“So you have another chance!” I say eagerly. “He can un-fire you. No one heard him tonight, there weren’t any official witnesses, nothing’s been signed…I mean, have you actually legally been fired?”
“It’s irrelevant.” Demeter shakes her head. “I will be.”
“Only if you accept it. Only if you don’t fight your corner. Didn’t you look at the other emails in the bag?”
“Yes. But they’re mostly very old. I hadn’t realized. So.” She lets her hands drop. “I have nothing.”
“Listen, Demeter.” I flip on the electric kettle, feeling my energy return. “I reckon Sarah’s been seriously messing with you. Not just your emails, but your calendar…your messages…everything. She’s been trying to make you doubt yourself.”
I’m remembering Sarah saying in that calm way, “It was Tuesday, Demeter. Always Tuesday.” And Demeter staring back with that panicky, swivelly-eyed look.
“I’ve wondered about that myself,” Demeter says after a long pause. “It all makes sense. I didn’t realize because it was so gradual. It was just a few tiny slips at first. Emails going astray…documents deleted…calendar mix-ups…I would think I’d given Sarah an instruction and she would insist, point-blank, to my face, that I hadn’t. But then the errors got bigger. Worse. Mortifying.” Anguish flickers over her face. “I didn’t dare draw attention to my blunders. I really thought I had…something. I googled dementia every week.”
“That’s wicked!” I say furiously. “She needs to lose her job!”
“But who would believe it?” Demeter sounds desperate. “I barely believe it myself. I mean, I know I’m genuinely absentminded, especially when I’m stressed. I forget to send emails, I forget to tell James things….And the way I treated you, Katie…” She puts her hands to her cheeks. “Again, I’m so sorry. I was so pressured that day. I felt as though the whole world was going mad, including me.”
“It’s fine,” I say, really meaning it.
“I looked back in my diary for that day, you know,” Demeter adds, a little bleakly. “Sarah had put a check mark against Talk to Cat, as if I’d done it. And I doubted myself so much, I thought…I honestly thought…” She looks suddenly agonized again. “How could I have doubted myself so much?”
“But don’t you see?” I say fervently. “That’s what she played on. You’re naturally scatty and you’re insecure about it, and she knew it. She’s evil and we need to catch her.”
“There’s no proof.” Demeter shakes her head. “A lot of it would be her word against mine. And I’m sure she’s been very clever and covered her tracks.”
“No one’s that clever,” I retort at once. “We could get a computer forensics person—”
“You think anyone’s going to allow a computer forensics person in the building?” Demeter gives a stark laugh. “You saw Alex’s reaction, and he’s supposed to be on my side. Everyone else at Cooper Clemmow will want me gone with minimal fuss. I’m just a middle-aged, embarrassing problem. They’ll give me a nice package….” She trails off.
She sounds so defeated. This isn’t Demeter. This crushed, acquiescent woman can’t be Demeter. I won’t let it be.
“Demeter, you need to fight! When they expect you to give up, that’s when you should put your foot down and double your speed.”
“That sounds familiar.” Demeter frowns faintly. “Is that a quote?”
“It’s from Grasp the Nettle,” I admit, a bit sheepishly. “I bought a copy after all. Discounted.”
“Oh!” Demeter’s face lights up. “It’s good, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. Especially the chapter on Don’t let your bitch assistant win, because you’re not just letting her win, you’re letting the axis of evil win.”
Demeter gives a little laugh, but I don’t smile back. I’m deadly serious.
“If you won’t fight this battle, then I will. Whatever it takes.” I come over to the table, trying to imbue her with some spirit. “But you can’t let them sling you out with the rubbish. You’re the boss, Demeter.”
“Thank you.” Demeter puts out a hand and squeezes mine. “I appreciate that.”
“Have you told your husband?” I say, as the thought suddenly occurs to me.
“I’ve filled him in.” Demeter sighs. “But he can’t really comprehend it. His first reaction was, ‘We’ll sue them.’ That’s very James.” A little smile comes to her lips. “But there’s not a lot he can do to help in Brussels, to be honest.”
“OK.” I nod. “So, here’s what we do. We plan all night and have a meeting tomorrow morning, early.”
Demeter shakes her head disbelievingly. “You really think we can win round Alex?”
“We have to win him round.” I force myself to let a pause elapse before I add, as casually as I can, “Do you know where he is?”
“Right now, you mean? Don’t know.” Demeter scrutinizes me. “I’ve been wondering something. Are you two…”
“No.” I feel the color rush to my cheeks. “I mean, we…we…” I clear my throat and get up to make my cup of tea.
“Oh God,” says Demeter, watching me. “You are. I thought so. Oh Christ. You’re not smitten, are you?”