"I quit," I told Ellen when I arrived in her office at six o'clock the following evening.
She blinked at me, showing neither surprise nor concern. "Sit down, Cleo."
I sat. "Don't try to talk me out of it."
"I won't."
"Really?"
She poured me a glass of something from one of the bottles she kept on the sideboard behind her. Her assistant had gone home for the evening. I had left RK's building as soon as I could get away and gone straight to Ellen's office to hand in my notice.
"You sound surprised," she said, handing me the glass.
I sipped. Gin and tonic. "I was expecting some opposition," I admitted. "I thought you valued me."
She laughed and crossed her legs. "I do, Cleo. You're my favorite. But I've known for some time that you would go sooner or later. Your heart's not in it anym
