Storm and Silence (Storm and Silence 1)
Mr Linton,
Fetch file S39XX300
Rikkard Ambrose.
Spiffing! Simply Spiffing! Here we go again. Rising, I started towards the rows of shelves. But then I hesitated.
Wait just a moment… file S39XX300?
I frowned. The numbering systems for the files didn’t start with letters, did it? It always started with numbers proclaiming the years of the file’s origin. The 39 in the name probably stood for 1839, this very year, but 'S'? What did that stand for? Snoop? Saucy? Silly?
I went looking under 39 because I didn’t know what else to do. Ten minutes later, I had three open boxes standing before me and a volcano rumbling somewhere inside me.
Dear Mr Ambrose
There is no file S39XX300. I cannot find it.
Yours sincerely
Miss Lilly Linton
The reply came immediately.
Mr Linton,
There IS a file S39XX300 Have you looked in the safe?
Rikkard Ambrose.
What the heck?
Dearest Mr Ambrose,
I did not know there was a safe here. Might I inquire why you neglected to tell me this?
Yours always
Miss Lilly Linton
Angrily I shoved the message into the tube and waited. Only half a minute later, a plink announced the answer.
Mr Linton,
You might indeed enquire. It is because I expect my employees be capable of independent thought. The 'S' stands for safe. If that is too difficult for you to comprehend, then maybe you should look for another post. One more fitted to your limited intellectual capabilities.
Rikkard Ambrose
The arrogant… ‘limited intellectual capabilities’? Gah! I didn’t even know what names to call him! The newspaper articles about women’s insufficient brain size and all the other arguments against our working and voting came to mind. Oh how I would have loved to skin that man alive. And then maybe roast him slowly over an open fire…
Dear Mr Ambrose,
I will go looking for the safe directly. Do not fear - even my limited mental capacity should be sufficient to find a big metal box.
Yours always (Which means you’re not getting rid of me!)
Miss Lilly Linton
I stood up. I went looking. I found the safe. It took me only five minutes and then I was back at my desk - still without file S39XX300, for a very simple reason. Fuming, I grabbed a message slip from the bowl and scrawled four simple words on it.