BooksBarbecue
Back The Lying House
Chapters (103)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. Epilogue
  102. Acknowledgments and a Personal Note
  103. Excerpt

Jeff left the sofa and went to an alcove that provided some privacy. He scrolled through the new contacts in his phone, pressing the one for Leland Slaughter, his director. Slaughter had said he was always up before the sun, so he should be awake by now, Jeff hoped, as it rang.

“Hello?”

“Mr. Slaughter, sorry to disturb you. It’s Jeff Taylor.”

“It’s fine, I was up. What is it?”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it in today.”

“But you’re presenting to the Buenos Aires group today. This is a twenty-million-dollar account for all of South America. The approach is your baby, the one you started in Cleveland.”

“I know, sir, but we’ve had a…an attack. A guy broke into our home last night, I mean early this morning, he had a knife, and he assaulted my wife, and—”

“My God, Jeff, is she hurt? Is she all right?”

“She’s okay but terribly shaken, and right now our home is full of detectives and police officers. They’re trying to track him with a helicopter, dogs—”

“Okay, okay, I understand. I’m going to make some calls.”

“I’m very sorry about this, Mr. Slaughter. I’m aware of the significance of today’s presentation. Believe me, I know what’s on the line with the Buenos Aires account.”

“Don’t worry about the presentation. We’ll make some—” Slaughter paused, and Jeff thought he heard him curse under his breath. “We’ll make adjustments. I’m going to alert our human resources with an order that they’re to give you any support you need. If you need crisis help, need to go to a hotel, anything at all that the company can help you with.”

“Thank you, sir. I know you were instrumental in my promotion and in moving us here. I don’t want to let you down.”

“Nonsense. This is terrible. A damned fine welcome to Florida! Take the time you need to get things back on track, and keep me posted.”

“Thank you, Mr. Slaughter.”

After he hung up, Jeff considered Mr. Slaughter’s voice on the call, convinced it betrayed an undertone of disappointment, which gave rise to a new concern. Jeff had developed the concept they were using for the South American presentation while still in Cleveland working on another campaign. It had been a factor in his promotion, the chief reason Slaughter had headhunted him and expedited and underwritten his move to the Miami office. Feeling obligated, Jeff now feared his no-show for the Buenos Aires group endangered his relationship with Slaughter before it had really gotten off the ground.