test. Was that your
idea?"
"No, but it worked in Atlanta. You'll meet the guy who thought it up in a
week or two. He's busy converting, and I'm going to call him out here to help
with fixing up our new digs."
"Converting, huh?" He shook his head. "Shoulda known. Let you run off to
Atlanta and you meet some young cutie and..."
Sighing again, Mandi said flatly, "He's fifty-three, Jackie."
Shrugging, Jackie continued, "Okay, then, some old cutie. How many is this
one? Six?"
"Only five. Don't try to make me sound easy, you putz." She sipped her drink
and said, "Anyway, if he doesn't develop flight, I'll fly him out here and we'll
get things started."
Indicating the 'in' basket on his desk, she asked, "Any messages for me in
that pile?"
"Oh, all of 'em. Of course. Nobody ever calls for me."
"You poor thing. But if I recall correctly, they aren't supposed to call for
you."
"Still... It'd be nice, just once in a while, y'know?"
Parking her butt on the edge of the desk, Mandi began pawing through the
pile of pink 'While You Were Out' slips and said, "Pooor Baaaby. Being my
secretary isn't enough for you anymore, huh? Don't I pay you enough?"
The phone rang and he answered it, then held it out to her as he said, "John
again. I'll see you later, Mandi. It's closing time and I'm shooting league
tonight."
Nodding, she said, "Thanks, Jackie. Have a good night."
Grabbing his coat as he headed for the door, he grinningly said, "Always
do."
Perching the phone on her shoulder as she riffled through the messages,
Mandi said, "Hi, John."
"Hi, Mandi. Alan's in charge of the Mandi contests now. You'll be hearing
from him soon."
"Already have, John. Thanks."
"You talked to Cade?"
"I did, and he's in Andrea's hands until the conversion is finished."
"That woman can handle him, Mandi. Cade's a sucker for eyes like hers."
"I saw how you looked at her, John." She snickered and added, "Sucker."
Laughing, John said, "Yeah, all right, she got me, too. Any hitches or
glitches?"
"A few, but I think they'll work out. Unless you need him for something, I'm
going to bring him out here to work on the base in a couple of weeks."
"You know us. We don't always know if we'll need somebody 'till we need him.
Or her. Thanks again. Oh, and I covered your butt about those melted video
tapes. The report now says a machine malfunctioned and overhea