Little Miss and the Law Read Online Free Page A

axe when the axe came. It would probably come down to her and Linda, Stephanie mused. They were the newest on the team and they shared the fringe assignments between them. Yeah, one, or both of them could be for the cut if the paper didn't transition to the online space successfully.
     
    She forgot about Linda whilst she worked, but Linda had clearly not forgotten about her. She was lying wait when Stephanie finished, lurking about in the lobby. Clearly she had not forgotten their little altercation that morning, and clearly it had been eating at her for the last six hours. Stephanie was more than ready to go home and change into some clean clothes, but Linda blocked her path to the elevator with an unpleasant smirk.
     
    “So you made it an entire day without running home sick, congratulations.”
     
    “Thanks,” Stephanie replied, ignoring the snark. Linda was trying to pick a fight, but it would not work. This wasn't a playground, this was a place of business, and though Linda's hard-nosed tactics might have gotten her somewhere in her professional career, they didn't work very well in closer interpersonal relationships.
     
    “I thought you were just going to quit when you stopped showing up, you don't really have the temperament for this job Stephanie, you're too polite, too sensitive. You'd be better off writing for Lady's Home Journal about floral arrangements or something.
     
    Stephanie looked Linda squarely in the eye. “Perhaps, but if we all worked for our ideal publications, you'd have to found a new paper - 'Butt Faced Monthly'.”
     
    Behind the reception desk, the pretty blonde receptionist snorted with laughter. Linda turned bright red, almost red enough to match her hair color. “You're unprofessional, you know that? You're unprofessional!” She used the word 'unprofessional' as if it were some kind of magical talisman.
     
    “Goodnight Linda, I'm going home,” Stephanie replied. She walked to the elevator and hit the 'down' button, praying that it would be a quick ride. It was not to be. Clearly enraged, though doing her best to stay in control, Linda followed her. It was in her blood to do so, the woman just couldn't let anything go, even when she'd already lost.
     
    “This isn't over,” Linda hissed as the elevator doors slid open and they both stepped inside.
     
    “Really? What do you want to do next?” Stephanie replied boredly, secretly wishing that stabbing Linda with a pencil wouldn't result in an assault charge.
     
    “I'm going to see that Leonard knows just what an unprofessional waste of space you are,” Linda promised gleefully.
     
    Stephanie eyed Linda with disgust. And to think she had counted this woman as almost a friend. “How about you worry about your own work?” she suggested.
     
    The elevator slowed to a stop and Stephanie made a quick exit. To her surprise, Mackenzie's Mercedes was waiting for her in front of the building. She made a bee line for it, but Linda followed close behind, clearly wanting a glimpse of the occupant.
     
    “Oh look, it's your sugar daddy,” Linda sneered.
     
    “Linda, go away before I report you for harassment,” Stephanie replied icily, turning away from the car and towards Linda. This was all she didn't need, a sticky beaked, malevolent co-worker getting caught up in her affairs.
     
    “Who is it, huh? Who is the lucky guy?” Linda persisted.
     
    Stephanie heard the car door open behind her. “Hello Stephanie, is this a friend of yours?” Mackenzie's voice was like a soothing balm. That deep note to her voice, the slight twang of accent, the authority that was imbued throughout it, it was lovely. Instantly, Stephanie felt herself relaxing.
     
    “I'm Linda, I work with Stephanie,” Linda introduced herself as Mackenzie sauntered around the car, her hands casually in the pockets of her clean cut pant suit, another one that made her tall frame look utterly irresistible. “And you are?”
     
    Mackenzie's kissable lips quirked