HIS SECRETARY

26

Z A C H A R Y

After reading the monthly reports from each department of the comoany, I ordered Violet to bring them back to the employees. I already signed them and it's the departments responsibility to dispose them.

When I saw that it was already ten o'clock, I wore my coat and stood up to leave. I remembered that I have an appointment with Kendrick.

He must have some update about the thing we were doing. He called me yesterday too that he needs to meet me. It must be an important piece of information.

"Where did Violet go?" I asked myself when she still did not come to my office to remind me about my lunch meeting.

Did she fell asleep in her office or something? I hope she doesn't.

I went out of my office and opened the door to Violet's. I took a look inside her office but she was not inside. Good Lord. Don't tell me she wasn't finish delivering the paperworks?

I walked my way to the elevator and when I passed by the intersection inside the 12th floor, I saw Kendra looking at the floor map. She looked extremely worried and is in trouble.

"Violet?" I called once but she seemed to be too preoccupied that she did not hear me.

"Violet!" I shouted and her head turned towards me. She was sweaty all over and was wearing an exasperated expression.

What did she had gone through to look like that?

"Hi, Sir. Do you need me for something?"

"No, not at all. I was on my way to the parking lot when I saw you. Aren't you done yet with the task I gave you?"

She was holding probably all the paperworks I told her to deliver. Did she get lost? How cute.

"I...kinda got lost, Sir. I don't know the way." she said and I nodded with a smile on my face.

"Didn't you received an orientation before your first day of work? What happened?"

"Hera didn't tour me around, Sir. She told me to do it on my own after she oriented me about the tasks relating to you, Sir."

So she wasn't able to memorize at least a few places in the company. Poor Violet.

"Here, let me help you." I said and divided the papers for us to carry. She was a thin girl and just by looking at her carrying all those papers made me worry. She might break her arms if she carry them for too long.

"No, Sir! I'll be fine on my---" I didn't let her finisb and walk to the finance department.

While I'm on it, I'll give her a free tour around the company. In that way, she won't get lost again. Or should I put some signage on every corner directing the people where to go? The latter seems more convincing.

Although it wasn't on my to do list for the month, I think a signage is a de rigueur these days. It helps people find the place they're finding quickly. I'd really put that on my important list.

Violet was walking behind me and I suddenly felt bad about myself. I shouldn't have gave her all those paperworks. She looked extremely tired just by holding those.

"Here." I said and handed her my handkerchief. It was my favorite handkerchief that I don't let anyone touch but I had this string urge of offering it to Violet 

"Thank you, Sir." she said and wiped her sweat with my handkerchief. I smiled at her when her sweat were not seen anymore. That's more like it.

"Let's go on our way to deliver these, Violet." I said and we walked around the company.

I gave her a quick tour around the company and bid goodbye to go to Kendrick. Our lunch meeting will be held in his penthouse and I drove myself to the address.

I made sure that no one saw me entering the building and I carefully inputted Kendrick's passcode. I entered his penthouse and I saw him sitting on the dining chair with a two plates on top.

"Zachary, thank God you're here." Kendrick greeted and invited me to have a seat across him.

"I made sure to be on time. What are we going to talk about?" I asked right away because I know how important time is.

"Let's talk about it over lunch." he said and gave me the plate full with Italian spaghetti.

"Do you have information?" I asked after swallowing the spaghetti on my mouth.

"It was hard to get information because Kendra ran away during midnight. And the curfew added difficulty in our search. I asked a few people about her and there was one person who saw Kendra."

"Only one? How, where and when did he saw her?" I asked to be able to really helo Kendrick.

This was the reason why our lunch meeting was held here in his penthouse. What we are discussing right now is confidential and Kendrick's family doesn't want the media to know about Kendra's disappearance.

"It's a she. She said that she was buying from a convenience store some beer for their party when she saw a lady in a formal attire, running late at night. She got curious and followed the lady's track until her friends called her that made her averted her attention."

"Where did she saw her? We can start by asking the people around there." I suggested and I was expecting that the place where that witness saw Kendra can be of help.

"She said the last place she saw the lady was in an intersection in Williamsburg, Brooklyn."

"Williamsburg? What would she be doing in that dangerous neighborhood at midnight?"

"She mentioned that she last saw the lady in an intersection, Zachary. That adds more difficulty to our search. If what that girl told me is true, Kendra could be anywhere near Williamsburg." Kendrick said in a frustrated way.

"Williamsburg is 11 minutes from here right?" I asked and stood up without finishing my food.

"If you came from our mansion in Tribeca, that'll be eleven minutes. I'm not quite sure how long it will be if you're from Billionaire's Row." Kendrick said and I nodded.

"I'll head to Williamsburg and ask a few people if they noticed something strange that night. If time permits, I'll check the next neighborhood."

"I'm very thankful that you're helping me Zachary. Please do help me find Kendra. The family's a mess after she disappeared."

"Can I have a photo of her?" I asked and Kendrick looked at me before going to his room.

He handed me a photo of Kendra in a ball gown. It was probably taken on one of the parties she attended.

"I'll make use of this. I'll be off then, Kendrick."

"Thank you, Zachary." he mumbled and I couldn't help but feel bad.

Kendrick looked like hell. His eye bags were in total bloom and he was dejected with color.

"You look pale, man. I suggest that you visit a doctor. Don't worry, we'll find her." I assured and left his penthouse to go and do my research.

I'm going to do everything I can to help. The Rivera family wasn't a stranger to me and they helped my family so much. Finding Kendra will be the greatest thing we can do to give back what they had given us.