“No one is doubting your ability to do your job, or any job, for that matter,” Barrington said. “We’re not going to sit here and pretend that Trendsetters can afford to lose you, Samiah. Your value far outweighs what this may cost the company in the long run.”

Justin ran his palms down his face. “Shit, he had to convince me to revoke your security access at all.” He pointed to Barrington. “He doesn’t understand the bind this puts us in on the Huston-Tillotson project.”

Guilt over what this would cost her team was something she would have to process at a later time. Then again, it wouldn’t hurt to remind her team just how much she brought to the table. She’d carried so much of the burden for so very long; some of them weren’t going to survive her absence. She gave Keighleigh a week at the most before she came running to her for help.

“I understand that you have to make an example of me, and I’m okay with that,” Samiah said. “If this is what it takes to show the rest of the company how important security is, let’s do it.”

“And this is why it wouldn’t have mattered if you had been working with the federal government behind our backs,” Barrington said. “I’d forgive you just about anything, Samiah. Your attitude and work ethic are far too important to this company.”

“We still have some things to work out with investigators, but after this is all taken care of and things are back to normal, I want to revisit our discussion regarding the Outreach Department,” Justin said. “You declined the position because you didn’t think you could devote time to building the new department while working on your current projects, but now that you won’t be working on those projects…” He waved his hand. “We’ll talk about all of this later. For now, unfortunately, we have to make an example of you.”

Samiah nodded and tried her hardest not to smile. “I understand,” she said again.

Could this really be happening? Not only was she not going to lose her job, but she was going to gain the time she needed to work on Just Friends and would still be allowed to head the Outreach Department? What she thought would be the most dire moment in her career had turned into an embarrassment of riches.

“Is that it?” she asked.

“That’s it,” Barrington said. “Thanks for being one of the good ones, Samiah.”

This time she did smile.

*  *  *