CHAPTER1
“Welcome to Edgewater Industries, Mr. Morales.”
Pedro looked up to see a giant man behind the security desk. They seemed to have their own army for physical security. “Thank you. Call me Pedro. And you are…” He let his voice trail away purposefully.
“I’m Knox Miller. I’m in charge of security. It’s nice to meet you, Pedro. Please call me Knox. Sharon asked me to watch for you this morning and smooth your way through the security processing for new employees.”
“The royal treatment. Sharon is an amazing resource for Edgewater Industries,” Pedro complimented.
“That she is,” Knox confirmed. A glint in his eye clued Pedro in that perhaps there was some backstory he was missing.
“If you’ll follow me to my office.” Knox led the way to the security office. He opened the door by pressing his hand against the lighted panel.
Knox waved him to a chair in front of a modest-sized desk. The office was designed simply with only a few decorative touches. Pedro was confident that Knox paid more attention to his responsibilities than to his elevated position. As the powerful man logged into his computer, Pedro leaned forward to study the only personal item on Knox’s desk—a photo of a smiling woman. It was a candid shot, not a professional one. Something inside of Pedro signaled to him that this woman was special. Could she be a Little? No, that’s not possible. Could there be more than one here?
Knox set the ID card next to his blotter. “I’ll need some information from you next. Driver’s license and any other form of identification, please.”
Intrigued to observe firsthand the procedures the company had set in place, Pedro unzipped the leather portfolio he carried and withdrew a passport and his driver’s license. He handed them to Knox, who compared his likeness to both pictures despite already having recognized him upon Pedro’s arrival from an unknown source. Knox scanned each into the computer on the desk before handing them back.
“Can I ask where Edgewater houses that information?” Pedro had already started his assessment of risks and weaknesses.
“Definitely. Each employee’s personal information is stored on a separate server, which is not connected to anything.”
“Just that computer?” Pedro followed up.
“There are two unlinked computers and a combined backup that is housed in an undisclosed location,” Knox clarified. The twinkle in his eye clued Pedro in that Knox was a professional who’d already implemented basic cybersecurity procedures. Pedro was going to enjoy working here.
“So, if I tried to snatch the computer and run with it?” Pedro asked.
“Try it,” Knox invited.
Pedro reached across the desk to lift the computer. It was securely bolted in place and the screen blacked out the moment he touched it. A thief could free it, but it would take time and wouldn’t be quiet. An expert could bypass the screen blocker, but again, the expense of time and hacker expertise would be a hurdle. He nodded his approval.
“Where’s the other computer?”
“In the main security office.”
“You set this process in place?” Pedro asked.
“Belinda Jenkins and I did. She’s the new head of technology, but a long-time Edgewater Industries employee. I look forward to working with you to fine tune anything we need to do better in security.”
“Thank you, Knox. I have a feeling we’ll have some long hours together.”
Knox acknowledged the suggestion with a nod of his head. “I’ll take a picture for your ID,” Knox explained, gesturing at the footprints on the floor in front of a camera. “Before you ask, it’s directly hooked to the computer as well, and the device itself doesn’t store pictures in its memory.”
Chuckling at the man’s perceptiveness, Pedro stood and assumed the position. He smiled, aiming for a professional, yet remote expression. Quickly, Knox completed the photo.
Knox walked over to a small printer and scooped up the ID card as it dropped into the tray. “Almost done. They’ll finish processing it as you complete your onboarding process. Ready to meet Sharon, who’ll walk you through HR?”
“I’m looking forward to seeing her in person. She impressed me during our conversations,” Pedro complimented.
“Let me walk you to her office.” Knox gestured to the door.
Pedro collected his portfolio from the chair and walked back into the hall. They walked the short distance to a door labeled Sharon Ross, Corporate Headhunter. Knox followed him inside and handed Pedro’s ID to the administrative assistant, who stood to greet them.
“Debbie, this is Pedro Morales. Pedro, looking forward to working with you,” Knox said, extending his hand.
“Thank you, Knox. I’ll be in touch,” Pedro answered as he placed his hand in Knox’s. There was no masculine aggression in Knox’s handshake. No trying to out-squeeze him like some men would. Knox was confident in his strength and didn’t need to prove it with silly games.