Read Online Once Upon Stilettos (Enchanted Inc #2) by Shanna Swendson - Free Book Online
Authors: Shanna Swendson
Tags: Fiction, General, Humorous, Humorous fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magic, Love Stories, New York (N.Y.), Women, Young Women, Chandler; Katie (Fictitious Character), employment, Women - Employment
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personal impression at this stage. But if you wanted the fact that we might have a spy to remain secret, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed. It seems like the whole company knows, or will know before long.”
He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. “Now, that I find interesting. You, Mr. Palmer, and I are the only ones who know the full details—and the spy, of course. I haven’t told anyone, I can assume you haven’t told anyone, and I suspect Mr. Palmer has remained as guarded as ever.”
“I think most of it is guesswork. Someone saw Owen tear out of R and D, and there’s already some worry that we could have intruders or spies. Next thing you know, word has spread around the company that someone’s spying, and they broke into Owen’s office. Finding a real spy when everyone else is already doing their own spying is going to be nearly impossible.”
“This is only the first day of your investigation,” he said kindly.
The intercom squawked just then. “Katie-Bug, you there?” said Sam’s voice.
“Yeah, I’m here. What is it, Sam?”
“I’m at R and D. You’d better get the boss down here, pronto.”
Merlin and I looked at each other, then he headed toward the escalator. Without waiting for an invitation, I got up and followed him. I’d been there no more than fifteen minutes earlier. What could have happened?
Normally, the door into the research and development department was secured, with a hand ID and magic spell required for access. Even I couldn’t get into that department unless I was accompanied by an employee or Owen was expecting me. But now the door was wide open. Sam and a white-faced Owen stood in front of the door. “What is it, Sam?” Merlin asked.
“The security to this department has been totally short-circuited. Kaput. It looks like it works the same way as always, but anyone could have walked in at any time.”
“How long has it been like this?”
Sam shrugged as expressively as a stone creature could. “No telling. I wouldn’t have even discovered it today if the kid here hadn’t asked me to do a security sweep of the department.” He indicated Owen with one wing.
“I thought it was a reasonable precaution,” Owen said softly.
“And it’s good that you took that precaution,” Merlin said. “Can you fix it, Sam?”
“Sure. No problem. But first, we ought to run a similar sweep on the rest of the building.”
Merlin nodded. “Do it.”
“That would explain how the spy got in, huh, boss?” Sam said as he went back to fiddling with wires.
“It also means we can’t narrow the suspects down to only people who have access to R and D,” I remarked. Great, my job had just become even more difficult.
“Was this done magically or mechanically?” Merlin asked Sam.
“Maybe a little of both,” the gargoyle replied. “I’ll get someone down here to check people one by one as they enter. Then you’d better seal off the department for the night.”
“I’ll make sure everyone gets out on time tonight, then we’ll shut down,” Owen said.
While they were talking, I glanced over my shoulder at the corridor, then did a double take. I touched Merlin’s elbow and said softly, “Somehow, I don’t think our spy is a secret anymore.”
A crowd had gathered, both in the outside hallway and in the R&D corridor. I noticed Jake peering wide-eyed over Owen’s shoulder. Ari hovered over the group clustered in the R&D corridor, looking like someone who had slowed down to ogle the five-car pileup on the freeway.
In the outside hallway, there was an even larger crowd. It was as if someone had gotten on the company intercom and announced that there was free food outside R&D. Gregor and Kim were there from Verification. Minerva Phelps of Prophets and Lost stood in front of the group, like she’d been the first arrival. Dortmund, the accounting gnome, was elbowing people in the knees as he worked his way to the front.
If Merlin had been any other boss,
He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. “Now, that I find interesting. You, Mr. Palmer, and I are the only ones who know the full details—and the spy, of course. I haven’t told anyone, I can assume you haven’t told anyone, and I suspect Mr. Palmer has remained as guarded as ever.”
“I think most of it is guesswork. Someone saw Owen tear out of R and D, and there’s already some worry that we could have intruders or spies. Next thing you know, word has spread around the company that someone’s spying, and they broke into Owen’s office. Finding a real spy when everyone else is already doing their own spying is going to be nearly impossible.”
“This is only the first day of your investigation,” he said kindly.
The intercom squawked just then. “Katie-Bug, you there?” said Sam’s voice.
“Yeah, I’m here. What is it, Sam?”
“I’m at R and D. You’d better get the boss down here, pronto.”
Merlin and I looked at each other, then he headed toward the escalator. Without waiting for an invitation, I got up and followed him. I’d been there no more than fifteen minutes earlier. What could have happened?
Normally, the door into the research and development department was secured, with a hand ID and magic spell required for access. Even I couldn’t get into that department unless I was accompanied by an employee or Owen was expecting me. But now the door was wide open. Sam and a white-faced Owen stood in front of the door. “What is it, Sam?” Merlin asked.
“The security to this department has been totally short-circuited. Kaput. It looks like it works the same way as always, but anyone could have walked in at any time.”
“How long has it been like this?”
Sam shrugged as expressively as a stone creature could. “No telling. I wouldn’t have even discovered it today if the kid here hadn’t asked me to do a security sweep of the department.” He indicated Owen with one wing.
“I thought it was a reasonable precaution,” Owen said softly.
“And it’s good that you took that precaution,” Merlin said. “Can you fix it, Sam?”
“Sure. No problem. But first, we ought to run a similar sweep on the rest of the building.”
Merlin nodded. “Do it.”
“That would explain how the spy got in, huh, boss?” Sam said as he went back to fiddling with wires.
“It also means we can’t narrow the suspects down to only people who have access to R and D,” I remarked. Great, my job had just become even more difficult.
“Was this done magically or mechanically?” Merlin asked Sam.
“Maybe a little of both,” the gargoyle replied. “I’ll get someone down here to check people one by one as they enter. Then you’d better seal off the department for the night.”
“I’ll make sure everyone gets out on time tonight, then we’ll shut down,” Owen said.
While they were talking, I glanced over my shoulder at the corridor, then did a double take. I touched Merlin’s elbow and said softly, “Somehow, I don’t think our spy is a secret anymore.”
A crowd had gathered, both in the outside hallway and in the R&D corridor. I noticed Jake peering wide-eyed over Owen’s shoulder. Ari hovered over the group clustered in the R&D corridor, looking like someone who had slowed down to ogle the five-car pileup on the freeway.
In the outside hallway, there was an even larger crowd. It was as if someone had gotten on the company intercom and announced that there was free food outside R&D. Gregor and Kim were there from Verification. Minerva Phelps of Prophets and Lost stood in front of the group, like she’d been the first arrival. Dortmund, the accounting gnome, was elbowing people in the knees as he worked his way to the front.
If Merlin had been any other boss,
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