Catherine took the elevator up to the Design Department and walked down the long, bright hall. Yukki trailed behind her like a shadow, and Catherine felt herself growing impatient with the eager assistant. Outside the Design Department, a short, balding man waited for her. He wore an impeccable three-piece suit, tortoise-shell glasses, and Italian loafers. An old fashioned pocket watch hung from his vest.
"Hello, Mrs. Blair," he greeted her. "I'm Jackson Atwood—the temporary manager of the Design Department."
"Nice to meet you," she said. "Your name sounds familiar—did you work with my father?"
"I did," he said.
"I'm happy to hear that," she said. "In the last few years, the designs here have been suffering. I want to restore this department to the way it was back in my father's day."
Jackson looked up at her through his glasses. "That's rather ambitious," he said coolly. "Do you know much about design?"
