Park in Doc's garage, thinking that this is a big day. Liz and her team have the dress rehearsal with Dick Scope's staff meeting this morning and I will do the press check for the first issue of Doc's Talks this afternoon. When I push open the Thunderbird's door and feel the rush of chill air against my face, I hear a man screaming in anger, so I look across the car roof as I stand.

Daylight has not completely illuminated the interior of the garage but the overhead lights reveal them. A big guy about six-two, two-fifty is standing over a dark-haired woman cursing her, his finger in her face. She holds both her hands open toward him. He slaps away her hands and screams at her again. The woman looks familiar.

Casually, I walk over, letting the heels of my pumps announce my arrival. When he turns to see who is approaching, I ask, "Is there a problem?" Keep walking to get as close as possible.

"Beat it," he says. "This is none of your business."

By then, I'm beside him. Look at the woman. She is perhaps twenty or so. Recognize her now. She is the dark-eyed secretary who sits at the desk beside Kelly. "Calm down," I tell him.

He moves his left hand toward my shoulder, weight on his left foot, probably intending to push me aside.

Take his hand in both my hands, force it down and then up behind him. At the same time, I press my knee to the side of his knee, forcing him to turn and face the next car, a Cadillac. Bending him over it, I push his forearm up between his shoulder blades.

He struggles and screams, "Aa-aa! You'll break my arm!"

Taking my time, I lock his feet in place and lean close to his ear, still applying pressure to his hand against his black leather jacket, and say, "Calm down."

"Let go of me!"

As I press harder, he screams in agony. Finally he stops struggling, so I maintain pressure.

"Please let him go," says the young woman. "He didn't hurt me."

Turn to look at her. She has olive skin and large, dark eyes. Don't know her name.

"Please," she says.

"Not your call, lady. He tried to push me. If I release him, he'll go for me again. Tell him to calm down and promise not to try and shove me again."

She looks into my eyes and nods. She leans forward and says to him, "Jerry, please calm down. Tell her you won't touch her and she'll let you go."

"How about she lets me go and I won't break her face?" sputters Jerry.

Press up on his wrist, making him gasp and then scream again. "I think I'll dislocate his shoulder," I say to her. "That way, he'll pass out from the pain and the cops can deal with him. What do you think, lady?"

She stares into my eyes and asks, "You're Jill Price, aren't you?"

Look at her but I don't reply. Force his wrist a little higher and Jerry screams again. Raise my eyebrows at her. Behind her, Carlos is walking toward us, silent on his crepe-soled shoes.

She leans forward to Jerry and looks him in the face. "Jerry, please."

"Well, well, what have we here?" asks Carlos. "Good morning, Jerry, Anna. I see you've met Jill Price."

"Hey Carlos, how's it goin'?" I ask.

"Oh, better than it's going for ol' Jerry here, I see," he says. "What're you doin', Jerry?"

Jerry says nothing, gasping, gritting his teeth in pain.

Anna whispers, "Please, Jerry."

"Okay," Jerry rasps, "I promise not to touch you. Now, let me go."

Watch Anna stand up straight and look at me. Ask, "Maybe he should apologize for trying to push me. What do you think, Anna?"

This time, she doesn't even have to tell him. Jerry gasps, "I apologize. I'm sorry I tried to push you."

"You know him better than I do, Anna," I say to her. "Do you believe him every time he says he won't hit you again?" After a brief hesitation, I add, "Huh?"

"Yes," she says, staring at me, her eyes huge in the growing daylight. "I believe him."

"I don't," I tell her. "I think he's habitually abusive. Go ahead and call Reno PD, Carlos. I'll make a statement. I want Jerry arrested and put into the system so he has to post bail and show up for a hearing. That way, he has a record. You know, in case he tries it again."

"Okay," says Carlos, and turns to walk away.

"Wait!" cries Jerry. "Look, I mean it, okay? I apologize and I won't do it again." He takes a couple deep breaths, and says, "I promise."

Release him. When he turns, still grimacing, I'm looking up into his face from an inch away. Ask softly, "Is there a problem?"

He steps back, rubbing his shoulder. "No problem," he says. "No problem."

Turning slowly, I walk up to Carlos and thread my arm into his as we walk away. "Feel that chill in air, Carlos? That means winter and ski season are coming."

"Forget it, Price," says Carlos. "I don't ski and I'm not learning." He glances back at Jerry and Anna. "She has her hand on his shoulder. He's giving you the evil eye, chica."

"Is that Jerry Pitkeros, the restaurant manager?"

"Yeah, it is. He's pissed because Dick didn't promote him to Director of Food and Beverage."

"What's Anna to him?"

"His secretary."

"Oh great, so he's balling his secretary and slapping her around."

"Looks that way, doesn't it? Too bad, she's a real sweetheart. Married too."

Roll my eyes. "Even better. She needs to grow a spine and a brain."

Carlos pauses with me in the skywalk between the parking garage and the casino mezzanine and says, "I have to report this incident to Louise, Dick and other executives, Jill." When I give no reaction, Carlos waves at me as he walks away says, "Hey, today is Liz's and your day to teach Dick Scope how to hold a meeting, isn't it? Good luck with that, Jill."

Wave at him, walk in and pull off my jacket. Boxes of photography essentials are stacked inside my office. First thing I do is plug the charger into the wall socket and begin charging the strobe battery for flash photography.

Pull out a tabletop light table for photographing close-ups and a light box for viewing slides. The light table goes on a maple cabinet with locking doors that Dick in Purchasing found for me yesterday. The light box hangs on the wall, mounted on two big screws I lagged into the studs yesterday.

"Those screws line up okay, kid?"

Turning, I see Dick from Purchasing standing in my office door. "Perfectly," I tell him. "Thanks for getting the measurements for me."

He nods. "Looks like you're all set. Want me to haul off these empty boxes?"

After checking the packing materials for documents, I tell him thanks as he leaves with the empty boxes. Carefully, I install the bulbs for the light table and inspect the adjustments on the camera mount. After replacing the thirty-five millimeter with the close-up lens, I spend a half-hour mounting the camera and playing with various colored backgrounds, focal lengths and aperture settings.

Just before ten, lock up the camera, walk up the executive hallway and sit in on Dick Scope's staff meeting. Stay for the debriefing and training afterward with Liz and her team. They have the script down now, confidently explaining to Dick how to exercise leadership skills and good meeting habits. They do a smooth and professional job and I tell them so afterward.

Dick, Louise and I telephone Peter from Dick's new office where Peter interviewed me, and tell him the project is ready to commence on schedule. Peter is pleased and tells us to remove all speed bumps for this project. "I want it to move ahead," he declares. "Dick, if anyone tries to slow this down, you stomp on them enthusiastically."

"Understood," says Dick.

After Peter breaks the connection, Louise and I lean forward, preparing to stand and leave.

"Just a minute," says Dick. "I want something understood, Louise." He takes his time, looking at each of us. "I intend to carry out Peter's mandate to the letter on this project. As soon as my training is finished, I expect never to see this person in one of my staff meetings again," he says, waving a finger roughly in my direction. "Is that understood?"

Louise tries to establish harmony. "Dick, Jill only wants. . . ."

Dick looks at me and says slowly, "Now, get out of my office."

Standing, I walk to the door and wait for Louise, who is staring at him. After a moment, she stands and follows me. Precede her through the door and close it softly behind her.

"I'm sorry about that, Jill," she says. "He yelled at me after you went over his head to Peter on your budget approvals, but he still shouldn't treat you like that."

Touch her wrist and say, "You warned me about pissing people off, didn't you? Don't worry, Louise." Leaving Louise at her office, I glance at Anna as I pass but she does not look at me.

Back at my office, Annette tells me I have a message from Joe Rourke, the printer's sales representative. When I call, he asks if I'm interested in an early lunch with Ron and him before the press check at one o'clock. "You're on," I tell him. "I'll pick you guys up at your shop in twenty minutes."

"Enjoy your lunch," says Annette as I walk out, keys in hand.

Just before two, I pass Annette's desk. "Dick Scope and Louise stopped by to see you a few minutes after you left, Jill," she says. "They want to talk to you as soon as you get back."

Thanking her, I stride on to Louise's office and sit down.

Louise looks at me. Her eyes are puffy, as if she's been crying. "Annette told me you went for an early lunch," she says.

"Press check," I tell her. "The issue looks great. The copies will be here early Monday morning."

"Ah well, that doesn't matter now," she says. "Uh, Dick wants an interview of him with photos and an in-depth message to employees and customers."

She goes on talking but I'm picturing the issue. Page after page of Dick Scope's grinning headshots and a boring interview that no one will read. Wait, how about a supplement? Two glossy sheets in two color with a single fold, two staples and eight pages will work. Use the Nikon F3 and the strobe with 25 ASA, black-and-white film. Limit the distribution to employees just before Thanksgiving. Pitch it to Dick as a way to get the word out quick.

Louise asks, "Jill?"

"What?"

"Do we still have time to cancel the issue at the printer's and replace it with Dick's issue."

Look at her, visualizing how it will work. The press run and distribution will continue. The magazine will show up all over North America and Doc's Place Monday morning. Dick will fire me. I'll be back at work the next morning. "No problem, Louise," I tell her. "I'll take care of it."

"I'm really sorry, Jill. I know you put a lot of work into that issue but maybe we can do it some other time, okay?"

Look at her and see that she is on the verge of crying again. Stand and say, "I'd better make that call." In my office, I call Joe at the printers and ask if they've started the run yet.

"Of course," he says. "We started immediately."

"Good. You also asked if I wanted to expedite binding and I said stick to the normal schedule. Is that offer still open?"

"Sure, there's plenty of time. We can deliver it to the distro house Friday morning if you like, Jill, no charge."

"Do it," I tell him, "but delay delivery of the copies here until Monday morning."

"Let me guess," he says. "You're trying to make a big impression on Dick Scope, your new boss-man, right?"

"Yes."

"Hey, we want you to look good," says Joe. "By the way, I'm serious about buying your Thunderbird. I'll pay cash as soon as you find out that other buyer isn't serious."

Walk back to Louise's office and see her looking out the window, dabbing at her eyes. "Louise?"

She glances at me, her eyes red, and says, "Yes Jill," but turns to look out the window again.

"I called the printer—no problem."

"Oh, thank god," she says. "I was worried that they had already started the press run. That would have been disastrous."

"I need to take those photos of Dick this afternoon, if possible. We also need to set up the interview."

"Oh, do you need me for that?"

"No," I tell her. "I'm just letting you know. I'll handle it."

"Thank you," she says and turns away.

Back in my office, I replace the thirty-five millimeter lens, attach the strobe, put in a freshly charged battery and a roll of black-and-white film and stride up the hallway to Dick's office. On the way, I warm up the strobe, remove the lens cap, set the auto-focus and forward the film to the first exposure. His door is open, so I walk in and say, "Hi Dick."

He looks up, sees me and sits straight, his face instantly angry. Snap the shot and then another. Stride closer and kneel to snap several more.

"What the goddamn hell are you doing?" he says, rising to his feet.

"Come on, Dick. Give me a smile," I say, still snapping photos. "You look like you just found a fresh turd on your desk."

"You goddamn. . . ."

"Take it easy, Dick. No film in the camera. I'm here to set up a time for photos and then an interview. Would this afternoon or tomorrow be better for you?"

"What's the hurry?" he asks, suspiciously.

"Well, layout and printing take time, as you know. The longer we wait, the longer it takes to get your message out to the troops and the patrons. I thought you'd like to get moving on this."

He nods, still suspicious. "Okay, give me a minute to put on my jacket. Just wait right there, please." He walks into his executive washroom and closes the door.

Rewind the roll of film in the camera, pull out the canister and stuff it in my pocket. Replacing the lens cap, I set the camera with its door open, and the unexposed roll of film on Dick's desk. When he steps out of the bathroom, I load the film carefully, letting him see me do it. Once I'm ready, I deliberately remove the lens cap.

We spend the next fifteen minutes with him posing as I snap photos. Most of them are of him smiling or grinning. Catch a couple of him looking his normal irritated self, though. When we're finished, he hands me three typewritten pages and tells me to create an interesting interview out of it.

"I want double prints and all the negatives on those," he says.

"As you wish. Thank you for your time, Dick," I tell him as I walk out but he ignores me.

In my office, I rewind the film, pull it and lock up the camera. Grabbing my jacket, I tell Annette I'm out developing film. My first stop is to drop off the first roll of film at a one-hour kiosk. Next, I drop off the second roll at the contract vendor. Say I'll be back this afternoon for the negatives and the double eight-by-ten prints.

Use a nearby pay phone to call Peter. Tell him the whole story as well as my plan for a small, supplemental issue that will go to limited, internal distribution.

He tells me that he will call Louise and squeeze the story out of her, so Dick does not figure out that I was the one who called him. Peter says, "After talking to Louise, I'll call Dick and tell him to go ahead with the printing and distribution of the original issue, and then print the supplemental issue.

"I've already taken care of this, Peter."

"I know but it's too early for this confrontation, Jill. Maybe in a week or so," he says. "It depends upon how much Dick has accomplished by then."

When I return to the kiosk, the negatives and prints are ready, so I drive back to the contract vendor. Those negatives are ready too. Take Plumas south to Plumb Lane, jump on the freeway, and drive to Carson City. There, I drop off both sets of negatives for copies and for double eight-by-ten prints of everything for pickup tomorrow afternoon. Two hours after I left Doc's, I'm back in my office, outlining Dick's interview for the supplemental issue.

Any minute now, Louise should come bursting in with the news. Remember thinking this morning that this was going to be a big day.

The phone rings. Tan wants to meet at a local bar to have a beer, shoot some pool and introduce me to his buddies. He's excited, like a little boy. Tell him okay, a few minutes after five. Hanging up, I call Soji to tell him I won't be home for supper.

Morty pokes his head in my office. "What's the matter, too important to stop by and see your ol' friends?"

"Sorry, Morty. Hurry-up stuff for Dick."

"You're still good for Saturday afternoon, right?" asks Morty.

"I'll be there about five, Morty."

He winks and leaves.

Louise walks in pushing a spare desk chair and sits down. "You'll never guess what just happened," she says with a big smile.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License