CHAPTER THREE

The rest of the day went about the same. Ms. Coats would stick her nose over where the two of them were working, every chance she got. Then she really hit the roof when she found out that they were going on lunch break together.

“This is so unprofessional!” She grumbled and marched straight into the Directors office.

“Professor Kingsley!” Wilma started out in a voice that the Professor had heard her use many times before when she was not pleased with something.

“That is acting Director Kingsley, Ms. Coats!” The Professor said in a firm tone that caught Ms. Coats by surprise.

“What?! Um well I mean acting Director, the new staff member…”

“Ms. Coats, I want to point out three things to you very quickly,

1)    Ms. Wilcox was handpicked out of over three hundred candidates for this assignment. The Director thoroughly researched her background and qualifications before he made his selection. Fill out as many reports on her as you like, but I have way too many other things that the Director expects me to have done by the time he gets back to listen to your complaints. I do not have the time or the desire to second guess his decision to bring her here to help.

2)    Your primary role is to handle your assigned workload, that as of now is two hours behind. I can only assume that this delay is because of you spending more than the usual amount of time trying to interrupt matters that are none of your concern, and

3)    I respect your years of service and the contributions that you have made that has resulted in many times saving and cost saving programs. However, if you have been with this agency, you should understand no one, not you, or me, or even the Director, can operate outside the codes of conduct for their position.” The Professor paused.

“So, I suggest that you go back and buckle down and get your work done and put faith in the fact that I have everything that goes on this office floor under control. Do I make myself clear?”

If sparks, daggers, and 40-millimeter rocket shells could be fired out of a person’s eyeballs, they all would have been fired at the Professor at that moment, the quantity and quantity that half the city of New York would have been destroyed along with the Professor at that moment.

The Professor, seeing that he struck a nerve, added,

“I would hate to have to write up a late form on you tonight for not getting your work in to me before you leave, after all that would be your first in twenty years, wouldn’t its Ms. Coats?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Wilma said through gritted teeth.

“Dare, has nothing to do with it. I am simply stating the rules that I have heard one of the most experienced, well respected, most decorated senior office staffer quotes to others many times. Now please, I have work to do.” The Professor motioned for her to leave and shut the door.

She complied with the request, but in doing so, she slammed the door with such force that it was a miracle the glass in it stayed intact.

For the next two days, Ms. Wilcox worked closely with Mr. Morris under the telescopic eye of Ms. Coats. It was on the third day that the reports from Agent Turnbuckle and Smith began to come in.

Mr. Morris immediately dropped what he had been working on and started his normal process of processing these reports. Ms. Wilcox kept a close I on his activities. She, through a prearrangement with a trusted technician, arranged for everything that Mr. Morrison did on his screen was copied to hers to be reviewed later.

At the end of that day, the Professor and Ms. Wilcox met at a café to discuss what, if anything had been discovered.

“If Morris is involved, he is extremely cleaver. I do not see any actions that would indicate that he is doing anything out of the ordinary. I reviewed his screen, and again, everything looks on the up and up,” Ms. Wilcox stated.

“You may be a great office worker, but you are not an Agent,” The Professor said with a smile.

“Watch yourself Professor, I will be your boss again one day,”

The Professor slid a print of a few screen shots taken from Ms. Wilcox computer. These were copies of what Mr. Morrison had done that day.

“I see nothing here! All of these are standard procedures.”

“Look again,” the Professor urged as he slid them back to her.

“I still see nothing!”

“A Director once told me that time criminals do nothing in a big way, because time is on their side. It is those tiny moments that add up to huge chunks.”

“I don’t need you to repeat my quotes Professor, what is your point?”

“It took some digging, but over the last six months, Mr. Morris has been doing an extra save process to all class #1 Red, Blue, or Green report that came across his screen.”

Ms. Wilcox laughed.

“Professor, I instructed him to do that because of a computer glitch that caused him to lose several files.”

“Director…um, Ms. Wilcox, apparently the Director did not read the analysis of the computer “glitch”.

Before Ms. Wilcox started in on him about how many technical reports come across the Directors desk daily, the Professor continued.

“It is the duty of a good agent to trace all possible links on all possible suspects, before, during, and after, they become under suspicion. The “glitch” on Mr. Morrison’s computer was self-imposed. I had to go to several techs to get it confirmed, but it was caused by him. What is even more concerning is that this new save feature has a new kind of coded lock system attached.”

“That means that information can’t be shared outside this office. Are you asserting that more than one…”?

“I do not have enough to make any assertions right now. But my agent experience would lead me to believe that we have more than one rotten egg among us. Tomorrow I am going to put you with Ms. Johns.  I am going to send her a backlog of fake reports to be added to the existing files. I will tell here that you are to handle her regular work load while she handles this in a timely manner.”

“How are you going to explain to her where all these came from?”

“I am simply going to say that all of these were recently declassified ‘Directors only’ files, that Director Washington simply had not had the time to get to.”

“Not bad, I may have to encourage the Director to give you a raise.”

“I wish you would, I am sure I am overdue.”

The next day, acting Director Kingsley called a brief staff meeting.

“…One final item. Ms. Johns, you will notice several large files have been transferred to your inbox. This is a backlog of recently declassified files that Director Washington had not been able to get to. I am assigning Ms. Wilcox to handle your regular workload while you sort through these carefully to make sure they are included in each existing file that the information would have a bearing.

“Professor, what authority do you have to…”

Ms. Coats, I have authority as acting Director to all duties as the permanent Director. I am sure that Director Washington will be thrilled to hear about your loyalty to him and the agency, however I am full up with you. If you question any more of my directions or orders, I will write more than just a reprimand to go in your record! Now officially for everyone in this room. If you are concerned about something I say or do, I will make time to discuss it with you in my office. However, any push back that is done out here will be cause for suspension without pay!”

 The Professor paused, then added,

“Is that clear to everyone?”

All answered except for Ms. Coats, who grunted.

“Good. By the way Ms. Coats, I am assuming that you know to go through whatever Ms. Johns reports to you, to pass on to Agents that are still looking to close out cases?”

“I know my Job!” Ms. Coats grumbled.

“Perfect, then I can expect that your report showing that all necessary personal has been notified?”

“You can count on it.” She replied gruffly.

All returned to their workstations. Ms. Johns was by far the quietest and reserved of all the office staff. Nervous and uncomfortable around others, she was an excellent office worker. Being a victim of severe abuse from her ex-husband, she avoided all conflicts. Ms. Wilcox thus tried to make things as easy on her as possible.

“I will take this station over here and leave you to what Acting Director Kingsley asked of you. Besides, I think Ms. Coats will be anxiously awaiting to get the reports from you.

Ms. Johns gave her a shy appreciative smile without making eye contact. That smile quickly went away when she saw Ms. Coats staring at the two of them. When Ms. Coats turned back around, she was startled to see acting Director Kingsley standing in front of her desk.

“Is there a problem Ms. Coats?”

“Not yet,” she mumbled.

“Be careful Ms. Coats, don’t go expecting problems, or you might wind up causing problems, so you won’t be disappointed.”

The Professor turned around and went back into the office.

“Don’t worry Professor, the problems will come, and soon than you think,” she mumbled.

Ms. Wilcox watched in amazement at the speed and accuracy in which Ms. Johns worked.

“If she is not involved in all this mess, I will take a longer look at getting her a better raise next review,” Ms. Wilcox thought to herself.

As soon as Ms. Johns finished with a file, she passed it on to Ms. Coats.

“Ms. Wilcox, I need to see you a moment.”

She went into the Directors office and was instructed to shut the door.

“I am sweetening the pot. I have asked Agents Turnbuckle and Smith to report to the briefing room. I am going to ask Mr. Morrison to join me for records purpose. I will give him strict instructions to not process any of the information until I give him permission to do so.”

The Professor shifted some papers on his desk.

“Are you going to be able to watch Ms. Johns and Ms. Coats, while I am gone?”

Ms. Coats stood and smiled,

“Sir, I can handle whatever you throw at me.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The two left the office.

“Mr. Morrison, I need you to come with me to a briefing”

Those two headed towards the elevator, Ms. Wilcox back over to assisting Ms. Johns, and Ms. Coats started on her first report. Everything seemed fine for a bit until Ms. Coats shifted her monitor and seemed to focus on her screen a lot harder than she had been before.

It was at that point that Ms. Wilcox got up and went into the Directors office. This got Ms. Coats attention. She watched carefully as Ms. Wilcox drop off papers but shielded herself from her view enough to also pick up a small remote. When she emerged from the office, Ms. Wilcox smiled at Ms. Coats. This caused her to immediately go back to staring at her screen.

The remote that had been grabbed was to the security cameras. Ms. Wilcox now moved her screen out of the view of others, entered a password on her computer and now logged into the security cameras, she adjusted the one that would get her the best view of Ms. Coats’ screen, By the time she got a surprisingly good look at what was on the screen, Ms. Coat transferred the information. Soon more came across, and Ms. Wilcox wanted a closer look. She blanked her screen and started towards Ms. Coats desk. She had only taken about three steps before Ms. Coats reacted.