Sink: The Lost World Read Free Page B

develop a personality in Zoe’s eyes. He was caring and thoughtful, knowledgeable about art and literature. He was a country boy from Ohio, and a part of him would always belong there.
    “Angelo the Fallen Angel, they call him,” Gavin said. “Nicknames exist for a reason. I’ll be glad to see the back of this deal.”
    “Environment Solutions won’t,” Zoe said. “We need this.”
    Zoe looked down at the long broad walnut-colored table in front of her. The butterflies in her stomach began to flutter again.
    “I hate giving these things,” Zoe said.
    “Do you want me to do it?” Gavin said.
    “No,” Zoe said. “I got us into this mess, I might as well get us out of it.”
    “By that, you don’t mean losing the deal, do you?” Gavin said.
    There was the loud raucous boom of male voices, and the door at the opposite end of the meeting room opened. Half a dozen executives, each with matching grey pinstripe suits and black suitcases, filed into the room, talking amongst themselves as they took their seats.
    Bryan Angelo, as the CEO of Angelo Industries, took his seat at the head of the table. He did not enter into the conversations going on around him unless spoken to directly.
    The sight of all the executives made Zoe clutch her notes close to her chest. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. The executives continued talking and took no notice of her.
    “Okay, let’s begin,” she said, clapping her hands.
    They still took no notice of her. Except Bryan. He raised his hand to rap on the table with his knuckles to get the executives’ attention, but before he could knock, Zoe said in a booming voice: “Break time’s over, ladies. If you want to continue gossiping, please do it in your own time and stop wasting mine. I’ve got a job to do.”
    The executives blinked, turned in their swivel chairs, and glared at this woman. Bryan lowered his hand and smiled. Gavin flinched and shrunk in his seat.
    “I’m Zoe Tate,” she said. “I was hired by Angelo Industries to investigate the health and safety requirements at your intended fracking plant site at Lakota Forest. First of all, I would like to thank you all for your very kind help and assistance with our research project. It’s not always easy to get companies to comply with our requests for information, but Angelo Industries has been very easy to work with.”
    “We aim to please,” Bryan said with a smile that curled one corner of his mouth.
    Zoe blushed and tucked a finger of hair behind her ear.
    “Lights, please,” she said.
    Gavin switched off the lights and turned on the projector.
    “I appreciate you’re all busy people, so let me tell you the result first, and then we can go through the details,” Zoe said. “The good news is that there is very little risk of long term environmental damage at the intended site. The earth is strong and there is no sign that it might give way to fracking techniques. But there are some minor issues I would like to go over-”
    A head-shaped shadow rose from the bottom of the projected image.
    “Thank you, Miss Tate,” Bryan’s voice said. “And thank you for your presentation. If you’ll notify Andrew of the details of the issues you mentioned, we’ll get to work in solving them. Good day.”
    Bryan turned and headed out the door, followed by all but one of the executives. The projector was turned off, the lights back on.
    “That wasn’t so bad,” Gavin said.
    “No,” Zoe said. “Not so bad.”
    Andrew Garfield, the executive in charge of new projects, approached and took a copy of the ring binders Zoe had prepared.
    “I’m just about to have lunch,” Andrew said. “Would you care to join me? We might go over the issues in person.”
    “I’m afraid I have other plans,” Zoe said, her eyes on the last of the executives as they went through the door.
    “Don’t mind Bryan,” Andrew said. “He can be testy at times.”
    “You’re telling me,” Zoe said.
    Andrew smiled politely