dark by the time Carrie finished work. She stood up and stretched. The lights in one corner had switched off and there was only one other person on the floor, their headphones on, staring mindlessly at the screen before them. She could hear the sound of the cleaners vacuuming the floor above. As she slowly began packing her things into her backpack, she heard a shuffling behind her. Turning round she let out a small shriek.
"Forgive me, Mrs. White, I didn't mean to startle you." It was Mr. Stone.
"Oh, shit... sorry, I don't mean shit! I mean..." she trailed off. Carrie was caught by surprise at his sudden appearance. "You sure can move quietly," she said, regaining her composure.
"Leather shoes, you see." Mr. Stone replied. "Could you please follow me to my office." He turned sharply and strode back towards his office.
Carrie's heart was thumping, the earlier conversation fresh in her mind, she was being asked into his office. She could barely concentrate; her mind was filled with sudden concerns. Had she done something wrong? Was she working too slowly? Was this because of the drink she had during lunch last week? Her hands were shaking as she tentatively stepped into his office, leaving the door ajar, and loitering nearby.
The office itself was clean and modern. A leather couch sat along one side, and a bookshelf filled one wall. There were large panoramic windows which presented an incredible view over the St. Louis skyline. She could even see the arch in the distance. Mr. Stone was sat at the large black desk that lay in the centre of the room, typing a few things into the laptop that sat atop it. He gestured towards one of the two leather chairs on the opposite side and Carrie obliged, trying to act as calm as she could.
Mr. Stone shut the laptop and walked over to the open door. Carrie didn't look round but heard a distinctive click.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you in here, Mrs. White," said Mr. Stone.
"Oh, you can call me Carrie," she responded. Instead of heading back to his seat, Mr. Stone perched himself on the desk edge just before her.
