Chapter 15: Spice Racked

About a week later I needed to check the final arrangements for the All Spice collection with Harry. When I called him, Sarah answered. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised but I hadn't realised that she would be out of orientation that quickly. She set up the meeting efficiently. I could see that Harry hadn't only been interested in her for her physical attributes.

When I got to Harry's office, I saw Sarah for the first time since she'd been cowering at Harry's feet after being released from an extreme bondage session. She had evidently come through her orientation without her cheery approach being affected. She looked up from filing her nails as I walked in. "Good morning Mr Ross," she said with a smile as I walked in "He won't keep you a moment, please take a seat."

I did so. Sarah went back to her manicure. Harry obviously favoured a traditional look around the office. Sarah was still wearing her wavy red hair loose. She had on a white high necked blouse but I could see the line of her slave collar beneath it. Harry obviously had her wearing a padded bra, she'd certainly filled out since I'd last seen her and there hadn't been time for surgery — I guessed Harry had that planned in her future. I still really didn't understand what they did in Orientation but Sarah certainly seemed to have been trained quite quickly and she seemed as willing to please now as she had been when I'd seen her at interview.

"Can I get you a coffee or something Mr Ross?" she asked brightly.

"No, I'm fine," I said. "How are you settling in?"

"Oh, OK," she said. "I mean I know I was a bit silly at the interview and everything. Well, how stupid can someone be? Going off and buying the things their kidnapper needs to kidnap them!"

"Harry's very plausible," I said sympathetically.

"I know. I felt bad about it at first but then I got to see some of the snatch reports from the teams and there are plenty of brighter people than me get trapped in fairly silly ways. Lawyers, doctors, all sorts. And I mean actually it's quite a good job. I know he just wanted to pick someone up and I can't say I enjoyed the kidnapping bit and all the training and the rest but actually the job is all right. And Harry really needs someone to help him keep the office in order — there's so much to do around here. Do you think I'm doing all right?"

"I'm sure you're doing fine," I said. "Harry would soon let you know if you weren't."

"Well, I like to do a good job, even if he did grab me like some piece of meat."

A buzzer went off on Sarah's desk and she got to her feet. As she came around the end of the desk I saw that at least Harry hadn't changed her taste in skirts — if anything the navy blue skirt she was wearing was shorter and tighter than the one I had seen barely covering her backside as she struggled in the back of the van — and the heels she was wearing were higher than you'd usually expect in any normal office. She turned to open Harry's office door, giving me a glimpse of stocking through the short slit at the back of her skirt. The day was getting better by the minute.

Harry got up from behind his desk and waved me in. "Thank you, Sarah," he said. "Come on in Larry." The day carried on getting better, Tricia was in his office too. She gave me a welcoming, "Hi".

Sarah showed me through the door. "Can I get anything?" she asked.

"Now," joked Harry, "the last time you asked Larry and me that, I seem to remember you ended up going shopping for ropes and tape."

"Yes," said Sarah, good humouredly, "and I never got my expenses paid either."

"Ah," said Harry, "where were the receipts? Can't pay out expenses without receipts. Ask any of the team."

"Oh, well," giggled Sarah, "It could have been worse. You might have wanted handcuffs, a ball gag and a hood from a fetish shop. I'd have probably got those too."

Harry smiled and waved her out. Turning back to me he said, "I asked Tricia to join us. You said you wanted to set these girls up in a recording studio? Tricia used to do a bit of studio work. She can drive a desk; give it all a bit of authenticity."

"Great," I said. "It'll be fun. Have you done much operational stuff since our little burglary outing?"

"Oh sure," she said, "Harry doesn't let you sit around once you've shown you can do it. This one looks a bit different though."

"Well, I guess so," I said. "Let me fill you in on the plan..."

I'd just about got to the end of it when Clegg put his head around the door. Tricia seemed to sense that Freddie wanted a private chat, got up and excused herself to go. Freddie didn't stop her.

"That your new secretary?" Freddie asked, nodding towards the door. "Very nice girl. Bubbly personality. And that hair colour looks real too."

"Yeah," said Harry. "She was a find."

Freddie barely paused. "Oh, by the way Harry, she'll have to go, you know."

"What?" said Harry. "She's only just started."

"Come on if you're in the meat products business you can't keep the prime cuts for yourself. With legs like that and that red hair you know we'll get a terrific price. And Brian's numbers don't look too good this month — he needs something to boost his margins and he's got some Balkan buyers in the auction in a couple of weeks, they just love redheads. She needs to go in the sale with the other one you picked up at the same time."

Harry tried to protest, saying that Sarah had only just finished her training and she'd not really been broken properly for re-sale. Freddie was adamant. "Sorry, Harry, if you want to recruit a PA you'd better find something that's not so saleable or get Brian to fix his revenue stream" he said. "Call her in and tell her. I'll do it if you're not happy with it."

Harry looked glum but gave in. "OK, Freddie, I'll do it to help out the numbers, but Brian needs to lift his game." He reached across and pressed the intercom buzzer. "Sarah, in here, please, now."

Sarah appeared at the door of the office and seemed to sense at once that all was not well. "Is there a problem," she said. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing you've done Sarah. However, you know how it is with slaves, we buy and sell them. I've been discussing your future with Mr Clegg here and we've agreed that the best option for you is to put you on sale at one of our next auctions."

"Oh, but, don't you need someone to go on doing the work I'm doing now? I mean I know I haven't fully got to grips with all of it yet but I thought I was doing everything you wanted."

"It's all right, Sarah, you've been doing fine," Harry was reassuring. "It's just that we've had a change of plans."