Chapter 6

“Yes, I have. My work was mostly hands-on, though I also analyzed promising tender bids. Our firm didn’t close any major deals. I’ve worked with technical documentation too, but I don’t have much experience.”

“Unfortunately, Maria, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you about the deals at your firm. I have information to the contrary. But right now, there’s another matter I’m interested in.”

“I’m listening.”

“At the moment, there’s a proposal on the table, and we have a supplier. This morning, the client sent over another equipment list for a new tender. I’ll need you to dig up information on that tender soon, and Elena will need help putting together the estimate. And yes, Berry, keep an eye on the competition.”

“Uh…”

“As it happens, this is your old project. Consider it a much larger version now.”

“But…”

“It looks like this project will be expensive, so we can’t afford to lose it. I believe this is a good time to remind you about the bonus?”

“Wait. Centrifugal pump units? But according to the timeline, this project’s already been running for four months!”

“Was running,” Gordeev corrected me. “Our department took it over from your firm a week ago, and now I’m trying to convince the client we’re worth doing business with.”

Wow, now that was news! I stared at Dimka, bewildered. It turned out our former director was even worse than we’d all thought. Instead of “selling” information to interested parties, he’d been acting as a middleman, pocketing not just chump change but serious profits. So that was what he’d been doing? Luckily, we knew the market inside out!

What a bastard! If only he’d paid the people a decent bonus from those deals even once! Some people really knew how to live!

My hand went up automatically. I wanted to strangle my former boss.

“May I see the equipment list?”

“Yes, of course.”

Gordeev handed me the printed pages, and I sat down on the little sofa. I began to read.

“It’s kind of cold in here, Dim,” Lenochka said in a whiny voice. “Maybe you could turn up the heat?”

“It’s fine in here, Lena. We can’t make it any warmer; sudden temperature changes are bad for the fish.”

“Oh, Diiimka!”

I stood up. After all, I could study the list at my desk, and I didn’t need to sit there listening to these lovebirds coo. Gordeev was quickly writing something on the paperwork.

“Dmitry Alexandrovich, is that everything? Or was there something else you wanted?” I asked politely as I walked to the door. I wanted to tell Yurka everything.

Gordeev kept writing without looking up.

“Yes, there is, Berry. Please make me some coffee. A double espresso with sugar. And bring it here.”

I swear, I’d already grabbed the doorknob before his words finally sank in.

“What?” I was stunned. What did he mean, espresso? I hadn’t misheard him, had I? “What did you… say?” I asked in astonishment.

Dimka raised his head and set his pen aside.

“I asked you to make me some coffee. What’s unclear?”

“But…”

The brunette sprang out of her armchair and moved closer to Gordeev. I stood frozen in the office doorway like a speechless owl as she turned to me and gave me a tight smile:

“Really, Maria, what’s the problem? Make me a cup too, sweetheart! Just don’t go overboard with the sugar—I can’t stand sweet things!”