toward Emily with his hand extended. “I've been expecting you."
"You know Emily?” Mrs. Hamilton arched a painted eyebrow.
"No, but I'm anxious to meet her.” He shook Emily's hand. “She and I have an appointment to discuss employment."
"How fortunate we are that she would consider being our employee.” Mrs. Hamilton nodded in Emily's direction. “Do come by my dear, after your interview and visit with me for a while.” She nodded in Lee Morgan's direction. “Good-bye, Mr. Morgan."
Lee Morgan smiled as he held the door open for Emily. “Have you known Mrs. Hamilton long?"
Amelia Hamilton was the moving force behind half the benevolent organizations in the city. Emily squelched the impulse to infringe on her slight acquaintance with so powerful a figure. “I don't know Mrs. Hamilton personally."
Lee ushered Emily into his office. “She seems to think highly of you."
"I'm flattered that she would."
Lee pointed to a chair. “Do you know the other members of the library's board of directors?"
"Most of them by sight, none of them very well. As you must know, each branch library makes an annual report to the board. For the past several years, I've had a minor role in organizing and presenting that report for our branch.” Emily eased into her chair.
"Then you must be familiar with the program that recruits, tutors and monitors volunteers for the library system.” Lee leaned against the side of his desk and let his eyes scan Emily from head to toe.
"That program was adopted from the system devised and used first at the Loftin Branch.” Emily paused before adding, “That's the branch library where I was a volunteer."
"Who came up with the idea for the system used at Loftin?"
The idea had been hers, but Emily was reluctant to say so. “It sort of evolved."
"I suspect you're being modest.” Lee was studying her with avid interest. “How long were you a volunteer at Loftin?"
Emily did some swift mental calculating. “For fifteen years."
"Then you are familiar with the computer network that connects the entire library system?"
"Oh, yes.” Emily began to relax. “I was at Loftin when it was installed."
Lee moved to sit behind his desk. “So you have some experience as a public speaker. Have you held other volunteer positions besides the one at the library?"
"Over the years I've been involved in numerous school and community activities. Last year I was president of the PTA, and program chairperson of the Band Boosters’ Club at Woodrow Wilson High School. I'm vice president of the Historical Society."
Lee Morgan leaned back in his chair, “Which tells me that you are not afraid of hard work and that you get along well with people."
"Just where is this all leading?” Emily asked. “I thought this was an interview for the position of library aide at Loftin.” Why was this man asking all these questions?
"It was originally but that was before I saw you and before I knew of your acquaintance with Amelia Hamilton and the other members of the Board of Directors.” Lee splayed his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “There is another job opening and you just might have the unique qualifications to fill that position. Do you have your own car? Do you know your way around the city?"
Emily's mind began to explore new possibilities. “Yes to both questions."
"Are you able to work flexible hours? There is a definite social aspect to this position. You would be called upon to attend numerous social functions: banquets, receptions, luncheons, dinners, charity galas, fund raising events. Many of these occasions take place in the evening.” He continued to scrutinize her carefully. “Do you have a family, Mrs. Franklin?"
"I have two sons. One is an attorney for Fenders and Grimes here in the city. The other will be going away to college this fall. My husband and I are divorced."
After an assessing moment, Lee asked, “Would you be willing to take this position for six months? At the end of that
"You know Emily?” Mrs. Hamilton arched a painted eyebrow.
"No, but I'm anxious to meet her.” He shook Emily's hand. “She and I have an appointment to discuss employment."
"How fortunate we are that she would consider being our employee.” Mrs. Hamilton nodded in Emily's direction. “Do come by my dear, after your interview and visit with me for a while.” She nodded in Lee Morgan's direction. “Good-bye, Mr. Morgan."
Lee Morgan smiled as he held the door open for Emily. “Have you known Mrs. Hamilton long?"
Amelia Hamilton was the moving force behind half the benevolent organizations in the city. Emily squelched the impulse to infringe on her slight acquaintance with so powerful a figure. “I don't know Mrs. Hamilton personally."
Lee ushered Emily into his office. “She seems to think highly of you."
"I'm flattered that she would."
Lee pointed to a chair. “Do you know the other members of the library's board of directors?"
"Most of them by sight, none of them very well. As you must know, each branch library makes an annual report to the board. For the past several years, I've had a minor role in organizing and presenting that report for our branch.” Emily eased into her chair.
"Then you must be familiar with the program that recruits, tutors and monitors volunteers for the library system.” Lee leaned against the side of his desk and let his eyes scan Emily from head to toe.
"That program was adopted from the system devised and used first at the Loftin Branch.” Emily paused before adding, “That's the branch library where I was a volunteer."
"Who came up with the idea for the system used at Loftin?"
The idea had been hers, but Emily was reluctant to say so. “It sort of evolved."
"I suspect you're being modest.” Lee was studying her with avid interest. “How long were you a volunteer at Loftin?"
Emily did some swift mental calculating. “For fifteen years."
"Then you are familiar with the computer network that connects the entire library system?"
"Oh, yes.” Emily began to relax. “I was at Loftin when it was installed."
Lee moved to sit behind his desk. “So you have some experience as a public speaker. Have you held other volunteer positions besides the one at the library?"
"Over the years I've been involved in numerous school and community activities. Last year I was president of the PTA, and program chairperson of the Band Boosters’ Club at Woodrow Wilson High School. I'm vice president of the Historical Society."
Lee Morgan leaned back in his chair, “Which tells me that you are not afraid of hard work and that you get along well with people."
"Just where is this all leading?” Emily asked. “I thought this was an interview for the position of library aide at Loftin.” Why was this man asking all these questions?
"It was originally but that was before I saw you and before I knew of your acquaintance with Amelia Hamilton and the other members of the Board of Directors.” Lee splayed his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “There is another job opening and you just might have the unique qualifications to fill that position. Do you have your own car? Do you know your way around the city?"
Emily's mind began to explore new possibilities. “Yes to both questions."
"Are you able to work flexible hours? There is a definite social aspect to this position. You would be called upon to attend numerous social functions: banquets, receptions, luncheons, dinners, charity galas, fund raising events. Many of these occasions take place in the evening.” He continued to scrutinize her carefully. “Do you have a family, Mrs. Franklin?"
"I have two sons. One is an attorney for Fenders and Grimes here in the city. The other will be going away to college this fall. My husband and I are divorced."
After an assessing moment, Lee asked, “Would you be willing to take this position for six months? At the end of that
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