When I walk into his shop at nine-thirty, Ron and Karen are ready. Karen pours me a cup of tea and we review the blueline, which takes only a few minutes. Make no changes and give Ron approval to finish it and deliver it to the printer today.

We call Joe at the printer and tell him the schedule. When Joe asks how many copies, I tell him to deliver ten thousand copies just after New Year’s Day. He agrees to deliver the issues on Tuesday, January 2^nd.

Karen asks if I’ve heard that Dick Scope and his henchman, Marion Drull, have begun cutting jobs at Doc’s Place. When I show interest, she continues. According to Karen, Marion fired Jerry Pitkeros, the restaurant manager. Dick Scope promoted Irv Backler, the beverage manager, to Director of Food and Beverage. They also cut 141 people in both the front and back of the house, meaning both gaming and non-gaming positions—about ten percent.

“Oh my gawd, what a mess,” says Ron. “First, Jerry makes a big scene as he is escorted out, threatening to buy Doc’s Place, fire everyone and turn it into a parking lot. Then the new HR guy, Marion Drull, begins cutting people during their shift,” says Ron. “Slot change people drop aprons on the floor and walk out, spilling the rolls of coins to the floor. It was a nightmare.”

“You were right about Ferro too, Jill,” adds Karen. “The local paper contacted one of the legal types in Las Vegas, who said Ferro had no knowledge of this. In fact, one Ferro executive said that Doc’s Place was hiring staff in Marketing. Don’t you think that’s cold, cutting people just before the holidays? Couldn’t they wait until January for god’s sake?” asks Karen.

At my office, I drop my keys on my desk, stuff my messages in the trash without looking at them and walk over to Kevin’s office. He’s on the telephone arguing with someone from the ad agency. He puts the call on hold and asks, “What’s up?”

“Heard you were hiring Marketing people, Kevin.”

“Yeah, got someone we should interview? I’ll take any recommendation from you seriously.”

“I’ll bring her in next week. How’s that?”

“Fine. Is she perky?”

“Perky? What the hell is that?”

“Perky. Someone who has a positive attitude, generally upbeat, full of ideas and energy.”

“Oh, that describes Donna to a tee. If you’re looking for perky, she’ll impress you, Kevin.”

“Great. Donna, huh? What’s her last name?”

“Estes. Donna Estes.”

He writes it down.

“I’ll borrow her from time to time when I’m shooting and so on. Hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” he says, and punches the phone button to resume his call.

Walk over to Personnel and pick up an application from George. He asks if I’ve talked to Louise yet this morning and I tell him no. He suggests that perhaps I should, so I thank him.

Liz is in her office, so I sit down and ask her for training progress. She tells me that another six people have passed the training requirements, and several more have begun the process, including Irv Backler, the new Director of F&B. The project is on schedule. Good, I tell her, and how many more people will Dick cut after the Thanksgiving holiday? Another 210, she says, to make it twenty-five percent this year.

“This year? You mean, he’s going for fifty percent by spring of ’85?”

“I don’t know that but maybe,” says Liz. “By the way, have you seen Louise this morning?”

“No. What’s up?”

“Another crisis.”

“Well, is it a surprise or are you going to tell me what it is?”

“Apparently, Dick told her to fire you again as soon as you walk in this morning. Jesus Jill, you missed four workdays. Couldn’t you at least call? Look at your tan. It’s obvious you’ve been skiing. How do you expect them to react?”

“That’s all? I thought it was serious.” I say, rising to my feet.

“I call getting fired pretty serious. Aren’t you worried?”

“Naw, I bring in business, remember? I even got the place an award, Liz. Even if they do fire me, I’ll be back the next day. That’s what happened last time.”

“This time, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Up the hallway, I wave at Kelly, who rolls her eyes and smiles. Morty is not in but Glenn is. He’s frowning over lists of names. “Morning, Glenn,” I say as I sit down.

He glances at me and asks, “How was skiing?”

“Perfect. When are you guys going to be ready to begin shooting the training slides?”

“I’ve left messages on your desk, Ms. Communications Manager,” he says with some sarcasm.

“I prefer doing business face to face.”

“You have to be here to do that, Jill,” he says. When I do not react, he says, “It’s all set up. We begin on graveyard shift, Monday, January 7. Does that work for you?”

“Indeed it does, Glenn,” I say, leaning forward. “I’ll be there. How do the revenue numbers look?”

“Which ones? Drop, win, hold, what?”

“Profit as a percent of revenue.”

“Oh, that,” he says with a shrug. “Flat, which is amazing with what’s going on around here.”

“Amazing good or amazing bad?”

“Good,” says Glenn. “Even with no advertising or promotion by the previous administration for more than a year and the little pecker wood in the corner office screwing up the RIFs, revenues are up significantly. We have you to thank for some of that, Jill.”

“Thanks Glenn,” I say as I rise to my feet. “I’ll be there in January.”

“Mind if I ask you a question? Tell me to piss off if I’m being nosy.”

Standing in his doorway, I see Dick, Louise and Carlos down the hall, talking. They look my way and Dick points at me. “Go ahead,” I tell Glenn.

“What happened to the Jill Price who used to stop by and chat every day? Hell, you used to drop in just to see how you could help.”

“I miss you guys too, Glenn—you and Morty. If you want to leave me a message, Glenn, tell Annette. Tell Morty that too, okay?”

He nods, watching me, as if he knows he got through to me.

Turning, I face the music headed my way. Carlos and Louise are walking toward me. Louise looks like shit warmed over but Carlos is smiling. As they approach, I lean toward Louise and say softly, “Have Marion do this stuff, boss. It’s tearing you up.”

She looks at me, a mixture of appreciation, accusation and anger in her expression. Involuntarily, her eyes become moist. She blinks and says, “Jill, you’ve been absent from work without leave for four business days. We’ve also heard from more than one source that you’ve been skiing in Utah all that time. Do you have anything to say?”

“Best powder on earth. You should try it.”

“So, you don’t deny you were skiing, yet you did not request vacation. Why?”

“I haven’t earned any vacation yet, Louise. Besides, I’m too busy.” Carlos covers his mouth with one knuckle and rolls his eyes. Continuing, I add, “Oh by the way, both the management training and publication projects are on schedule, under budget and exceeding the approved quality standards. That has to make you feel pretty good about how things are going, right?”

She nods. “Yes, it does, which makes what I’m about to do all the more difficult. Jill, for four days, you have been no call and no show at work. I have no choice but to terminate your employment with cause, effective immediately. Carlos, please escort Jill from the premises. She is not to be allowed in again.”

Off we go, marching down the hall toward the elevator—again. “Keys are on my desk,” I murmur to Carlos, so he waits while I gather my keys, jacket and the application form. When we get to my Buick, I poke one finger into his palm and say, “See you tomorrow, Carlos.”

He gives my finger a squeeze and says, “See you tomorrow, Jill.”

At Pere, I give the application to Margaret and ask her to type it with a resume and cover letter that Donna can use to get a job in Marketing at Doc’s Place. “Donna will be interviewing with the Director of Marketing, Kevin McVay. Tell her to be perky.”

“Perky,” she says. “What’s that?” When I shrug, she asks if Donna will be living with me since she’s my bodyguard and I tell her yes.

“I’ve submitted Donna’s application for concealed carry permits through most states and I’m working on the others, Jill,” says Margaret. “International and travel carry permits are in the works. Full pay and benefits, I assume.”

“Correct.”

“By the way, Donna called,” says Margaret with a chuckle. “Says she gave away or sold everything except her pistols, her swords and a change of clothes. She’s flying in tonight. Tony’s picking her up.”

“Thanks, Margaret.”

“Can you believe it? The woman has swords in this day and age. Whatever for?”

Grin on my way to Sara’s office. She and Tony are sitting at the table, chuckling over something. Sitting at the table, I look at them.

“Why aren’t you at work, Jill?” asks Sara. “Oh shit, they fired you again.”

“That’s right,” I tell her.

“Miss four work days without calling in and that’s what you get,” says Tony. “What do you think of Donna so far?”

“I love her.”

“Martial arts, small arms, tri-athlete and she just received a BA in history from your alma mater if you ever finish your master’s. She has perfect credit and no criminal record. Twenty-eight, married for one week to a perpetual literary student and divorced the bloke.”

“Said he tried to hit her once,” I tell him. “Mean drunk, she said.”

“I’ll check it out,” he says. “Something screwy in her background but I haven’t found what it is yet. I’ll pick her up tonight and bring her to the house.”

“What about her childhood?”

“Father deserted her and Mom when Donna was one or two,” says Tony. “Mother arrested for attempting to sell her to an undercover cop. Foster care with several different families until she turned eighteen and entered the Air Force.”

“She told me that she traveled through Reno and also that her family lived here for a while.”

“That’s the truth. She just didn’t say which family,” says Tony.

“Anything else?”

“We’re digging in unconventional ways and places,” says Tony. “We’ll find out her little secrets. My gut tells me that she’s the one for you though, Jill.”

“What do you want to do this afternoon, boss?” asks Sara.

“Review the books first. Then I want to see results in security, audit and disaster recovery.”

“Okay,” says Sara, “Let’s start at the terminal. I’ll show you how to review the Pere books from home. Then we’ll look at training records and take a little tour.”

Tony heads for the door. “Give me a shout if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll see you tonight,” he says.

“Oh yeah,” I tell him, “Pick up Donna’s application for Doc’s from Margaret and bring it with you tonight, please.”

He waves and leaves the office.

That evening, the guard calls when Tony drives through the gate with Donna. He parks in the driveway as I walk out to meet them in a tee shirt, shorts and flip-flops. I’m so excited that I can hardly stand still. Feel like I’m greeting my mail-order bride.

A light snow is falling as she steps out of the car and I hug her tightly. “I’m happy you’re here, Donna.”

“Thank you, Jill,” she says, opening her jacket and wrapping me in it with her as she hugs me. “I feel like I’m home.”

“You are,” I tell her. “This is your home.”

Inside the front door to meet her are Sara, Lloyd and Soji. Each greets her with a warm hug and a kiss. She kneels and meets Lloyd and Soji’s grandchildren—all four of them—with a hug and a kiss from each. Donna makes no effort to hide her grin and her tears.

We escort her to the table, beautifully arranged by Lloyd and Soji. Everyone sits. Raise my wineglass, as do the other adults, who look at Donna.

“Welcome to our family and our home, Donna,” I tell her. “May you have happy days and peaceful nights. Welcome!”

Everyone shouts in chorus, “Welcome!”

Donna looks at us, blinking, and then tears run down her face. Soji’s grandson, Ike, slides off his chair, climbs on her lap and hugs her. She holds the little boy tightly, sobbing for almost a full minute before she finally takes a deep breath, releases a sigh and looks at us. She still can’t speak but she smiles.

People move over so Ike can sit on the chair beside hers. He pushes it close so they are touching. After we begin eating, Donna slowly gains her composure so she can converse a little. After the meal, we gather around the fire as Soji and Lloyd clean up. Ike falls asleep in Donna’s arms, so she follows Soji and helps put him to bed.

Tony pulls me aside and hands me a small bag containing a leather billfold with concealed-carry permits, a holstered Colt M1911A1 and two loaded clips. He also hands me a fat envelope and says softly, “It’s all there. Bruno found most of it. I still think she’s okay but let me know, Jill.” He says goodnight to everyone and leaves.

Lock the envelope in my safe without looking at it.

Soji and Lloyd say good night, so Sara and I lead Donna into my bedroom. As Sara watches, Donna takes the small bag from my hand and opens the leather billfold with her concealed-carry permits and identification inside. Pocketing that, she removes the Colt from its holster, pulls back the action to make sure the firing chamber is empty and pops the clip to make sure it’s full. Donna shoves the pistol into its holster and down the back of her pants. She shoves two loaded clips into her pocket and looks at us. Not even on duty one day and the bitch is ready to kill somebody.

After we clean up, we climb in bed together. Sara and I hold Donna between us. She falls asleep almost immediately. We look across her at one another, smiling. We fall asleep quickly as well.

During the night, Donna gets up and leaves the room. Follow her silently and watch as she wraps herself in a blanket, sits on the floor and watches the snow falling. When I see her yawn, I walk over and wriggle under the blanket with her.

“You and your little family have left me weak.” She sniffs. “All of you were so happy to see me. You had obviously been waiting for me.” She begins to sob again. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to express what I feel.”

Sit beside her quietly, waiting, listening, one arm about her shaking shoulders.

“I have more to tell you about me, Jill,” she says after a while. “If you look into my background, I took electronics and locksmith courses by correspondence during high school. Worked a few part-time jobs while in the Air Force to get more experience.” She takes a deep breath, releases a ragged sigh, and says, “I’m a thief.”

We sit quietly, listening to the night sounds of the house. The snow is still falling, really piling up now.

“Took down some pretty good scores, always alone. If you want me to tell you who my fence is, I will, but I ask that you not turn them in. They’ve been good to me and I don’t want them hurt or punished.”

“I probably know them already, Donna,” I tell her. “The people who do what they do for a living in the Salt Lake area are few. They’re Mexican, right? A man and a woman?”

She turns to look at me.

“My guess is Armando and Anna because the others work alone.”

Her mouth drops slightly and she blinks. After a moment, she closes her mouth.

“You ever sit around and talk with them?”

Her voice is thin, filled with wonder. “Just once, while we were waiting for a man to bring some cash. I had lifted some expensive racing parts for him. Armando and Anna had financed the deal. They told me about the old days, twenty years before in the sixties, when they used to run the streets and steal car engines with. . . .” She sits still for several seconds before she speaks again. “With a girl—quick, quiet and deadly. They never told me her name.”

“The man with the cash, was he big? I mean almost seven feet tall and maybe three-fifty?” Her silence is answer enough. “His name is Lars. They’re my friends, Donna, but they don’t know we’ve met that I know of, so don’t think they ratted you out.”

She nestles closer to me. We watch the snowfall for a while.

“Want to go back to bed, Jill?” she asks after a while. “I’m getting drowsy.”

“Go ahead, sweetie. I’ll be along shortly.”

“Sweetie,” she says, her voice filled with wonder. “I’ve been so uncertain all my life, afraid to tell anyone who I really am, as if I were breathing second-hand air. Now I breathe clean air, oxygen, and I cannot imagine life without it.”

“I am happy you’re here, Donna. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

She kisses me, stands up and walks back to the bedroom as I watch the snowfall in the night. A few minutes later, I join the women in bed. They nestle, warming me.

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