I knew that look.
Someone was about to regret something.
Roy laughed awkwardly.
“Oh? Well, don’t let me interrupt.”
Mr. Whitaker smiled.
“No interruption at all.”
The room became even quieter.
He looked around at the guests.
“Most of you know Marlene as a colleague.”
Then he glanced at me.
“I knew her as the reason this company survived some of its hardest years.”
Several executives nodded immediately.
Roy’s smile faded slightly.
Mr. Whitaker continued.
“During the recession fifteen years ago, when we were losing clients and departments were closing,
