"I wouldn't have the guts to wear something like that," said Jane Martin. "Especially to work. I don't know how you get away with it, Sue. Miss Wilmar looks like she'd going to have kittens sometimes when you walk in wearing these wild outfits."

Sue laughed. "I follow the dress code. Miss Wilmar learned that the first week I was here. She called me into Kurt Johnson's office and tried to have me fired for indecency, if you can believe that. But I read the dress code out loud and to her face right there in front of Kurt, and he said, 'She's right, Miss Wilmar. She's within the code guidelines. You may return to your jobs, ladies.' And that was that."

Nancy and Jane looked flabbergasted.

"Girl scout's honor," Sue said, crossing her heart. "In fact, I think Kurt actually approves of my clothing."

"Don't try to tell us he's interested in you," Nancy said. "Not Kurt Johnson."

"Kurt Johnson is a professional," Jane said. "He lives for this library. I don't think he ever thinks about anything else. I've been working here over ten years, and I've never seen him pay the least bit of attention to any female employees. He's completely asexual, as far as I'm concerned, handsome though he is."

Nancy shook her head. "I second that! Our revered director is all work and no play. Budget and staff meetings, or meetings of the library board are his whole life." She glanced at her watch. "Break's over, girls."

On the way back to her desk, Sue saw Kurt Johnson arrive with his brief case and head straight for his office. The only person he greeted was Miss Wilmar, whom he nodded to as he strode past her. Miss Wilmar looked for a moment as if she were going to salute him, then immediately went to her desk to collect her papers for their Monday morning meeting. A minute later, Miss Wilmar, accompanied by her two senior staff members, entered the director's office and sealed shut the door behind them. The meeting would last an hour, as it always did.