Jack’s head was down as he peered at a report of some kind in front of him. The tension in the room was as thick as February fog and nearly as visible. “Cake. Okay, guys. What’s up?”
Barry glanced out the window.
Coward.
Slowly, Jack raised his head, and his dark eyes settled on her. “Have a seat. Want some coffee?”
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Let’s get to it. You look like you could use something.”
“Something,” Jack mumbled.
Katia stared at the partners. She didn’t like the way they were avoiding her gaze, and Jack’s face almost wore pity. She felt her blood turn to ice. “You’re firing me.”
Jack folded his hands on his desk. “I think that’s a little drastic just yet.”
Barry squirmed in his chair. “I had suggested some staff cuts, but Jack disagreed. The problem is that for all intents and purposes, the company is most likely going down.”
Katia pressed her fingertips into her temples. “Wait a minute. Back up. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on? We’re supposed to be brainstorming. Maybe I can help.”
Barry swiped his face with his palm. “Right now, we’re bleeding money. If we cut your salary and lay off a few employees, Jack and I might be able to hang on.”
“A couple of the... You mean Tina?” Katia couldn’t believe this.
Apparently, whatever mess they were in, Barry’s solution was retreat. Well, she’d tried that strategy once in her life and look where it had gotten her. No. Retreat was out of the question. No wonder Jack had wanted her to stay sharp for this meeting. These guys needed a miracle.
Jack leaned forward. “I didn’t tell you last night, Katia, but on Friday, Tina handed in her notice. After the wedding, she and Allen are moving to Wisconsin. He got a job as assistant coach at the university.”
“But...she didn’t say a word to me.” Katia felt wounded and slightly betrayed that Tina hadn’t confided in her. Clearly, Tina saw their relationship differently than Katia. Tina was Jack’s employee and Katia’s assistant. They weren’t friends, as Katia had assumed. No, Tina had probably read the situation correctly. Katia should have known better than to assume her work relationships were anything more.
Katia’s mind kicked into warp speed. She may have been wrong to get so invested in her friendships with colleagues, but if she wanted to keep whatever career she had left, she needed to come up with a brilliant plan to save her job.
“Can I at least say my piece?”
Barry sliced the air with his arm. “I don’t see how—”
Jack cut him off. “Go ahead, Katia.” He shot Barry a quelling look. Barry frowned but told her to go on. Katia took a deep breath and decided to give it all she had. “Since the first day I walked into these offices, I knew I was in the right place and that I would help your company grow. I took pride in my work, and I still do. You both know my goal is to eventually become a partner here. I want equal say, equal pay and equal respect. I want to grow old with this company. You two may be the last honest guys in the insurance business, and I swear to you, I have no problem convincing clients of that. I also know I could sell our plans to the devil himself if I had to.” She stood up and put a hand on her slim hip. “So out with it. What’s going on?”
Jack exhaled and leaned back in his chair. He twirled a ballpoint pen in his fingers. “All right, truth time. You’re aware that we’ve been pushing for new clients. That’s why we sent you up to Michigan and Indiana. You brought us three good companies, but it’s not enough.” Jack paused and glanced at Barry, who gave him a slight nod. “Katia, our expenses are eating us up. Both Barry and I have taken a pay cut. But the corporate taxes doubled this year. We got notice two months ago that our rent has increased by more than half. Sure, we could move—”
“But rents are skyrocketing in Chicago,” Barry cut in. “Add to that the mounting cost of benefits and the 401(k) program. It’s not what it was when you first signed on.”
“That’s why Barry came up with the idea to become a web-based business. Our site is really shaping up—I think Barry’s done a great job.”
Katia smiled at Barry. “It’s a good move. It shows we’re on top of the times, and it gives us access to people in other states without having to travel. But it’s not enough, is it?”
“No,” Jack replied.
Katia tried to concentrate. Coming up with a good idea felt like chopping through a jungle with only a butter knife. Then she had it. She pictured a billboard she’d driven by on one of her trips to Indiana. Stillinoyed? it had read.
The billboard was a direct slam against the political system that was strangling Illinois businessmen like Jack and Barry. Katia had read articles about the steady stream of Chicago-area businesses that were relocating to Indiana. The state was trying to entice companies with lower corporate and property taxes, less regulation and more affordable goods and services.
“How far would you be willing to move?” she asked the partners.
Jack stared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“You just said you’d move across town to lower your rent. How about moving a little farther? Say, out of state, to Indiana. I was thinking about Indian Lake, to be specific. It’s only an hour away. Great access to the city on the tollway or the interstate. South Shore runs through there. I will bet the rents are a third of what you’re paying. We’d have to let the staff here go, but I could hire locals for the office. Barry can stay here and run the online business so he doesn’t have to move Ava and the baby. For now anyway. It’ll be bare bones, Jack. You and me. We’ll run the office and build our clientele from there.”
“Pshht.” Barry waved off Katia’s idea before she had a chance to finish talking. “It’ll never work.”
“Why not?” Katia demanded.
Barry raised his eyebrows in contempt. “New clients? From Indian Lake? You’re out of your mind.”
Think, Katia. Think.
“Jack just told you my three clients from Michigan are good ones.”
“Not enough,” Barry countered. “We have the entire city of Chicago at our fingertips and we’re not getting anywhere.”
“That’s because the companies here want to be with the big brokers. If they’re not dealing with Lloyds of London, they’re not happy. But if we move out of our box just a bit and concentrate on smaller communities, people and business in middle America, I think they’ll want us. They’re dying for someone they can trust. That’s what they’re missing. They need us!” Katia felt adrenaline spiral through her body. At this point in her pitch, she was convinced she could have sold freezers to Alaskans.
“It’s too drastic,” Barry grumbled.
Jack peered at Katia. “We need drastic. And I like this. Keep talking, Katia.” He folded his arms over his chest.
He was challenging her. If she could
