Casting Shadows

He watched her leave and then picked up the phone. He pressed the button marked 'Security.' "Dave?" he said quietly, after checking that she had definitely gone. "We've got a problem. Please can you phone the relevant people and then join me up on 11? Carefully though, stay out of sight if you can." He replaced the receiver and walked to the wide, empty office.

  He could see her in the middle of the room, just her head bobbing gently over the top of the fabric covered cubicle separators. He approached carefully and sat down, pulling a chair from another cubicle and watching as she prepared the document for printing.

  "I would have had it completed earlier, but I've been having problems with pranksters abusing the internal memo system," she told him. She smiled inwardly when she thought of the consequences that the saboteurs would face. "Look at this."

  He leaned in and looked at the messages. Every one of them was prefixed with "Sent by: Smith_E" and the time sent. He kept his face deliberately neutral.

  "How did your appointments go today, Liz?" he asked.

  "Appointments?" she repeated, a puzzled expression, then realised she shouldn't look disorganised in his presence. "Oh yes, very well," she smiled. "It's been a busy day."

  She handed him the report, he glanced at it briefly. "This looks great," he said, deliberately keeping his voice warm and calm. "Thank you for putting the extra time in for me."

  She felt herself blush deeply again. "It's nothing sir, I relish my work here, I really do."

  "I know you do, all the directors are aware of you," he assured her. "Your diligence is almost unique in this organisation."

  She smiled and found she couldn't look him in the eye. "Thank you, sir."

  He noticed the figures standing in the doorway and inwardly sighed with relief. He picked her coat up from the back of the chair. "I think it's home time, Liz, you've done plenty for today."

  She nodded and looked over to the doorway. "Who are they?" she asked, wondering if they were the ones trying to sabotage her work. "Do they work for you?"

  "In a way," he said, steering her gently towards them. "Liz, you remember Dr Turner don't you? He's been looking after you since that funny turn you had in the office a few weeks ago."

  She nodded. "Dr Turner," she repeated carefully. "My appointment." The doctor took her arm gently and led her from the office. "Come on, Liz, you can tell me all about the work you've been doing."

  She smiled happily as he led her to the ambulance. "Mr Lawrence was very pleased with my report," she told him. "He said my diligence was almost unique!"

  "I think I'll get promoted soon," she added in a conspiratorial whisper, glancing around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping on the conversation.