Page 60 of Stolen Ones

‘Really? You must have left school exceptionally early.’

Kim was pleased to be facing the other way to hide the smile that tugged at her lips. The man was a charmer, and she could understand why. Those words out of the mouth of another man might have come off smarmy, but not Bryant. He delivered the words matter-of-factly without the schmooze, which added an authenticity to his words.

‘Oh, thank you. Yes, I was quite young when I started here. It was nothing like it is today. Billy Butler, Jenson’s dad, started the business with a digger, a loader and a couple of guys. He grew the business to a team of eight, but it was Mr Butler Junior who took the business forward to where it is now.’

‘And where is that?’ Kim asked, turning.

‘We employ over three hundred staff and work in every county in the UK. We’ve built some high-profile buildings all around the country and—’

‘Thanks for the PR speech, Barbara,’ Jenson Butler said, appearing behind her. ‘But I don’t think the officers are interested in our portfolio.’

‘Sorry, Mr Butler. I was just—’

‘Would you like to follow me?’ he asked, pointing to a door to the right of the desk.

Kim couldn’t help noticing the use of the formal salutation from Barbara when addressing her boss. The woman had been with them for almost thirty years. Was she not almost part of the family?

‘Yeah, I remember when you didn’t have to feel guilty for printing off a piece of paper,’ Barbara mumbled as Kim passed.

Kim knew that many companies were going paperless in their efforts to be green and environmental. Others were doing it just because it was being forced on them by accreditation bodies. No policy, no membership.

And this company clearly wanted membership at the cool table, Kim thought as she entered what she assumed was the meeting room. The table was the biggest single sheet of glass she’d ever seen. At the centre was a switchboard-type phone, and a pull-down projector hung from the ceiling. There was no piece of paper in sight. It looked good until she factored in the level of engineering needed to produce that table and the transport to get it here. Clearly some of the policies were for show and certification.

‘You rushed off earlier, Mr Butler,’ Kim noted as she took a seat. ‘I trust the emergency is now resolved.’

‘What emerg—Oh, yes, of course. My apologies.’

Kim was sure that no emergency had required him to leave site. He just hadn’t wanted to hang around.

‘Although, I’m glad of the opportunity to pay you a visit. Barbara was just giving us a little history of the business.’

A flash of annoyance flitted across his face.

‘It was all complimentary,’ Kim assured him. She didn’t want to get the woman into trouble. ‘She was only commenting on how you had grown the business from what your father built.’

‘Aah, yes. Much of the time Barbara wishes for those old days back when she called my father by his first name, and they would have quick coffee chats together throughout the day. We require a different level of professionalism these days,’ he said stiffly.

‘I’m surprised she’s still around,’ Kim observed.

‘She’s a caveat,’ he said regretfully.

‘A what?’

‘A caveat in the contract my father drew up before allowing me to take over the business.’

‘Oh, so you inherited her?’ Kim asked.

‘For as long as she wants to work or her death, whichever comes soonest.’

Had there been any trace of humour in his words she might have found that funny, but his tone only demonstrated his annoyance in not having any control.

Good job, Butler Senior, Kim thought.

‘So, those bones at—’

‘Before we begin,’ he said, holding up his hand, ‘do I need my lawyer here?’

‘For what?’