A loud grumbling sound from her stomach reminded her of her need for food and pulled her out of her thoughts. Rising from the desk, she grabbed her red peacoat from the coatrack, and prepared to face the chilly November winds in pursuit of lunch.
* * *
With one hand in the pocket of his slacks, Marco Alvarez stood by his office window. His other hand held a mug filled with strong black coffee he sipped from as he viewed the cold gray November day. The frost clouding the glass pane reminded him of just how chilly it was out there, and how much he dreaded going back outside later in the day.
The chiming of an incoming video call split the quiet of the room, drawing his attention to the computer monitor atop his desk. Coffee in hand, he sat down in his desk chair and clicked the mouse to answer the call. “Good morning, Sal. How are you?”
The video window showed an image of Salvatore Perez. As president and chief executive officer of Royal Bank and Trust, Sal was about as serious as a man could be, but he always managed a smile for his childhood buddy. “I’m good, Marco. And how is the weather over there?”
Marco felt the frown crease his brow as he glanced back to the frosty window. “It’s deceptively sunny, and a sweltering forty degrees out there.” Even though he’d been living in the United States for over a decade, he still hadn’t adjusted to the cool weather that gripped the Southeast from November to January. Knowing that the Charlotte area was considerably warmer than points in the northern part of the country provided little comfort on chilly days like this one.
Sal chuckled, straightening his bright red tie. “I’m sure you know it’s beautiful here in Limón. Sunny, cloudless blue skies and temps in the seventies.” His gray eyes held a twinkle of amusement.
Marco groaned aloud.
In response, Sal chuckled again. “Homesick, my friend?”
“You know I am. I haven’t been home in almost three years.” Hearing his friend describe the gorgeous weather in his coastal hometown of Limón, Costa Rica, only made him homesick. “Stop torturing me, Sal, and get to the reason why you called.”
Sal’s smile faded a bit as he returned to his businesslike demeanor. “Right. I wanted to see how much progress you’ve made in hiring a permanent security firm for the Charlotte branch.”
Marco ran a hand through his straight dark locks. “Not as much as I’d hoped. I’ve had a few proposals, but so far none have moved me.”
“You know, the board members and I agree that the bank is well established now, and that it’s time to bring on a private, dedicated security staff.”
Marco nodded. “I agree. Frankly, I’m tired of dealing with the temp agencies. The branch has more than enough depositors now to justify hiring permanent security.” The Charlotte branch, where Marco served as president and executive of operations, had been open for five years. During that time, thousands of accounts of all types had been opened there, for both business and personal use. Other than a branch in New York City, it was the only branch on the East Coast. Royal Bank and Trust was an international company, with five worldwide branches, and Marco was proud that his branch was thriving despite its smaller market.
Sal sat back in his chair. The fabric of his dark suit crinkled as he rested his elbows atop his desk and tented his fingers. “I’ll need you to hire someone ASAP, within a week if possible. Can I count on you, Marco?”
He knew it would be a stretch, but he still felt confident he could get it done. “Sure, Sal. I’m on it.”
“Oh, and one more thing. Be mindful of the budget. The board has approved a yearly amount for the contract, and you should be careful not to accept a bid that will exceed it.”
“Got it. Anything else, Sal?”
“Not at the moment. But I’ll check back in with you at the end of next week. Have a good day, Marco.”
“You, too.”
The video call ended and the screen faded to black. As quiet settled over his office again, Marco wondered how he was going to find a security firm to take on the job of protecting his bank branch. If it were left solely up to him, he would have sought a private security firm much earlier. But the board’s primary concern was that the branch met certain profitability goals first. When the Charlotte branch had hit the benchmark for the fiscal year ending this past summer, Marco had been thrilled.
He’d been looking for a firm for almost a month, and now he had only a few days to find someone. It would be a difficult feat to accomplish, but Marco had set his mind to more difficult things and succeeded. He was determined not to disappoint the board, or Sal. He felt extremely fortunate to have such a good working relationship with him. Sal knew him better than most people in his life, and was the closest thing he’d had to a brother while growing up in Costa Rica.
Marco picked up his hands-free headset and put it on. He figured his best bet was to call up his friends and colleagues in the local financial sector and see if anyone could offer a recommendation. The size of his budget for the contract dictated that he’d need a smaller, local firm as opposed to a state-or nationwide one.
After seventy solid minutes of making calls, Marco removed his headset and looked at the names of the three firms he’d jotted on a notepad atop his desk. He used the intercom system to buzz his branch manager.
A few moments later, Roosevelt Hunter opened the office door and entered. Roosevelt, a tall, fit black man in his fifties, was Marco’s next in command. “What do you need, Marco?” Having been employed at the branch since it opened, Roosevelt had finally started calling Marco by his first name, as he’d requested from day one.
Marco tore the top sheet from his notepad, and handed it to the branch manager. “Roosevelt, could you contact these three security firms and solicit proposals from them?”
Taking the offered paper, Roosevelt nodded. “I’m on it. What day do you want them to come in?”
Marco scratched his chin. “If anyone can have their proposal drawn up and ready to present tomorrow after lunch, let them know they’ll have a leg up.”
One of Roosevelt’s brows rose. “You mean you want to sit through security proposals on a Friday afternoon?”
Marco chuckled. “Not really, but I’m on a tight deadline here, so I don’t have much of a choice.”
Roosevelt gave him a mock salute. “Whatever you say, boss. I’ll get right on it.” He turned and left the office, closing the door behind him.
Marco glanced at his gold wristwatch. It was a quarter till one, but he’d become accustomed to taking his lunch later than most. He didn’t have any desire to go out, so he grabbed his smartphone and placed a call to have his food delivered. After he hung up, he eased his chair closer to the desk, and started on the stack of paperwork on the desk awaiting his signature.
After all, the forms weren’t going to sign themselves.
Friday morning, Joi’s efforts in reaching out to her business contacts paid off in the form of a phone call to the office. She smiled through the entire call, and by the time she hung up with the man on the other end, she was pretty sure she’d found the perfect opportunity to get Citadel operating in the black again.
She called out for Karen,