Erogenous Zones: Monica's Secret Read Free

know you’ve come here with good intentions, but we have our own PR person.
    He’s a good man and he deals with our in-house promotional developments.”
    “Of course you do, and rest assured I don’t intend to step on his toes.” Owen gestured magnanimously with his hands. “I know it isn’t easy to have an outsider come in and try to give you advice about how to run things, but please accept it as a genuine offer of assistance from the Cumbernauld’s Board of Directors. They only mean to help by offering suggestions for the good of the individual franchise as well as the entire chain, after all.” Owen watched his host closely. Look a gift horse in the mouth, buddy, and I’ll start to wonder what you’ve got to hide.
    Flynn Elwood nodded, but didn’t respond verbally. He was uncomfortable with the situation, Owen recognised that. Elwood was bound to be uncomfortable. He’d run this hotel franchise for fifteen years and now HQ had sent someone in to find new ways to increase the turnover. Well, that’s what Elwood thought they were here for.
    Owen had come in under the guise of an ideas man which put a more positive spin on his actual role, which was to root out and expose the weak points. An agent provocateur of sorts—a henchman to some people’s eyes—his job was never an easy one. He had to look for weak spots, dead wood, errors, theft and fraud, and find out who was at the back of it. He then had to build up the hotel from that point, getting it back on track.
    The profit margin at Cumbernauld’s of Kensington had been diminishing over the last year, and his job was to find out why. By any means necessary.
    Flynn nodded, awkwardly. “Of course, you’re right. I was just surprised by your arrival. We would appreciate any input you have for us.”
     

    13
     
    It was a forced acknowledgement. An expert in body language, Owen took in the awkwardness of Flynn Elwood’s posture and the tension in his shoulders. Elwood averted his eyes and shifted papers about on his desk. The man was insecure.
    “I want to continue our reputation as one of the finest London hotels,” Flynn added.
    “This is a place where visitors can expect to sample the hospitality of a more sedate, traditional time in London. The hotel is synonymous with luxury.”
    “Absolutely. You offer something unique, even amongst the Cumbernauld’s chain.
    That’s what they are all about at HQ.” Owen smiled. “I’d like to get to know the place better.” He’d already done that. He’d stayed at the hotel as an anonymous guest a fortnight before and found nothing obvious. The hotel, staff and service seemed beyond reproach, from the outside. “And I’d like to meet the people who run it.”
    Elwood nodded. “I do wish you’d allow Sheila Trent, our chief accountant, to take you on the tour. She’s been with me from the beginning of my tenure. She can give you an insight to the accounting side and show you the hotel.”
    “I’d like to meet her. Perhaps we’ll do that tomorrow. I always like to go for grass roots to begin with. A member of the housekeeping staff is perfect for that.” In his experience housekeeping staff were often the ones who heard and passed the rumours. They kept a watch on the staff at the top, noticing when they changed procedures. If someone was deliberately messing with the hotel’s reputation—which was one possible scenario—the housekeeping staff would have heard about it.
    Alec, his PA, signalled him from beyond Flynn’s desk, catching Owen’s eye. Alec had been studying the staff photographs, which were displayed in a large frame on the wall. He seemed to be trying to draw Owen over. Was it something about the housekeeping manager?
    A smile played around Alec’s attractive mouth, instantly triggering Owen’s curiosity. Owen knew Alec well enough to recognise that his interest had been captured by the photographs.
    “Has the housekeeping manager been with you long?” Owen’s attention