Mr. Everett used to think the office ran smoothly because of the boss. Mr. Kellan, in his sharp suits and booming voice, always appeared to be the engine of the business. From his quiet spot in the back office, surrounded by ledgers and financial reports, he believed it. Numbers didn’t care about image, and neither did he. A button-down shirt and a pair of slacks were good enough for his work.

Then one morning Claire, the secretary, called in sick. Mr. Kellan swept into the back office and pointed straight at Mr. Everett.

“You’ll be Claire until she returns,” he said. “Call yourself Claire so no one knows anything has changed. It’s for the sake of efficiency.”