THE HOUSE OF CHEN chapter 17

A Spy
courtesy photobucket.com

 

As Cheri left the office she did as she said, and took nothing with her except her memories.  

The payroll department head said they would send her final pay to her home.   

Several of the girls in her department threatened to quit but Cheri told them to forget it and continue to do their job as outlined by the new boss.

At lunch the next day she met with Morley the head of a large industry that was trying to get some of the government’s business.  

 

He went into detail of what he had in mind after Cheri assured him that she would not divulge any thing that was said between them and would keep it to herself.

He added, “It includes boyfriends, for here in Washington they will go to great lengths for a tidbit of inside information.  He added other companies will spend millions in order to get the advantage over their competitors.  

The only way to make and keep friends that won’t be tempted by the big dollars is not to give them any information.  Beware when they start to pump you for knowledge of what you are doing and going to do.  

After you tell them to stop - - if they continue to do so you can be sure someone has got to them and offered them money for information.  These people are so skilled they can learn a lot from misinformation.

Cheri had been trained to keep vital information to herself, but following the afternoon with Morley she had a greater appreciation for secrecy.  

He said. “I have the contracts ready to sign for your employment if you are interested in the job.”

Cheri said, “I’m definitely interested but would like to take the contracts home and think this important decision through, and then I will be in your office by nine in the morning if this is agreeable to you.”

He said, “It is, if you promise no one will see the offers we are making to you.”  

She said, “No one will for I will isolate myself until I see you tomorrow.”  

He said, “Great, I believe I can trust you to keep your word for you will be entrusted with more important issues after tomorrow.”

 
Lee had been trying to contact Cheri to find out how she made out but she decided not to talk to him so she left him a message she would be too busy to see him tonight.  

 

He came over anyway and began to bombard her with questions.  

She finally asked him to leave because she didn’t have time for him tonight.  

 

This seemed to upset him for he thought their relationship had progressed to the point where they could share almost anything.

She point blank asked him if he had been contacted by someone who had offered him some money to find out if she was offered a job or not.

He lied and said no one had talked to him.  

 

She said, “I’m disappointed in you for I can tell when you are not telling me the truth and I want you to leave and not call me anymore for it is plain I can’t trust you.”

He said, “Hey I’m sorry, you are right but I was offered a lot of money to find out some things that seemed harmless to me.”

She said, “Goodbye I have work to do.”  

As he left he said, “Can you at least tell me, if you are going to take the job?”

She pushed him out the door, and shut it without answering him.

It then became clear what Morley was talking about.  If she had shared things at this level he would have tried to get important information as the days went on.

It was easy to see how he was taken in by the offer of big money and him saying it had nothing to do with corporate secrets simply didn’t ring true to her.  Her decision was made.  She would take the job.

She spent the next few hours examining the contracts and deciding what she wanted to be changed.  If her changes could be accepted then she would accept the job.

As she lay down for the night she thought, “Corporate espionage was going be as hard to defend against as Government secrets.”     

 

To be Continued