Page 37 of Sinner's Sacrifice
“Why would you tell your entire staff that I’m an FBI agent?”
“Maybe because you left it off your resume?”
Brian’s frown only got deeper.
“And he likes fucking with people,” Sam added with a chuckle.
“That was just an added bonus,” Yvgeny said with a wave of his hand.
Brian didn’t look any more enlightened. “How can you afford to offer free healthcare and scholarships for your employees’ family members?”
Yvgeny sighed and shrugged, as if saying a mental fuck it to himself. “You can check this on your own, but to cut down on time wasted snooping...What is the largest expense for any company with several hundred employees?”
“Salaries and benefits.”
“Indeed. That’s the textbook answer. There are a great many hidden costs to employees. Sick time, turnover, and if you have high turnover, hiring and onboarding. It turns out that if you have happy employees, employees who know they’re valued because you offer better benefits, they take less sick time. They also don’t quit and move on to something better because there is nothing better.”
“People work harder, they’re happier, and that happiness carries over into their customer service. Which means my customers are happier and are more likely to come back.”
“I’ve done several comparisons, looked at other companies like mine and I can tell you I’m making a better profit because of the extra benefits than those other companies who don’t offer the same.”
“Have fun confirming that,” Sam muttered as she looked at the menu. Why did Yvgeny hire this guy?
Carla came back with their coffee and to take their orders.
“I’ll have the deluxe omelet,” Sam said. “FBI will have the eggs Benedict Arnold.”
Carla grinned at her and left to put the order in.
Brian stared at Sam, then groaned and put his face in his hands. “I’m going to get fired.”
“Are you wearing a wire?” Sam asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Probably too scared that he’ll get searched, and we’d find it,” Yvgeny said, lifting his cup so he could inhale the steam rising from his beverage.
“You’re supposed to drink it, not breathe it in,” she said to him.
“I love the smell almost more than the taste.”
“Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”
A couple of people walked into the restaurant, heading right for their table. Sam recognized both of them. Yvgeny’s cousin Baz and the lady cop, Nika.
Carla came out and took Nika’s order. Baz didn’t want anything, and he looked at Yvgeny still sniffing his coffee askance.
Yvgeny introduced his assistant.
“You just get out of Quantico?” Nika asked.
Brian sighed. “Yes, and I’m going to have the shortest FBI career on record.”
Nika laughed. “I don’t know. I think there are a lot of opportunities for you to make this work for you.” She drew a circle in the air with one finger, encompassing everyone at the table.
Brian’s eyebrows went up, then down. “What do you mean?”