Brooke clicks through the folders till she comes to the one she'd created for Barbara. She had done some research on that Calisco Group. All the normal things real estate holdings capital investments etcetera but, little to no information on the family themselves or Robert Broderick. There were the usual social things that appeared in the society section of the paper but nothing really juicey. The Broderick's had managed to keep themselves away from even the hint of scandal not even the usual ones that plagued most upper crust families. Bad marriages, out of wedlock children wild children. No it would seem they lived quietly among their social circle and quietly amassed a fortune making them one of the most powerful families in New England. She could really use aunt Phoebe's Daughters of Fine Linage information right now. She always knew the family long forgotten and buried deep secrets. Every family had them she just needed to figure out what it was and how Barbara fit into it. She thought staring at the screen her mind deep in thought.
"Hi! Miss English?" Dani calls from the other side of the partially open door. Brooke turns her head toward the door calling to Dani as she stands.
"Hi come in" Brooke says stopping in front of Danni and extending her hand. "Glad you could make it" She says shaking her hand then walking back to her chair.
"And on time too please, have a seat." Brooke says pointing to the chair in front of her desk.
"Thank you Ms. English." Dani says taking the seat offered hoping she didn't sound as nervous as she felt. Brooke smiles pleasantly hoping it would calm her obvious nervousness.
"If we're going to be working together you're going to have to start calling me Brooke." She says noticing Danni's shoulders relax.
"Thank you Ms...I mean Brooke" Brooke smiles back amused.
"First things first, " Brooke starts then pauses as Danni reaches into her purse and pulls out a small notebook and a pen then stares up at her expectantly making Brooke smile broader.
"First thing you need to learn to relax." She says almost laughing as Danni begins to write furiously on her pad. "We're very informal here. And second," She says as she stands and comes around the desk. "Every word that comes from my mouth isn't a precious gem." She says as she gently takes the notebook from her hand. Dani stares back at Brooke surprised and slightly embarrassed.
"Rule number one relax. There's a lot to learn and you not going to absorb any of it if you don't relax. Third I don't bite and neither does anyone else here accept Gurney who runs the presses." She says with a laugh. "Seriously you and I are going to be working very closely together for the next few months. I'm going to need all that honesty and straightforwardness I saw when I proctored your class and in the article you submitted. We're a family here. Okay?" Dani finally lets go the last of her nervousness her smile lacking it's earlier nervous twist which Brooke was happy to see.
"Okay." Dani says with a smile and a nods her head. Brooke looks up as the door opens and Francessca comes in.
"And some of us are just a little more family than others." She says walking toward Francessca. And giving her a quick hug and kiss.
"Hi honey!" She says then turns back to Dani.
"Danielle Manning, this is my daughter in-law and "Tempo" staff photographer Francessca Logan-Martin."
"Hi nice to meet you." Francessca says stopping in front of her and offering her hand. Dani takes it shaking it firmly.
"It's really nice to meet you! I really love your work! Especially the series you did to go along with that article on "Harbinger Falls". They were just beautiful."
"Thank you very much. I've enjoyed your work especially the article you did for the University paper about the illegal dumping." Dani jaw drops in surprise her eyes bright.
"Wow, I can't believe you read the University paper." Francessca smiles.
"See, you never know where opportunity will come knocking. Brooke can I borrow you for a moment I need to show you the contact sheet for the article you're working on."
"Sure, get set up and I be right with you. Dani, I'm sorry but it you could just give me one second." Dani smiles pushing the hair behind her ear and nods in agreement.
"Thanks this shouldn't take me too long. In the meantime there's a folder open on my laptop." She says signaling Dani to follow her then pulling her chair and patting the arm rest.
"Why don't you have a seat and put those wonderful research skills you have to work. I need you find me any and all and by that I mean anything and everything you can find on them." She say clicking open the Calisco Group folder glad she'd trusted her instincts and not included the photo of Barbara in it.
"I have all the surface information. What I want is all the stuff under the surface. I want you to dig to China if you have to understand?" Brooke says firmly then smiles watching her practically run behind the desk and started reading before pulling up a browser. Brooke smiles knowing she'd assigned the perfect person for the job. Dani and her desire to please her new boss would reap her a treasure trove of information.
"If you need anything I'll be over here. There pads and pencils in the bottom right draw." She calls over her shoulder confident in the fact she'd have something to work with and maybe figure out why Barbara was actually back in Pine Valley.
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