Taking Stock Read Free Page B

servicing Bob’s needs. It seemed like the reverse to Gregg as he stopped outside the cubicle entrance and got a look at the silk blouse Brad was talking to. Gregg excused himself and waved the papers in his hand. Brad reluctantly shifted his attention to Gregg with a penetrating glare that said he didn’t appreciate the interruption at such an inopportune moment. The young lady seemed disappointed as well, though next week when she’d come to her senses, she’d welcome this same intrusion.
    Brad made no move to examine the papers Gregg extended. Seconds passed awkwardly and Gregg pulled them back. Brad’s audacity was infuriating. He took every liberty being the CEO’s brother-in-law afforded.
    Gregg explained the serious nature of the problem and the customer’s threats to file suit and a complaint letter with the attorney general’s office. Brad’s eyes returned to the young blonde’s neckline unencumbered by the weight of Gregg’s words. Brad was similarly unmoved by the tale of Marissa’s distress and Gregg’s assertion that the problem was systems related. He didn’t flinch at the mention of criminal negligence. Gregg dropped his voice to a whisper and warned, “This kind of attitude will get us a class action suit or an SEC probe for sure. You can’t ignore legitimate complaints. It’s your responsibility to protect our customers. If you don’t, you’re putting the entire firm at risk.”
    Brad didn’t even turn to face him. It was as if he believed the systems staff was infallible and that any issue that arose had to be of Gregg’s creation. That or he had no interest in his job other than the fringe benefits it provided. He deserved a hard right to the side of the head.
    Gregg paused, appalled by Brad’s stonewalling. He stood tall, hands on hips, and waited. He wasn’t leaving without an assurance that something would be done.
    The young woman turned away from Brad and measured Gregg, trying to understand if he was some sort of crackpot or if someone in Brad’s position could so completely shirk his responsibilities.
    Brad couldn’t ignore him any longer, not if he wanted any chance with the girl. “What exactly do you want from me ? ”
    “Help me track this down. This guy’s phone bill shows he called before the deadline on the twenty-eighth. I need to know if our records agree. If they do, and I think they will, I need to know why we didn’t get his order in until the twenty-ninth.”
    “How much does he want ? ”
    “Three thousand plus.”
    “Good motive to doctor up your phone records, don’t you think ? ”
    Gregg waved the statement. “This complaint is legit.”
    “You want me to have someone spend hours searching through phone records ? For what ? You know the policy. You know this happens a dozen times a day. Deal with it. Don’t come to me because you can’t have a difficult conversation with a client.”
    “Don’t tell me how to do my job. I can’t just shoo this guy away. He has a legitimate gripe and I need to know what went wrong.”
    “Nothing went wrong. I just told you what happened.”
    The young girl was learning about Brad’s cooperation with the CSRs.
    “You guessed. You don’t know. Tell me precisely when the call was taken and when it was entered. Then I can go back to this guy, not before.”
    “Gregg, I know it’s tough for you, but sometimes you need to do what’s right for the firm. Do you have any idea how much time this kind of research takes ? Do you think I can tie up one of my developers every time some kook screams at one of those college drop-outs you put on the phones ? ”
    The girl reeled back in her seat. Brad didn’t notice.
    “I am doing what’s right for the firm. You’re the one who’s confused. Brenda n took the original call. He’s one of my best reps. There’s no way he waited over two hours to enter the order. No way.”
    Brad ripped the sheets from Gregg’s hand, took two steps to his left and dropped them in the