HIDDEN IN THE DARK

Immediately, she called her secretary, ” I need Jade in my office in 10 minutes ”.

She stood up then, closed the curtains in her office. She was thinking of sitting on her sit at the back of her desk but decided to sit on the sofa. She sat on the sofa and then her secretary called, ”Maam, Jade is entering your office in 10 seconds ”.

In 5 seconds, Jade entered the office with a file. ”Welcome, have a seat ”, she said smiling.

”Yes, you called me here this late, why ”, he asked.

”I need the financial details of the security maintenance ”, she said.

”Now? ”.

”Now. ”, she replied. It was obvious that he was shocked or maybe caught off guard.

”What? Surprised? ”, she asked.

”No- no ”, he smiled, ”Its just that Ive not recorded everything like the summary and all that ”

” By now, you ought to have the file records. This is a week now if Im not mistaken ”, she said angrily.

”Ive been busy ”, he said

”Busy with what? this is inefficiency ”, she said standing up and Jade immediately stood up.

”Im so sorry ”, he said.

”The file you
e holding ”, she said looking at it, ”Whats it? ”

”No, something private ”, he said stepping back.

He made a silly mistake, he boldly wrote , Financial records for security maintenance, 13th December, 2020.

”Are you sure it is not ready? ”, she asked again.

”I am ma ”, he replied.

”Okay, lets go round and then show me analysis of the security details ”, she said.

. ”This late? ”

”Yes, I want to know, tomorrow Ill be so busy ”, she said.

”Ma, I have to go and start working on the financial records and give to you as soon as possible ”, he said.

”Okay ” and he left.There was something fishy about his entrance, the way he was talking and if he already had the details why lie. Maybe he wants to make some adjustments and remove records of money he took or what? Well, she will find out but she shouldn stress herself, tomorrow will for sure be a good day. She was about to call Hawkins when Jade entered, ”Im sorry ma but theres a man who wants to see you ”

”This is the work of the secretary, where was she when you entered? ”, she asked. ”She is sleeping, so I decided not to wake her up ”, he replied.

”Tell the person Im not available ”, she said and waited for him to leave then she went to the secretarys office and she was sleeping face down on her desk. Catty stood stand fixed and shocked, should she bang the desk or slap her secretary or start yelling at her. Then she saw something on her desk- a glass of milk.This was strange, Miss Carlos never ate or drank anything apart water while working. Catty took the glass of milk and smelt it, it smelt something- something like a sedative. Catty was shocked, someone had drugged her secretary. When she heard footsteps, she went back to her office and sat down then she heard a knock, ”come in ” and Jade entered.

What again? ”, she asked.

”The man does not want to leave ”, he replied.

”Who is he? ”, she asked.

”Does not want to reveal his identity but he sure is an odd looking and tattered looking old man ”, he replied.

”Lock him up, when he is ready to go, release him ”, she said then he left.She smelt something in the air and then called Hawkins, ”I sent for Jade, he said he has not gotten the records for the financing of the security maintenance ready but I saw him holding it, he was trying to cover it, I don know why ”

”You have to be extremely cautious, limit his access to the system in the library so that he won leak some confidential things to the public and give him an extreme deadline for the submission of the reports ”, Hawkins replied.

”I already did and now a strange man is outside looking for me. According to reports, he looks tattered and unshaven ”, she said frowning.

”Don see him, he may be sent and if at all you want to see him, make sure he is checked and no camera or recording device should be found on him ”, Mr Hawkins said and they exchanged yes and hung up.

* * *

Mr. Hawkins dropped the phone, took his towel and was about entering the bathroom when he was called again- It was Catty.