Lorraine and Jeannie sat on the other side of the big mahogany desk in accountant Dennis Douglass’ office. He leaned back in his luxurious leather chair, springs squeaking under him. He smiled, his shaved-bald head resembling a chocolate Easter egg.

“So, Griffin’s briefed me on this project,” he said, his voice very low, reverberating effortlessly out of his lean chest. “I must say, I’m quite impressed.”

“Why must you say that?” Lorraine sat calmly, dispassionately, waiting for an answer.

Dennis smiled; teeth white, gums pink. “Because you’re quite impressive, of course. A lot of women in your position would be content to go shopping, taking day trips, going to the spa, playing with your children. You could raid Fifth Avenue every day for the rest of your life, I’d never even notice a difference in the ledger.” He chuckled, but Lorraine didn’t.

Jeannie said, “You don’t know Lorraine the way I do, Dennis. She’s a real warrior.”

“That much I do know,” Dennis said. “Nobody here at Phoenix Enterprises has any doubts about that, never mind the rest of the country. Pity they never made that movie of the week.”

“I didn’t want that,” Lorraine said. “This is what I want.”

Dennis and Jeannie shared a glance before Dennis answered, “And you’ll have it. It’s just a matter of logistics, really.”

“We were going to be looking at the company’s land holdings in any of the boroughs,” Lorraine said to remind them.

Jeannie nodded eagerly. “Right, exactly. You’ve got those files, don’t you, Den?”

“I do.” He turned to Lorraine. “You see, a company as big as Phoenix Enterprises tends to create off-shoots for various things. For your library thing, he had us put together F.O.P.L., Friends of the Public Library. It was a way to collect some donations and organize our expenses. It's really more for tax purposes than anything else.”

Lorraine waited as a silent moment wriggled between the three.

Jeannie said, “For our property holdings, it’s a similar structure; East Coast Holdings, Big Apple Holdings, in the west we’ve got different names for different companies.”

“Shell corporations,” Lorraine said, “shadow companies.”

Jeannie chuckled. “Really, all the big companies like ours do things this way.”

Dennis said to Lorraine, “It’s nothing you need to worry too much about, that’s why we’re here. Your concern is going to be staffing, publicity — ”

“Well that’s fine,” Lorraine said. “But, if I don’t have the property, I can’t staff it, I can't publicize it. There’ll be remodeling, permits — ”

“And we’ll help see to all those things,” Jeannie reassured her.

“Right,” Lorraine said. “So, let’s start with the properties. What have we got?” Jeannie and Dennis exchanged worried looks, prompting Lorraine to say, “Griffin did say this was job one, Jeannie.”

“And it is,” she said, nodding, “it absolutely is.” She turned to Dennis. “Well?”

Dennis sighed. “Much as I hate to disappoint, all our borough properties are rented out. We don’t have any empty properties in the state, not one.”

Lorraine didn’t have to think about it for long. “Is there anything we can get our hands on?”

Dennis shrugged. “That’s not my department.”

Jeannie said to Lorraine, “I’ll call our realtor, see what she can find. But, I gotta warn you, it won’t be cheap and that’s if we can find anything. This is New York, sweetie, not Colorado.”

Lorraine took in their condescending smiles, little chuckles leaking out of nodding faces. “Jeannie, my name is Lorraine.” Jeannie stopped chuckling as Lorraine turned to Dennis. “Are you quite sure there isn't a single available borough space in our company portfolio?”

Dennis glanced at Jeannie before answering, “I just went over the files.”

“Perhaps you were distracted by Ms. Gallagher here, the way you two keep looking at each other.” Lorraine stood up, Jeannie and Dennis following her example. “I think I’ll have a look at that portfolio myself, Dennis. I’d like a complete record of our assets and transactions over the last five years, as soon as possible.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You’re right,” Lorraine said, “make it the past seven years.”

“Lorraine,” Jeannie said, but had no more time to speak.

“Ten years,” Lorraine said, “and be prepared to stand behind it.”

Dennis twitched, an amazed half-smile on his dark face. “You’re auditing your own company?”

“Look at it any way you like,” Lorraine said, turning for the door. “Just get it done.”

Lorraine walked down the hall of that wing of the Phoenix Enterprises, back from accounting and toward the main offices. She felt good, strong, capable. Maybe I was too hard on them? she wondered. They say power corrupts, am I getting carried away with all this boss’s wife stuff?

No, this is important business, and they have to know I’m not just some flighty dumb bell playing house. And the way they were acting, I dunno, it wasn’t right. Something’s up.

Lorraine hoped to find Griffin and surprise him in his office, take him to lunch and discuss the company's real estate portfolio in greater detail.

But, first there was a surprise in store for her.

“Missus Phoenix?” Lorraine turned to see a familiar young man approaching her with his hand outstretched. “Ki Fong, we met the other day.”

“Yes, Ki,” Lorraine said, “nice to see you again.”

“The pleasure’s mine. I didn’t know you'd be in the office today.”

“I’ll be coming and going a bit more often now,” Lorraine said with a smile, as polite as she was in the mood to be.

“Very good, glad to hear it,” Ki said. “I wish you all the best with your new project. I know Mr. Phoenix wants you to work directly with Ms. Gallagher, but if there’s anything I can do — ”

“Actually, Ki,” Lorraine said, “there might be. You're in charge of the development of new projects, right?”

“As much as they’ll allow,” Ki said.

“How do you mean?”

Ki glanced around. “No, I shouldn’t say.”

“Really, it’s okay. I’ll keep it in confidence.” Ki looked around again and shook his head, but Lorraine said, “I’m the boss’s wife, Ki, are you really going to stand there and tell me no?” Lorraine didn't like how comfortable she was getting with her newfound power, but she knew she’d have to wield it and wield it well if she was going to survive in this new corporate world, despite her obvious advantages. Even being Griffin Phoenix’s wife wasn't going to protect her from everything every time, she knew that all too well.

Ki finally said, “Well, I’m sure you won’t have the same experiences I have, but … I’ve been pitching things to the board for a year now and I’m getting nowhere. Jeannie Gallagher keeps shooting me down.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is. And I know it’s her job to manage these new projects, that she has the final say in what goes into development, but … I dunno, maybe it’s just because I’m Chinese. There’s a real stigma about that these days.”

Lorraine gave that a little thought. “Not Griffin, he’s not like that.”

“Of course not,” Ki said, “he’s the one who hired me. He’s a great man, your husband. But I don’t suppose I need to tell you that.”

“No, I’ve got a pretty good idea,” Lorraine said.

“But, I’m not sure Jeannie Gallagher is representing him fairly … or honestly.” Lorraine turned her ear for a better bead on what Ki was trying to say, or trying not to say. He went on, “I don’t know for sure, I just don't trust her. And since you're working so closely with her, well, I’d just suggest that maybe you be cautious, that's all.” With that, Ki slipped away, eyes shifting around as if he was being watched.

That only left Lorraine with the same feeling. She walked quickly down the hall to find Griffin in his office, glad and relieved to be in his reassuring company once again.

Ten minutes later they were strolling down Fifth Avenue, passing the most expensive shops in the world, a lane of glistening glass and sparkling metal, old-world brick and brownstones resisting the march of the modern world.

None of that even registered to Lorraine’s worried mind, there were more pressing things than Faberge eggs and Armani suits draped over silver mannequins.

“What’s up?” Griffin asked, not needing to explain how he knew.

Lorraine smiled and looked around, the beautiful New York spring the perfect background for a less-than-perfect scenario. “That guy, Ki Fong, on the board of directors, in charge of project development — ”

“Yeah. Good man, Fong. Tries hard.”

“Is he a good man? Do you trust him?”

Griffin thought about it, brows cramping. “I have … until now. Why?”

“He came to me today, thinks Jeannie might not be on the up-and-up, as it were, like she’s cheating you or something.”

“Cheating him, you mean.”

“Yeah,” Lorraine had to admit, “there was some element of that, like he felt she was shutting him out.”

Griffin nodded. “But, that is her job, after all.”

“Yes, he said that, too.”

Griffin chuckled. “It’s the nature of the beast. Ki’s job is to pitch things, Jeannie’s job is to say no. If she can’t say no, she brings it to me. She’s like my firewall, and Ki’s like my crusader. It’s a balance between the two of them that makes Phoenix Enterprises work the way it does.” Something about that remark registered in the back of Lorraine’s brain, though she wasn't sure why and didn't have time to reason it out.

“And Jeannie,” Lorraine said, “and that accountant, they’re … they’re kosher?”

Griffin chuckled. “Not sure if Dennis Douglass would describe himself that way, but he’s saved me a ton of money on taxes. And he runs a tight ship, far as I know.”

“Far as you know,” Lorraine said. “But how long has it been since you’ve checked into it?”

Griffin’s chuckle melted away. “We have our quarterly meetings, but I suppose a fresh review of the facts wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Lorraine smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”