The 9 by Madalyn Morgan (tools of titans ebook .txt) 📕

Quickly returning Walter’s letter to its envelope, she put it in the drawer. She hadn’t had time to look at the other letters, but after reading Walter’s letter there was no need.

Bending down to make sure the grooves on the sides of the drawer were level with the ledges on the desk’s frame, she noticed a strip of brown industrial tape across the back of the cabinet. Looking more closely she could see it was concealing something bulky.

Fearing that whoever was outside would come in and catch her, her heart thumped. She toyed with replacing the drawer and looking at what the tape held later, but once Freda had arrived, Ena wouldn’t get the chance.

Besides, if Freda was planning to leave – and it looked like she was – she might take whatever it was behind the tape with her, and then Ena would never know. She ran to the door and put her ear against it. All she could hear was the throb of her own pulse. Satisfied that whoever had been talking outside had gone, she returned to the desk and dropped to her knees.

Reaching into the back of the wooden casing, Ena touched the bulk of what was hidden there. Then, walking her fingers to the end of the tape, she picked at it until it came loose. She took a calming breath and listened again for signs of life beyond the door. There were none. Now, fully focused on the job, Ena pulled the end of the tape and a key fell from its adhesive hold. Her worst fear had been confirmed.

Ena picked the key up and, holding it against the wood with one hand, drew the tape back across it with the other. She studied the tape for some seconds. She needed to be sure that the protrusion was in the same place as it had been when she first noticed it. It was.

 After closing the drawer, Ena made two telephone calls: one to Mr Silcott at Beaumanor Hall, to ask him to bring back copies of the dates and times that Freda had booked in work at the facility. The second was to Commander Dalton, to tell him about finding the key to the safe, the ferry tickets and Walter’s letter. When she had relayed every detail of Freda’s forthcoming departure, she moved the desk away from the door and went to Maintenance.

Borrowing a mop and bucket, Ena cleaned the area where she had spilt tea and returned the desk to its original place. When the room was back to normal, she switched on the kettle. When it had boiled, she made a fresh pot of tea, and while it mashed, she returned the cleaning equipment.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The continual hum filtering through from the machines on the factory floor, usually a comfort to Ena, irritated her as she tried to concentrate on her work. She looked at her wristwatch, it was four o’clock. Whoever took work to Beaumanor was usually back by now. She turned her attention back to the X-board she was working on. Sensitive to the slightest noise, she sat up with a jolt as the door clicked open.

‘Mr Silcott!’ Ena jumped up as her boss entered the room and she ran to meet him. Relieving him of his briefcase, she laid it on a side unit and helped him out of his coat. The telephone rang.

‘Get that will you, Ena? And tell whoever it is, I’ll ring them back.’

Desperate to see Freda’s booking-in sheets from Beaumanor, Ena reluctantly crossed to the telephone. ‘Silcott Engineering. May I help you?’ she said, hoping whoever was on the other end of the telephone would ask for her boss, so she could end the call quickly.

‘Hello, Ena, it’s Freda,’ her work colleague said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

‘Freda?’ In her head, Ena had thought of a dozen things to say when she saw Freda but she was so shocked to hear her voice she couldn’t think of one. It didn’t matter, Freda didn’t give her time to speak.

‘I’m still at my uncle’s. I’ve had an upset stomach. Hopefully it’s one of those twenty-four-hour things and I’ll be all right tomorrow.’

‘Wasn’t anything you had to drink on Saturday night, I hope?’ Ena said, her knuckles white from gripping the telephone receiver so tightly.

Freda laughed. ‘You never know, we did have quite a night, didn’t we?’

Ena forced herself to laugh. ‘We did. It was certainly a night to remember.’ And one that I won’t forget in a hurry, she thought.

‘Did Herbert take the work up to Beaumanor?’

‘Yes.’

‘Thank goodness. I was worried about it.’

‘He’s just got back. Would you like him to ring you--?’

‘No need. Just tell him I’ll be in tomorrow, late morning.’

‘Don’t come in unless you feel up to it,’ Ena said. She was hoping Freda would ask about the letter. She didn’t. ‘You do sound poorly,’ she continued, with as much concern in her voice as she could muster. ‘I’m sure we could manage without you for another day.’

‘Thank you, but honestly, I’m much better today. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.’

‘You know best. Goodbye then, see you tomorrow.’

‘Oh, before you go?’

Here it comes, Ena thought, the question she had been waiting for. ‘Yes?’

‘Have I had any post today?’

‘There’s a pile of letters on the side, but with Mr Silcott going up to Beaumanor, I haven’t had time to sort them out yet.’

‘You wouldn’t be a dear and have a quick look to see if any are addressed to me?’

Got you! Ena punched the air. ‘Of course, hang on a second.’ Ena laid down the receiver and went over to Freda’s desk. Ena counted to ten, picked up the letters and returned to the telephone. ‘Now let me sort yours out.’ Pretending to go through them, she said at last, ‘Four addressed