"Shanna Swendson - Enchanted, Inc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Swendson Shanna)

where every penny went. Rod and Owen hadn't discussed money when talking to me
about the job, but if they were recruiting that heavily, there had to be some perks
involved. Even a few hundred extra a month would be nice. It would make the
difference between getting by and really living.

I didn't have to explain anything to my roommates to keep them from getting
suspicious. I just declared that evening that I was going to take a mental health day,
and they cheered, saying it was about time. Gemma even commented that I looked
tired and needed a break to keep from getting sick. That gave
me an excuse to go to bed early.

While Gemma and Marcia watched TV in the living room, I tried to compare the little
map on the back of Rod's business card to my stash of New York guidebooks.
You'd think a building as striking as the one I'd seen would be listed, but there was
no mention of it. The street it was on didn't appear on any maps I could find. I knew
there were all sorts of twisty little side streets in that part of town, mostly from
having been lost on them, but I would have thought that all of them would be on the
map. That
just made this whole situation even more interesting.

I called in and left a hoarse message on the answering system the next morning
before the office opened, then stayed in bed while Gemma and Marcia got ready for
work. As soon as they were gone, I printed a few copies of my resume from
Marcia's home computer, put on my interview suit, and put my hair up before taking
it back down.
They wanted me for my girl-next-door values, so there was no point in giving them a
city girl.

This time, I let myself take the subway. I didn't want to have to carry extra shoes,
and I didn't want to arrive at the interview tired and sweaty. I got off at City Hall and
crossed the park, pausing to flip a penny in the fountain for good luck. Then,
following Rod's instructions, I crossed Park Row and headed down a narrow side
street that apparently did exist, even if it wasn't on any map. Again I saw what
looked like a medieval castle, with an entrance that looked more like it belonged on a
cathedral
than on an office building. But the shield on the wall next to the giant wooden doors
bore the same logo as Rod's business card, so I knew this must be the place.

There was a gargoyle perched on the portico that sheltered the door, and I could
have sworn I saw it wink at me as I gathered my nerves and stepped toward the
door. I reached to push the door open, but before I touched it, it swung open on its
own.

The interior was dim, most of the light coming through stained-glass windows set
high in the walls. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw a security guard seated at a raised
desk in the middle of the lobby. Instead of the polyester rent-a-cop uniforms you
usually saw on building security guards, he looked like he was wearing royal livery,
with the company logo embroidered on his sleeves at the wrists.

I stepped up to the desk and said, "I'm Kathleen Chandler. I have a ten o'clock