INT. - CHARIOT PUBLISHING - MORNING

Gerri sat, one booted foot over her knee, pretending to read a magazine while her irritation at having to wait built within her. She'd arrived at Chariot Publishing's West coast office over a half hour ago. And while the smiling receptionist told her it would only be a few minutes, she'd been forced to cool her heels in the waiting room while person after freaking person jumped the queue ahead of her, escorted into the offices beyond the ...