Pale Stranger (PALE Series) by Mac Flynn Page A

need to give me comfort. "There's a reception room outside the boardroom. You can sit there if you'd like."
    "Can I stay in your office?" I pleaded.
    He shook his head. "I don't have time to show you the way."
    I sighed. "Then I guess I'll stay in the reception room."
    The elevator hit our floor and we stepped off into a long hall that stretched off to our right, but didn't go very far to our left because the elevator was so close to the outer wall of the building. On the opposite wall were a pair of inset doors flanked on either side by a pair of tall palms. There were other elevator doors to our right and along the same wall, and from these emerged about two dozen men and women in suits. At so many intimidating faces and voices, I inched behind Benson. Three men broke off from the herd and came over to greet Benson. "Good morning, Benson," one of them jovially greeted. He was a man of about forty with thinning hair and a bright smile. Benson didn't outstretch his hand, but the man took his hand and shook it anyway.
    "Good morning, Truman," Benson returned after he'd extracted his hand from the man's jovial greeting. Benson nodded at the other two, a swarthy man of fifty and tall, lanky man of thirty-five. "Schuster, Rowland." They smiled and nodded in return.
    Truman slipped closer and lowered his voice. "Quite a mess we've got here, isn't it?" Being so close to Benson, he caught sight of me. His eyes widened and his face lit up with joy. "My, my, who have we here? Benson, introduce we old fogies to your lovely companion."
    I dug my heels into the carpeted floor when Benson reluctantly dragged me out into the open. "Gentlemen, this is Miss Calhoun." His gloved hand swept over the men. "Misters Truman, Schuster, and Rowland." They smiled and shook hands with me, and I nodded and shook back with as much energy as I could muster considering how badly I was shaking. "She is my new secretary for the present, as my other left me rather suddenly."
    Truman chuckled. "You mean to say you fired her," he corrected Benson.
    "The parting was mutual," Benson countered. At that moment the double doors opened, and the crowd of suits flowed into the inner room which I saw to be the promised waiting room. Benson gestured to the other men. "It seems the meeting will begin soon. After you, gentlemen," he invited.
    They joined the herd and hurried inside, but Benson kept at the rear and let everyone go ahead of us. We stepped into the inner sanctum and found ourselves facing another open pair of doors. Through those was a large meeting table with many high-backed, cushioned chairs. Everyone filed into that room, but some paused to speak with a few secretaries on the left who sat at large, wooden desks. I noticed a long, padded bench on the right side with a few palms on either end. "You can sit there while we talk, but this may take a while."
    "It'd definitely be more comfortable than the car," I countered.
    "You could go for a walk," he suggested.
    I plopped myself down and managed a smile. "I probably shouldn't. I'd be tempted to spend my food money on more shoes I don't need."
    "That can be taken care of." He dug out his wallet, but I waved him off.
    "I'll be fine, just go in there and try not to let them eat you alive," I joked.
    He didn't smile, but he did put his wallet back. "I send you out as sheep among the wolves..." he murmured.
    I blinked. "Beg your pardon?"
    Benson shook his head. "Nothing, just quoting from an old book. Hopefully I'll see you soon."
    He stepped into the large meeting room beyond the double doors, and they were shut behind him. The clang of the latch was ominous to my ears, and I turned away to find the secretaries staring at me. They quickly looked away when I caught them, but that didn't make me feel any easier. I slid close to a large palm plant to hide myself from their prying eyes, and was doubly grateful for the protection when the doors to the hall opened and a couple hurriedly stepped inside. I was also