Heather didn’t know what to do with the unexpected praise. Mostly because she suspected that Agnes had ulterior motives. There was no way they had been summoned all this way just for Agnes to give her a pat on the back. “Is that the only reason we’re here? Because Simon said you brought up my ex-husband in your conversation yesterday.”
Agnes grimaced and cleared her throat. “I brought up your ex-husband because I’m worried that he might be difficult to control. I got a call from his lawyer yesterday.”
“What was the call about?” Heather’s stomach tightened in apprehension.
“His lawyer was trying to convince me to speak against you at your next court hearing.” Agnes started fidgeting in her chair. “He wants me to be a witness for your ex-husband. The lawyer practically begged me to speak against you in court.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me that over the phone?” Simon asked.
“Because I had to go over it with my lawyer first,” Agnes said. “So far, it doesn’t look like I have to legally testify, but I was so disturbed by it that I had to discuss things further with my own lawyer before speaking to you today.”
“Do you think Gary’s lawyer reached out to other people at Dover?” Simon asked.
“That’s what I was going to ask,” Heather said. “Should I be worried?”
Agnes sighed. “I haven’t heard anything like that, but it is a possibility. The staff at Dover still hasn’t quite come around to you, Heather.”
She sighed heavily, her entire body tightening with tension. After her affair with Simon made headlines in the local press, the staff at Dover started pulling away from her. They weren’t cruel or anything of the sort, but she had definitely felt their cold stares and seen them whispering to each other when she entered a room. If Gary’s lawyer reached out to some of the staff, there was a chance they might have already gotten witnesses to speak out against her.
“I can’t prevent people from talking to Gary or his lawyer,” she said.
Simon reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “There’s got to be something we can do.”
“There is,” Agnes said. “If Ms. Hall does her job as well as I think she will, that would do a lot to quell any remaining doubts. The staff has always been fair, and I think they’ll respond favorably to Heather’s professionalism.”
“What do you mean if?” Simon asked. “It’s obvious that Heather is a good employee.”
“I’m glad you know that, Simon, but why haven’t you spoken to the press yet?” Agnes fired back. “I seem to remember telling you how the board felt about your hostile relationship with the media.”
Simon scowled in response. “That isn’t Heather’s fault—”
“Which means it’s your fault,” Agnes said, cutting him off sharply. “We gave Ms. Hall this new position because she has a lot of media savvy. Ms. Hall, why hasn’t he reached out to the media yet?”
Heather crossed her arms, hesitant to throw him under the bus. “Well, Simon has been...”
“Difficult? Hardheaded? Obstinate?” Agnes asked frostily. “Yes, I’m well aware. That’s why you were given the job. You seem to be the only person who can get to him, and I suggest you work whatever magic you have. The board is counting on both of you to repair the company’s image in the wake of Everett’s arrest. I know you don’t like the media, Simon, but we were badly damaged by the arrest. Everyone has to pull their weight, including you.”
“Are you done?” Simon muttered.
“I haven’t even started,” Agnes said. “As far as I can tell, this is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Simon, if you repair your image with the media you’ll be protecting Dover, and the goodwill might extend to the staff. The staff that Ms. Hall needs to keep quiet if she has any hope of defeating her ex-husband. I might have told her ex-husband to take a hike, but there’s enough resentment at Dover for me to worry that someone might speak out against Ms. Hall in a courtroom.”
Simon didn’t respond. Instead he crossed his arms to glare at Agnes.