Good morning and Happy Monday. I hope you all made merry over the weekend. The week between Christmas and New years all ways feels a bit like a waiting breath. we’ve had our Christmas but aren’t quite ready to pack it away. Still we want everything tidy to ring in the new year. Its a bit like turning tables at a restaurant. You are waiting for one large party to end before you tidy and bring in the next. And you are never sure how long people are going to linger over drinks. But maybe that is just me. So while we are waiting to see if the holly can last another day, shall we start on the morning’s prompt? Excellent.
Not a bad way to start off on a Monday. No clue what was in the newspaper article, but now, I really want to find out. It will haunt me.
Monday, December 27th: We have exactly ten minutes.
We have exactly ten minutes,” I hissed at her. She nodded to show she understood. I opened my mouth to say more, but she turned and walked off in the opposite direction. I took a deep breath and turned away.
‘At least she is moving quickly,’ I thought to myself. I looked away and bent my attention to my own task. The ten minute limit applied to me as well. We had ten minutes to accomplish our goals or all was lost.
I looked at the cabinet. It was locked at the top. Once a single lock was opened the drawers would open with ease. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. Hoping my information was correct I turned to the desk and reached under the desk.
I felt the envelope just where she said it would be. I squatted down. The plastic envelope was taped to the underside of the desk. I slipped open the flap and slid out the one item it contained. The master key.
This key was supposed to open everything from the front door to the filing cabinet and every other locked item in the office. My gloved hands were shaking as I turned and lifted the key to the lock on the cabinet. It fit perfectly. I turned the key and winced at the loud ping of metal locks releasing their grip on the file cabinet’s drawers. I left the key in the lock, knowing that I had to relock it when I was finished.
I read the front labels on the cabinet drawers, sinking down until I found the one I wanted. I opened the drawer and flipped through the files quickly. My eyes scanned the labels. A few were surprising and practically begged me to investigate further. I remained fixed on my primary goal.
I found the file I wanted towards the back. I slipped it out and began rifling the pages. They were nu numbered which helped as I didn’t want it immediately obvious that something was taken. With luck, no one would ever know anything was taken. The file was unorganized as though information was just added to the file as it became available. Most of it was innocuous. There was only one thing I wanted. There towards the back there was a newspaper clipping. It was old as though it was clipped from the newspaper on the day of the papers issue rather than something collected recently. I slipped the article out, folded it and put it into my pocket. I looked at the other pages but saw no reference to the article anywhere else. If there was an index it was stored separately and not something I could locate in the short amount of time we had.
Realizing that time was swiftly running out, I closed the file, slipped it back in the drawer and closed it. The drawer clicked shut loudly. I turned the key, locking the cabinet back up and replaced the key in its plastic envelope. I made certain the envelope was as closed as it had been before.
My task complete, I went in search of my partner in crime. She was nowhere in the back office. I thought about calling out, but decided against it. I peeked into the front office and saw the front door was open and she was peering out of it into the hallway. She appeared to be signaling someone.
I didn’t wait to see who. I raced for vent we used to slip inside and crawled into it. I bolted it back in place and shuffled back out into the supply room we used to gain access. I closed that vent, screwing it back in place quickly and after checking the hallway, slipped out of the supply closet, making my way out of the back corridors and into the main areas. Along the way I ditched my gloves, tossing one in the first trash can I saw and the other in a second a little way down the corridor.
Well aware that I still had the article on me and feeling it like a hot coal in my pocket, I ducked into the ladies room. It was clear this time of day. I tore the article into scraps as I ducked into one of the cubicles. I flushed the article, making certain all of the newspaper bits went down the pipes and double checked to make sure nothing fell to the floor. I rinsed my hands in the sink and exited the ladies room as though I just finished relieving myself. I saw a group of friends, waved and walked over to join them.
I didn’t know what Christie was playing at in the office, but when I saw her a few minutes later, standing with the Ms. Daniels, I doubted it spelled anything good for me.
Ten til Midnight 