The man on the other end of the line had been waiting. Nial had worked with Silas long enough to know his boss's patterns like clockwork.
When Silas disappeared for a short break, it wasn't truly a break, it was merely the quiet before another storm. So when his phone lit up with the incoming call, a wave of mixed relief and dread washed over him.
Relief, because his boss was finally back, meaning the endless limbo of uncertainty in the office would end. Dread, because Silas Blackwood in a bad mood was like standing at the edge of a cliff in a storm, you never knew when the ground beneath your feet might give way.
The moment Nial answered, a cold, clipped voice sliced through the line. "Nial, find out where Alana is right now. I want to have a talk with her."
No greetings. No small talk. Silas was never one for unnecessary words; his time was too valuable to waste on pleasantries.
