Mistletoe’s Kiss

6. Chapter 6

6

Chapter 6

“The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.”

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

M addy stood completely still, shivering as goosebumps broke out all over her body. Sara rushed over and pulled her into a hug, rubbing a hand up and down her back in a comforting rhythm. “Holy shit Maddy! What the hell was that about? I saw him say something that upset you but I didn’t realise he’d put a hand on you until you pushed him off. I’m so sorry! I should have been quicker.” She bent down and started to retrieve the various items that had scattered when Maddy dropped her clutch.

Maddy took a deep breath and tried to steady herself but her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “He came on to me again, I should have known when he kept drinking that something like this would happen. It’s been building since the awards party and I’ve been doing my best to keep out of his way. I should have made a complaint but I was gearing up for the Mistletoe publication and just had so much on my mind. This time was different though, he was so scary, apparently, Cupid are thinking about letting me go but Dan convinced them to keep me on. He said that I owe him so should head upstairs and have sex with him in one of the bedrooms!”

Maddy had expected Sara to look shocked but instead, she just shook her head and sighed. “I wish I could say I’m surprised but I’m not, I’m really not. He’s an absolute bastard when it comes to the opposite sex. The younger women in the office know to stay clear of him at events when he’s had a few drinks, he gets handsy and downright nasty.”

“Is that why you usually stick so close to me and jump in when he tries to get me alone?” Maddy said quietly.

Sara looked away as if ashamed, “I’m sorry, I do my best and we try to look out for each other at work but sometimes it’s just not enough, like tonight.”

“But if this is a regular thing at work how is he still there, carrying on with his job? Surely someone’s said something to HR? I didn’t think it was this bad but just now he was so aggressive and frightening.’

“To be honest, when he’s sober and at the office, he turns on the charm, so much so that half the women he propositions laugh and brush it off or worry that no one would ever believe that happily married, affable Dan with all his “jolly old chap” charisma would ever behave inappropriately with a young office intern or a bestselling author” Sara said squeezing Maddy’s shoulder. “He’s also been around forever, gets on well with the other heads of divisions, sees them socially along with his wife. People like him, Maddy.”

Sara looked slightly embarrassed at this point, “…as I said we look out for each other, no one is alone with him behind closed doors and we run interference if he comes back from a work lunch boozed up. Wandering hands and dirty comments are usually the extent of it although I must say he was pretty extreme a few minutes ago. He seems to have a real hard-on for you, especially since he read the first draft of the new book. He’s wanted to be involved in it every step of the way, from the cover artwork approval and media coverage right down to the organisation of this party. I thought it was all about securing a rights deal but now I’m thinking it’s you he’s focused on. Mistletoe is definitely one of the kinkier books we’ve published and Dan really seems to appreciate it.”

Maddy couldn’t believe what she was hearing, she’d had her suspicions and worries about how Dan might be treating the woman at Cupid but hadn’t thought it could be quite this bad. “Well, that’s it! As soon as the office opens on Wednesday I’m going in to see Margaret in HR. It sounds as if she may have heard rumours about Dan anyway but it’s another thing to receive a harassment complaint from one of your bestselling authors. If they don’t take me seriously and do something then I guess once this publication campaign is over I’ll be contacting my lawyers and looking for a new publisher. I don’t want to, you guys are like family to me but I won’t be able to work with Dan again after this. What do you think Sara?”

“Eh, I think this is a conversation to have when we’ve both sobered up a little,” she winced. “Yes, Dan’s behaviour is reprehensible but do you want to throw away eight years of a working relationship with Cupid? Let’s just try and get through the rest of tonight and enjoy the next couple of days with our families. I promise as soon as Christmas is over we can meet to form a plan of attack. Let’s not do anything rash. I would hate to lose you to a competitor, I love your books and love publicising them but with the way Dan has everyone wrapped around his finger they may just shove you out the door and wish you on your merry way.’

“Hopefully, by now he’s crawled into an armchair somewhere and drunk himself into a stupor. Let’s grab a notebook and start in the kitchen, all that drama has made me hungry again and I could do with something to soak up those cocktails before we go sleuthing. I’ll be Sherlock and you can be my nerdy little Watson.”

“No way, If I’m going to be anyone it’s Ms Marple. She could solve a mystery and knit a jumper at the same time” Maddy replied following her out the door.