Martin righted himself in the chair, doing his best to look calm. But he felt no more relaxed when he heard Jillian’s voice again, followed by a single knock on the door. He had gone in complaining of chest pain, but after a battery of tests the problem was diagnosed as stress.Īfter returning the bottle, Martin leaned back, closed his eyes, and waited for the medication to kick in. It was anti-anxiety medication prescribed by his internist. He shook a white tablet into his palm and swallowed it down with only his saliva. He lifted out one with a yellow label and popped the lid with his thumb. He eyed his own wristwatch and then opened the right bottom drawer of his desk. He could hear her in the outer office talking to Rigby. Jillian left, closing the door once again. “I’ll wait five minutes and then send him in.” If it was bad news, he thought, better to get it over with now than obsess and fret about it all day. “He says he needs to talk with you this morning,” she said, her voice low. When she returned she stepped inside and shut the door behind her. Jillian disappeared for a few moments while Martin continued to worry. For the past several quarters the marketing team he headed had not performed up to par, and with sales low he feared Rigby might have been sent to discuss a buyout or some sort of package to grease the wheels for his release. This, and because Rigby’s standard mode of communication was by email or paper memo, made the morning’s visit unique.

There were rumors he played a larger role than just administrative when it came to personnel decisions. He was somewhat of a recluse, biding his time in a windowless office filled with files and forms.

Rigby was in charge of the company’s human resources department.

Martin’s assistant, Jillian, opened the door to his office just wide enough to stick her head inside.

Post haste detangle puzzle solution