Chapter 9

George tendered his resignation on Wednesday. Nick was not that surprised. He accepted it quietly and George went equally quietly. He did not want to stay on but was happy to accept pay for his period of notice and of course his redundancy pay. Nick, despite Melanie's suggestion of interviewing a replacement the following Monday, decided to keep the vacancy open. He had sufficient project managers for the time being and wanted to stretch them. He had David and Harry bid for George's team.

Of the others who decided for voluntary redundancy there were only two that caused any concern. It became clear that everyone else thought that Nick was going to prove good and were prepared to stay. At the meeting on the following Monday it was decided that the two were not worth 'bribing'. Inevitably there were a number of lesser mortals who decided to try and stay. With George gone there was little argument among the project managers about who should go. Melanie took over.

"Don't worry," she said. "They'll go within the law and be compensated. As for finding them alternative employment we can't even offer them a cleaner's job here and they're so dull that they'd never contemplate moving away from Liverpool."

When Nick raised an eyebrow she grinned.

"Oh, I know," she said. "I'm not being PC but I'm right so stuff 'em."

Nick continued to visit the movers and shakers. His visit to the City Chamber of Commerce and Industry was probably the most productive. He and the Chief Executive got on well which was valuable in itself but he also learned of various projects such as two new supermarkets, a bypass, and the dualling of a stretch of main road. He also learned of two major industrial sites that were looking to renew their maintenance contracts.

He thought about it. Jerry and Harry had enough on their plates for the moment. David Steel should just about be able to handle the bypass and the dual-carriageway and Nick wanted to stretch him. That left the supermarkets. One company, he knew, designed its own but he was not aware that the other did. Either way, he now needed two new project managers for them and for the maintenance projects.

He called Melanie in.

"Melanie, the only person that I could consider internally is Sally and that's based on get up and go apart from her being a very good engineer."

"But!"

"Yes, a big but. She's got to learn to behave before I can let her loose."

"So?"

"I'd better see those two that Elaine had up her sleeve."

"OK but what are you going to do about Sally?"

Nick told her what he had outlined to Norman.

"Ooph! That's a big risk."

"Yes but if she doesn't measure up she goes."

"Ouch! Do you really want to lose someone of her talent?"

"No, Melanie. I don't. I have a funny feeling that if she's handled right she'll come into her own."

"Nick," Melanie smiled at him. "You're the boss of this outfit and you can't waste time on people who don't match up."

"No, I can't but that girl is good, very good, and I don't want to see her wasted just because she's got some bee in her bonnet. If she's my technical assistant I can guide her and hopefully lead her into tempering her aggressiveness."

Melanie looked at her boss in a new light.

"OK, Nick," she said. "On you own head be it." The warmth of her smile though gave her away. All the same she was not going to let it go.

"She might turn her feminine wiles on you and," she added with a grin, "she's quite a pretty little thing."

"Feminine wiles will not work with me, Melanie," Nick answered flatly.

"Ouch!" thought Melanie. "This man's got a bit of a chip too." It surprised her. He seemed so balanced.

"Fine," was all she said.

She rang Elaine and arranged for the two candidates to be asked to attend for interview. As an afterthought she mentioned what Nick had planned for Sally.

"I don't know Nick," Elaine replied, "and I don't know this Sally but it seems to me to be highly commendable."

"Same here but then when I teased him about her being a pretty girl he snapped back that feminine wiles didn't work with him. It sat oddly with what I've seen of him."

"Hang on a moment. Aha! His wife left him after three years and he went off into purdah in the States for a couple of years. It looks as though he was very, very hurt."

"Oh dear! Poor man!"

"Not our business, Melanie. All we're interested in is a good Area Manager and as things stand he's looking promising."

"Yes, of course. It's just that I like him and feel sorry for him."

"Understood but remember part of your job is to see that he treats his female staff fairly."

"I reckon he's treating Sally Gardner more then fairly."

"So do I so don't worry about him."

"No, Mrs Marchant."

There was a derisive snort from the other end of the line. "Goodbye, Melanie dear."

"Goodbye, Elaine."

The two candidates for project manager were Helen Forsyth and Cliff Andrews. Both were thirty-three. Helen was from the Manchester office and Cliff from Southampton. She was a tall, big boned girl, handsome rather than beautiful or pretty. She also looked fit. It turned out she was a cross-country runner at county level. She was also well qualified and had been site manager for a major motorway widening project as well as several smaller projects. Cliff stood six foot four and was built like a tank. He was a keen rugby player. His big project to date had been a new roll-on roll-off ferry berth where he had been site manager. Both had a series of glowing appraisals over the years and both had been recommended for promotion for the last two. Neither was married or even contemplating it. Nick and Melanie were impressed with both of them. It was agreed that they would start at Liverpool in a month's time. Melanie offered to help them find accommodation which both accepted with gratitude.

Sgt Crawshaw reappeared. "I thought I should give you advanced warning, sir," he said. "We have evidence that, in addition to the two people I cautioned earlier, Mr Reid and Mr Honey were also involved in fraudulent deals with sub-contractors. All four will be appearing in court next week and will no doubt be remanded to the Crown Court. There will inevitably be some publicity. The other thing is, sir, that I'd be grateful if you would make a statement. If they plead not guilty you will be required to give evidence. On the other hand the evidence is so overwhelming that if their solicitor is any good he will advise them to plead guilty so as to get a more lenient sentence."

Nick gave a brief statement as to why he had called in the police. Sgt Crawshaw did not consider that Norman needed to make one too. His evidence had been circumstantial.

Nick reported the matter to the CEO who thanked him but offered no further comment. All four did plead guilty. Mervyn Reid and Arthur Honey were sent to prison for two years. The other two pleaded in mitigation that they had been under duress and only received eighteen month sentences. The publicity was short-lived and Nick was able to turn it to Marshall's advantage.

Heatherbrow finished on time and to cost. Nick called Sally in to congratulate her. She was actually rather shy and self-effacing but nevertheless was clearly thrilled at the special treatment and praise.

That did not last long. Back in the office instead of on site she picked up on the gossip and heard of the appointment of Helen and Cliff. She demanded an interview with Nick. Jerry tried to put her off but she was adamant. He apologetically told Nick.

"OK," said Nick cheerfully. "I'll tell her the truth."

When Megan ushered her in it was clear her hackles were up.

"Good afternoon, Mr Braithwaite," she said briskly. "I want to know why I wasn't considered for the new project manager jobs."

"Good afternoon, Sally," replied Nick quietly walking over to the corner chairs. "Come and sit down."