Clara had noticed the tension between Martin and Fiona the moment the meeting ended.
She had been watching them closely all day the way Martin's eyes kept drifting to Fiona's desk, the way Fiona avoided looking at him, the charged silence in the elevator earlier. Clara's sharp instincts picked up on every little detail. The slight stiffness in Martin's posture when Katherine was near. The guarded look in Fiona's eyes. The way the air seemed thicker whenever the two of them were in the same room.
During the mid-afternoon break, when most of the team headed to the cafeteria or the break room, Clara saw her opportunity.
She waited until Katherine was alone near the large windows overlooking the bay, then approached with a casual smile.
"Katherine, do you have a quick second?"
Katherine turned, her perfect smile still in place.
"Of course, Clara. What is it?"
Clara leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
