The weeks ticked by and life somehow started to become normal in a way. I had found my way into managing RangeMan and actually doing it rather well – if I could say so myself. I wasn't making a complete fool of myself on a regular basis and at some point, realized I was actually making waves and also headlines with the local papers as the new girl on top. It wasn't like they made me out to be the next entrepreneur or Wonder Woman to watch, but they took notice that a girl was running now a company in a business field which was usually rather overflown with testosterone and male CEOs. And the press loved it in a way. Magazines with a female target group were printing stories that apparently read like I was saving the world single-handedly. It wasn't like I minded it a lot but once in a while it proved to be an odd distraction in regards of business. People grew curious – potential clients as well as competition – in regards of a woman running a rather successful security business and of course several gossip stories were floating around in regards of how I had managed to get that position. A very well used story – especially whenever I was running into someone from a competitor business – was that I slept my way to the top. In the beginning I was really annoyed and tried arguing mine and their points which usually ended in even more annoyance until I gave up and decided on letting my work speak for itself. Of course, I wasn't as bad ass as Tank, Cal or Bones, but I had my moments.
In regards of new branches, I was as far as I had been weeks before. No where really. I had looked at certain cities and the costs involved and always ended up frustrated when my numbers didn't add up or weren't as positive as I had expected them to be. It was frustrating and also in an odd and sadistic way fun. The possibilities were endless and technically the West Coast was my oyster and deep down I knew there was potential there, I just needed to find it and the perfect spot.
While staring at the map that was sort of a copy of the one that was in Tank's office, I heard my phone ring, ripping my thoughts away back into the present.
"Yes?" I picked up, seeing in the display it was control room.
"I… um… I have someone on the other end who supposedly works for Marylin Swanson and wants to speak to you?" I heard Ram's raspy voice, sounding like had been taking a nap. Or had just started his shift and therefore wasn't entirely awake yet from his last night shift.
"O-kay," I said warily, wondering what this could be about. The control room usually took all the calls from outside if the caller on the other end wasn't lucky enough to have my extension. Which was very rare by now. In the beginning it was normal and common, but when the news picked up the story of the Bombshell Bounty Hunter running RangeMan now, my extension became the busiest number in town. Until we found a way of switching things and having all these press inquiries handled by an external PR company. I'm not entirely sure what Lester and the others had done and why it was working, but I didn't really care. The only way to really speak to me now was by actually having my new extension which was hardly ever given out – unless you were a very, very, very important client and insisted. Or unless I decided I saw you as important enough.
"Did they say what they want?" I asked and heard a no from the other side.
"Okay, put them through I guess," I finally decided and heard a moment later the familiar clicking in the line.
"RangeMan, Stephanie Plum speaking," I said a second later in my full-business mode.
"Mrs. Plum, I'm Arianna Heathford and I work as a PA for Marylin Swanson, who asked me to contact you. Usually, I would start with a semi-introduction in case you didn't know my boss, but she mentioned the two of you ran into each other at a school reunion a while back? So, I assume you are familiar about who I'm talking about?"
I needed to seriously stop myself from laughing or at least snickering, seeing that I found it almost an impossible task to not know who Marylin Swanson was. Even if I hadn't run into her and hadn't gone to school with her, I would most likely know who she was.
"I sure am," I replied, smiling to myself and being almost certain she heard the smile in my voice. "Can you tell me what this call is about?"
"Oh, of course, I'm sure you are a busy person. So if this isn't a good time we can certainly arrange for a better time for a call. Or you could fly out to LA for a meeting?"
"Um, I don't think a meeting is going to happen anytime soon," I mentioned laughingly, looking out of the corner of my eye at the white board which had made it into my office and was showcasing my schedule for the next few weeks. Packed would have been an understatement. I would be lucky if I had enough time for a pee and breathing. Back-to-back meetings, my regular work out routines, financial meetings, client consultations, the video conferences every week, a meeting with Taylor as well as the RangeMan lawyers who indicated were about to get sued and a lot of PR stuff – which meant me showing up at some swanky events we did the security for anyway or some event the city hosted and that was attended by everyone who was anyone. "But now is a good time if it works for you," I offered a moment later, figuring now might as well be as best as any other time. I assumed this wasn't going to be a lengthy call and figured I had a few moments to spare. Next item on my agenda was a Core Team meeting anyway and usually I was always rather quiet during these, seeing that Tank, Cal, Bobby and Lester talked enough between the four of them and I was usually just there to intervene when opinions where required. They could easily start without me. So I typed an E-Mail to them, letting them know exactly that and received second later their replies.
"I don't know the exact specifics but I was asked to see if RangeMan was in the market for providing security for Ms Swanson?"
"Generally yes, seeing that this is the business we are in," I replied with a laugh and heard laughter from the other end as well. Good to see that she was as aware about the slightly odd question. I mean, she was calling a security company. "What kind of business are we talking about? Does she need someone when she is back in Jersey for a few weeks or so? If so, we would just need a rough estimate in regards of tie frame and how much advanced notice she would usually give us and we can look into the specifics and costs," I offered, while typing up a few notes that would undoubtingly vanish in the depths of my computer sooner or later.
"In all fairness, she hasn't given me a lot of details but generally asked whether you were up for it to begin with. And if you said yes, that you should give her a call to actually talk the specifics with her directly. She usually likes having her security handled all by herself, knowing all the details and getting all her questions answered before committing. So, how about I give you her number and you get back to her?"
I found it only slightly odd that a PA was about to give me the number of one of the most sought-after actresses in the country right now, but well… to each their own. While Arianna gave me her boss' digits I jotted them down on a piece of paper and a moment later the call was finished. I placed the post it on top of the screen of my computer, collected the few files I required for the Core Team meeting and got going.
"What did I miss?" I asked, walking through the meeting room door and seeing a full-blown argument taking place.
"Lester and Tank debating about Green Wednesday," Bobby replied almost bored.
"Green Wednesday?" I asked, confused and sat down next to Cal, who just nodded.
"One day a month – Wednesday – we have only green stuff in the breakroom. Green smoothies, green vegetables, green food for lunch, dinner, breakfast and as snacks," Lester explained which had me even more confused. So far this sounded like a perfect RangeMan thing. I wasn't entirely sure why it needed a specific day, but it was already healthy sounding.
"So what is the argument about?" I asked Tank and Lester equally.
"They can't seem to agree on what is considered green or healthy. Lester wants to add green donuts and green cookies," Tank said, sounding almost disgruntled. I just rolled my eyes.
"Okay, that is between the two of you, but generally speaking I'm for Lester's idea. How can cookies and donuts ever be bad?"
"I figured you'd say that," Lester said grinning and I winked at him playfully. After that we actually turned to serious topics in the meeting.
We had made it through most of the meeting and I only had one point I was planning on running past the guys.
"I was thinking of visiting a few of the other offices," I started and saw all four heads turn my direction in surprise.
"Is there any specific reason?" Tank asked.
"Do I need a specific reason?" I asked confused.
"Not really, just curious."
"Well, I figured it wouldn't hurt to actually see a few offices and see how they operate. Maybe gain some inside and a better understanding. Also, I'm certain they all would like to know the new boss that has been barking out ordered for the past few months," I said smilingly, which earned me laughs from all four guys in the room. A rare occurrence
"Which offices are you thinking of visiting and do you already have dates planed?" Bobby asked, jotting down a few lines. Odd.
"Not really, it was just a general idea. And seeing how my schedule looks these next few days and weeks I'm not sure I'll be able to get to it anytime soon really."
"You can always free up some space. I assume not all arrangements are really needed, meetings can be taken over by a few of us and I noticed you liked to participate in a lot of the walk throughs and client meetings. Like… every one of them."
I shrugged at his observation. "I like that part. It gets me away from my desk and outside for a moment. Also, I had a chat with Chad from our PR firm and he said it is really good for business since a lot of people are very curious about me and often enough close a deal simply because I and RangeMan - is different. The guys mentioned that a few clients confided in them that for once they actually felt comfortable with a meeting with security. If me being present shifts business to RangeMan I don't mind doing my part. As long as I don't have to dress like RangeMan Barbie or something like that and as long as people don't expect some dumb bimbo that just looks good but has no idea about what she is doing I actually enjoy it."
"I'm certain our potential new clients can deal with one of us for a few days or weeks or have no problem rescheduling. Though, not closing a contract or deal won't kill us, especially seeing how many we actually closed in the past few weeks and months. So, feel free to clear your schedule for a while and we take over. Just let us know when you plan on visiting, so we can work around that."
"Does anyone from you guys want to accompany me?"
"I wouldn't mind," Cal offered. "I would suggest we take someone else as well. Bones or Ram for example. That way we can make sure you are taking care of and also can get in touch again with the other offices. I know Bones as well as Ram have quite a few connections to Denver, Helena and Houston, if any of these are on your radar."
"I like the idea. Boosting inner-office relations and communications is always good. And maybe the guys tell you guys stuff that they wouldn't tell the boss. Stuff that's going on and that needs fixing or things like that."
"Usually there is very few drama within the other offices," Lester smiled. "Unless you go to Miami. They sometimes seem to be their own daily soap opera. At least that's what it feels like. But appointing two heads of the office had always been a bad idea. Ranger for whatever reason liked it and it works surprisingly enough, but there is this very odd atmosphere."
"Sounds like fun. I hadn't really decided on the offices and I'd like to keep this rather quiet. Not that I plan on checking up on anything, I just don't want any of the offices to start a commotion because I'm coming. They'll know I'm there when I set foot in the office. That should be soon enough."
"You realize the moment you set foot in one of the offices, the others will sooner or later be notified as well. By at least one person in the first office you choose," Bobby said and I was very well aware of that. RangeMan was a bunch of gossips, no matter how much any of them tried denying it.
"Well, none of them will know whether or not I'll just visit one office or several. For all they know I could make a stop at a different branch every month."
"So all of them will be on high alert?" Lester commented and I couldn't help but agree. Sometimes it was fun being the scary boss. Not gonna lie.