“He’s worked for this company for twenty-two years.”

“He’s got a mop, Charlotte.”

I looked at the framed certificate on his wall, from some course he had taken back in 2011.

“You’re on the senior analyst track,” Derek said.

“Or you were.

The committee votes on Thursday, and I’ve already written my evaluation.” He drew out the word evaluation slowly, as if I might want to write it down.

“What did you put in it?”