Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, constrained by a sentence limit (high and low) of six, there are worse ways to spend the remaining time you have on earth.
Prompt word:
RING
“Well, no, I don’t think I’m between a rock and a hard place.”
Pacing the reception area of my agency, Desiderata Investigations & Conflict Resolution, my admin/receptionist, Hazel sat at her desk and pretended not to care. I stopped to re-stack the magazines on the small table between the two chairs for clients to sit and wait when either they arrived early for their appointment or I was late for their appointment; three People Magazines, one Sports Illustrated, a single Car & Driver and, honest-to-god, a Readers Digest; this last was the most worn and dog-eared which makes me think I need to consider my client base demographic, surely all their kids and grandkids can’t be perfect law-abiding citizens.
I continued to pace,
“So, tell me again Ian, about this Anya person; I wasn’t working here when you got involved with the heiress and the nun and her, was I?”
I sat in the left-hand client chair across from Hazel’s desk and though I couldn’t for the life of me remember how much I paid her, it was money well spent.
“No, it was my first real case and, well, of the principals, the Woman in Chicago is the one I didn’t have you put in your three-ring binder labeled: ‘Client Greeting Cards list.”
About clarkscottroger
I see that Anya was Ian’s first client. Hazel does seem to be able to loyally run the whole operation herself. As an employee, that does sound like money well spent.
actually, not quite a client, more a matter of a significant incidental character in his first case (but Anya appeared in a non-Ian Devereaux mystery prior to ‘the Case of the Missing Starr’)
If Ian doesn’t know how much Hazel is paid, then she must be signing her own cheques — in which case I reckon she’s well paid.
I suspect he doesn’t sweat the small stuff, a good working relationship (especially in a small business setting) cannot be bought or, at very least bribed
She’s worth it, and if you meant that “low-abiding citizens” bit, thanks, it gave me a good laugh.
yes…absolutely totally on purpose!!
lol ty M. glad you enjoyed it funny thing about writing, I worked on the that phrase, that part of the sentence that was to have been the punchline… and I read it a number of times (even magnified/zoomed in on the type which helps sometimes) but the discrepancy between what I wrote and what I types simply did not register. sure keeps a clever guy humble no?)
That was a long time ago – heiress and the nun and… Anya. Seems as if Hazel’s been around forever (she is a darned good “therapist”). On second thought, maybe Ian shouldn’t tell Hazel about Anya! No one ever wants to be on her radar, lol
Hazel is excellent. Very clever and that Anya, hmm. Well, at least we know a little more. Love the title ‘ Woman in Chicago’. Shame it’s snowing there.
I agree… Anya Clarieaux she’s someone else entirely!