"Go ahead" the girl said, trying to outbluff Ann. Ann called the police and together with Pauline, indicated that they were prepared to block the shoplifter from leaving.
Ann picked up the phone line to me and asked me to describe exactly what happened. I told her what I had seen and reminded her that it was all on tape. Ann asked me what items she had hidden away and I described the da rk green bikini with orange edging and the yellow one with orange flowers.
Ann hung up and a few minutes later, as she saw the police approach she told the shoplifter. "Just so you know, I know you have a green bikini and a yellow one stuffed in your underwear, and we have it on tape!"
All color drained from the shoplifter's face. She was in a panic. "You've got to give me a break. I'll pay for them. It will ruin my life." The police were at the door. "I'll never get admitted to the bar. I am a lawyer. I just passed the bar exam, but I'll never get licensed. Please." By now tears were streaming down her face.
"What's the problem?" the police officer asked.
"We have a shoplifter here, I think." Ann answered
"You think?"
"Let me talk to this girl."
Ann took the shoplifter aside and asked. "How much trouble are you in if I report you?" The shoplifter saw a glimmer of hope and described how she had a similar problem once before when she was in college and was arrest ed and that there was no way that she could get licensed to practice law if this came up again. She said she was very sorry for stealing the items and wasn't there something she could do to resolve the matter.
Ann simply told her to wait there. Ann then went to the policeman and told him that she would try and resolve the matter amicably. She thanked him for coming over and the policeman left. For my part I was intrigued by what was going on and I wondered what Ann had in mind.
Ann was emphatic with her instructions: "Open your purse." Ann went through the shoplifters purse and copied down her name and address. Sharon Stein of Roslyn, New York.
"Well, Sharon, here's the deal. You are to come in to our executive offices in New York next Monday at 10:00 a.m. sharp! If you are not there, we will report this and we do have the video, remember."
"How long will I be there?"
"Assume you'll be there the rest of the week. It will be your job for the week."
"But I've got other commitments" Sharon protested.
"Well cancel them and be there." Ann virtually commanded. "Now give me those things you were going to steal, thief, and get out of here and don't dare not be on time on Monday." Sharon complied and left.
I asked Ann what she had in mind for Sharon, later that day as we watched the video I had shot of Sharon in the act. Ann asked me if I had any suggestions, but I preferred to leave things up to Ann. Wednesday
I arrived at my office shortly after nine on Wednesday-Ann's third day on the job. Ann was at her desk opening the morning mail. I looked to see how she was attired. She was wearing a navy print dress which, unlike previous day's attire, was not particularly clingy or formfitting. She greeted me pleasantly. I asked her into my office as I wanted to describe the apartment/staffing project I wanted her to undertake.
Ann was delighted with the assignment. She said that she was glad I was trusting her to give her another part of my life to run. She promised that she would make this another priority effort. I told Ann that I had a meeting that morning concerning a commercial real estate venture I was contemplating, that I would be out of the office from about 10:00 a.m. and that I would be back at 2:00 that afternoon. Ann told me that she had other receptionists scheduled to come in and that if anyone were promising she would have them back to see me.
I spent that morning with a potential investing partner looking over a series of storefront properties in Yonkers which were for sale. We talked to the storekeepers who were in the buildings to gauge their sense of the neighborhood, its prospects and the physical conditions of their stores. On our way back to the city, we stopped at an Italian restaurant on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx for an enjoyable lunch. Our conversation ranged over such subjects as politics, the financial straits in which New York found itself and the investing climate generally. Over lunch Richard told me that he too had practiced law but that he had started investing in deals with some of his clients and that he found that acting as a principal was much more satisfying than as an advisor. I had known Richard only casually before this day (we had both been partners along with five others in own ing and leasing some property in Brooklyn) and we seemed to be hitting it off well.
As we got up from lunch Richard asked if I would want to bring my wife and join him and his wife as their guests the next evening at the Opera. I told Richard I wasn't married but that I'd be delighted to join him that I would bring a date and that I would insist that dinner afterwards be on me. Richard said that he was sure that would be fine and that he looked forward to introducing me to his wife Ellen.
It was about 3:30 in the afternoon when I got back to the office.
Ann was at her desk and I noticed that a young woman was seated in the reception area. Ann introduced me to Allie and told me that Allie had met with Ann in the morning and that Ann thought I might want to meet with her and consider her for the receptionist position. Ann indicated that she wanted to speak to me in my office first.
"How long has she been waiting for me?" I asked Ann as we entered my office.
"She's been here since 2:00 because that's when I thought you were due back."
"Oh that's terrible" I said. "I feel badly that she's just had to sit around here and wait."
Ann would have nothing of it. "Bob, forget about it. We are here to accommodate you. You don't have to hurry on our account and if you keep us waiting, that's up to you."
"Anyhow" Ann added "We've had a chance to talk more and I really think we have a winner here. I am anxious for you to meet her. But there is one thing."
"What's that?"
"I told her the position paid $45,000 a year plus we will lend her $10,000 so she can rent and furnish an apartment here and buy other necessities."
"That's way more than double the going rate in salary alone."
"Just meet her. If you don't want to hire her, then all that's happened is that you've taken twenty minutes out of the day. Should I bring her in?"
"O.K."
Ann left to get Allie and moments later returned. I introduced myself to Allie, shook her hand and gestured that she should sit in one of the chairs across from my desk. Ann set down on the couch in the corner of my of fice. I asked Allie if Ann had explained the nature of my business, the fact we were planning on moving and hiring more staff. Allie said that Ann had told her about the job and its requirements. Ann interrupted and suggested that Allie tell me about herself.
As Allie started to comply, I looked at her more closely. Allie, it was plain to see, was beautiful. She had jet black and thick hair which she parted in the middle and which fell behind her shoulders. A few wisps played across her face. Allie seemed about 21 or 22 and was about 5'3" tall. She was trim, but not too thin. Allie's voice had the vague hint of an accent which I could not place. Allie was telling me that she had moved to New York from Houston where her family was now living; that she had hoped to enroll in Eastern's flight attendant school but that there was then a hiring freeze and that she had almost accepted an offer to be a sales trainee at Saks when one of the other people Ann had interviewed the day before told Allie about the opportunity here. Allie's friend was not interested in the job you see because she was married (that did not make immediate sense to me) but Allie continued to explain that she very much was interested in the job.
When Allie finished speaking, she looked over at Ann as if to silently make inquiry. I was puzzled.
Ann spoke and all she said was "Go ahead Allie."
With that statement and clearly following some prior instructions to which I was not privy, Allie stood and then stepped to the side of the chair on which she had been sitting. I noticed that she first unfastened the buttons at the ends of the sleeves on her blouse and then after pulling the hem of her blouse out from the waist of her skirt, starting from the bottom she carefully and slowly unbuttoned her blouse although once open she left it on. Reaching toward her hip, Allie unfastened the clasp to her skirt and, after stepping out of it, she folded it neatly over the back of the chair. Still with her open blouse I could see that Allie was wearing a white bra of a fabric with a sheen to it. Allie also had gunmetal grey stockings on supported by a garter belt of the same color and matching bikini panties. Allie then removed her blouse and I was taken in by the classical perfection of her figure. The garter belt only served to emphasize the narrowness of her waist. Her thighs above her stockings were ivory colored and looked incitingly smooth. Allie reached behind her back and released the clasp to her brassiere which she shrugged off and placed on the chair with her skirt and blouse. Allie's breasts were high and firm and topped by lovely little brown nipples no bigger than quarters.
I was transfixed by Allie's display and thought that I was tumbling to Ann's modus operandi. But I was not prepared for what happened next. Allie walked over to where Ann was sitting and took her by the hands and motioned for Ann to stand. Ann rose. Allie then, as slowly and as carefully as she had to herself, unbuttoned Ann's dress unfastened the belt and the clasp at the waist, and helped Ann step out of her dress. Barely pausing and facing Ann, Allie reached behind Ann and released the hooks which were closing Ann's bra and then eased it off her shoulders. Then, standing face to face, Allie gently pulled Ann to her and as they each had their hands resting lightly on the others shoulders with their breasts pressed lightly against each other's, Allie gave Ann a gentle, tongue twirling kiss. After holding each other like this for what must have been only 5 or 10 seconds, Allie stepped away from Ann but holding hands, side to side, turned to face me. I then saw a new aspect of Ann. Without her dress and bra, Ann only was wearing her shoes, beige stockings and a white garter belt. Ann wore no panties and as I looked at her I saw for the first time that Ann was shaved quite smooth.
Allie, who by contrast still wore her panties, left Ann standing and facing me and walked over to me where I was sitting behind my desk, my jaw slackened, eyes wide opened and obviously affected by what I had just seen. Allie took my hands and as she had with Ann, drew me to my feet. Holding my hands now at her sides she pressed against me, as I felt the top of her thigh insinuate itself between my legs and confront the evidence of the powerful effect her actions had generated, she turned her face up to mine, parted her lips slightly in plain invitation for me to kiss her. Our kiss was a mirror of that which she had just shared with Ann, who stood a few feet away watching us closely.
Our lips parted, Allie released my hands and she took a few steps back so that she was now equidistant from Ann and myself. Allie then dropped to her knees and with her gaze focussed alternatively at Ann and myself spoke:
"I could think of nothing I would like better than to have the opportunity to work here and please both of you."
Ann looked at me and I nodded. Ann then told Allie: "Be here at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning and we'll get you started."
Allie smiled, shyly it seemed. She then gathered her clothing, dressed quickly, and saying "thank you, I'll see you Monday" she left.
I sat back behind my desk and Ann said she'd be right back. She left my office proceeded to the office door and flipped the latch so that a visitor couldn't simply barge in. Ann returned to my office and sat down where Allie had been a few moments before. Facing me, Ann made no effort to cover herself in any way. Her legs were parted slightly so that her bare sex was visible, though not gynecologically spread. "What did you think of Allie?" Ann asked with a grin.
"How did you find her?" I said by way of non-response.
"One of the girls who was in yesterday after hearing about what the job entailed said that she had a friend who might be interested."
"Just what are you telling people about 'what the job entails'?" I asked as I was concerned that Ann might be saying things about me that I would not welcome in the public.
"Don't worry, Bob." Ann said. "All I told the people during the interview is that from time to time your work requires staying in the office late to meet deadlines and sometimes trips out of town to make deliveries of important papers and that if they had jealous boyfriends or husbands who would be uncomfortable about their wives or whomever working late hours with you, they might prefer a different job."