Reading Online Novel

Office Duties Box Set #1(8)



“Yeah, she does seem to make a couple of passes after lunch to count everyone before she settles down.” Slinky disappeared behind the wall and the sounds of her soft cursing drifted to her friend’s ears as she lost at her phone games.

Sam blankly stared at her computer screen as her mind thought over the episode. An idea stood out from her thoughts and she peeked her head out into the hall. There was no sign of her wicked supervisor, so she decided to investigate the meaning of the herbs. Sam opened her web browser and searched the internet for references to the herbs and any possible connections to illegal drugs. Specifically if they could be used in making aphrodisiacs. She had a feeling that might have been what Davies used on her the night before. She couldn’t figure out any other way his office and person smelled so unusual.

There didn’t seem to be any connection to aphrodisiacs, but there were several articles touching on the planet with which it was associated. Mars appeared to be one of the dark planets in the solar system, mythologically speaking, because of its relation to conflict and strife. There was also some connections to masculinity which Sam found suspicious.

“Ms. Olsen?” Sam scrambled to close her browser and swirled around to see Winkle standing in the entrance to her cubicle. She was holding a load of folders in her arms.

“Yes, Mrs. Winkle?” Sam yelped when the pile was unceremoniously dumped into her arms. The whole thing scattered onto the floor in a large example of fifty-two card pickup. “I-I’m so sorry. These things are pretty slippery” She slid onto the ground and quickly piled the folders back into some semblance of order.

Winkle glared down at her with those pitiless eyes. “Don’t bother putting them back the way they were, these are personnel files that need sorted and organized.” Her eyes narrowed as she lorded over her subordinate. “I expect you to not abuse the responsibility of looking through these documents.”

“Oh, of course. I won’t say anything about what’s in them.” Sam smiled up at the other woman. “You can count on me.”

“I’m sure.” Mrs. Winkle wasn’t convinced. She actually looked like she wanted to take the files from Sam’s hand and carry them to her own desk for organizing. “I expect these files to be organized before you leave for the day.”

“Oh, um, I’ll try.” It was a pretty big task and she only had the afternoon left. She didn’t even know how to put them in what order. “How did you want me to organize them?” She opened a random one and began to browse the contents.

“Name, position, seniority,” Mrs. Winkle snapped out. “Do not leave until you have this done and on my desk, and do not ask for help from your coworkers.” Her eyes pointedly darted over to the neighbor cubicle. “Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Mrs Winkle stalked off, leaving Sam to stare in horror at the chaotic pile.

Slinky cautiously peeked over the wall and her mouth fell open at the stack. “Um, you want some help?”

Sam sadly shook her head. “No, I’d better not risk it. She’s been really mad at me since she took me up to see Mr. Davies.”

“What with this stupid assignment I think you’re on to something there,” Slinky agreed.” Her eyes darted suspiciously around the cubicles. “She’s probably watching now, waiting for you to slip up.”

Sam smiled at her friend’s playful attitude. It made her feel better about the job on her desk. “Thanks for the encouragement.”

“No problem, but if you want to sneak me a few folders, feel free.” Slinky had a smirk on her face as she slowly lowered down out of sight. “After all, I didn’t make that promise to Witchy to not tell about what I see in everyone’s personal files.”

“Then I think I need to not give you that temptation,” Sam shot off, but she only heard a faint, wicked laugh from next door.

Sam sighed and began the long chore of searching, sorting and separating. The mountain of folders disappeared so slowly that Sam didn’t wonder why Winkle had warned her not to leave before it was done. Otherwise that would have been just what she would have done, since this was going to take a while. Her task wasn’t help by her pager. Though it had been quiet yesterday, that afternoon it buzzed every half hour. The board members called for her to do everything from fetching coffee to making calls to scheduling. It rang so much Slinky had to answer a few herself because some of the calls came in pairs. Sam even got to meet Mr. Slink himself. The minute she came into the room he rose from his desk and offered her his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Olsen.” His handshake was so strong that Sam was glad to get her hand back in one piece. “My daughter has told me quite a bit about you already.”

Sam took back her hand and cradled it behind her back. “I hope all of it was good.”

“Oh, certainly. She did mention how surprised she was that you got the job.”

That was a good question that even Sam didn’t have the answer to. Sam knew there had been several people with better qualifications lined up for interviews. “To tell you the truth, sir, I’m still a little amazed myself. I wasn’t told exactly why I got the job and the other applicants didn’t.”

“I believe the board liked your personality the best, but your long affiliation with the company was definitely the deciding factor.” He resumed his seat and invited her into the one before his desk. Sam sat down, but she was very confused. She’d only worked for the company for three years. “Now I would like you to take charge of some of the daily operations around here. There’s mail to be picked up from the box in the lobby and supplies to be stored in the storage room.” He pushed a piece of paper toward her and she picked it up to realize it was a list of the chores such as filling the copier machine and getting the coffee maker ready in the morning. “I’m sure you’re used to doing these kinds of things from your previous position.”

“Oh, yes, sir.” She couldn’t believe she’d be doing the same work for nearly double the pay. It almost seemed too good to be true. Maybe that’s what bothered her about the whole deal. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

“Not at the moment, but I’ll be sure to give you a buzz when I do.” He warmly smiled as he escorted her to the door, but she didn’t feel any heat off his expression. It was almost as if the corners of his mouth were strained.

Sam returned to her cubicle and her friend was curious to know how the interview had gone. “Um, fine. He just gave me some jobs to do every day.” She handed the sheet to her eager coworker.

“Wow, you got a whole list of stuff now? Guess you won’t be bored now, eh?” Slinky was excited for her, but Sam couldn’t say the same.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Sam’s apathetic response deterred her friend from asking any more questions, but Slinky could find them out later by speaking with her father. They both went back to their work and the rest of the afternoon was dotted with buzzing beepers and miscellaneous errands. When five o’clock rolled around a tired Slinky stepped into the doorway of her cube with her jacket on and her purse strung over her shoulder.

She leaned up against the doorway of the cubicle. “Man, that was some wild afternoon,” she commented.

Sam glanced up from the pile of folders and stretched her arms. “So it isn’t usually that busy?” Sam asked. She welcomed the break to speak with her friend. It was supposed to be quitting time, after all., so she could afford to take a five minute break.

“Nope, usually we each get two calls in the morning and two calls in the afternoon.”

“How come I didn’t get any yesterday?”

“Because you’re new. They have this written rule between them that the new guys get a day off and then they get initiated the next day.”

“It sounds like they all wanted to see me.” Sam put her forehead down on the stack of unfinished folders which lay on her desk.

Slinky nodded at the folders. The pile was mostly finished, but there was still some work to be done. “You sure you don’t want help?”

“Nah, I think I’ve got this.” Sam really did feel she’d be done in a few minutes. Besides, it was overtime pay now and she could use the extra dough. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“I guess…” Slinky hesitated to go, and Sam could see she wanted to talk to her about something.

Sam dropped the folder she was working on and sat back in her chair. “What is it?”

“Well, I was just wondering about that guy we followed and him coming back here.” Slinky frowned and tapped her chin in thought. “Where do you think he went exactly?”

“Upstairs, like I told you.” This only made Sam exasperated. “That guy was the secretary for Davies.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. What I meant was how do you think he got up there?” Slinky pointed upward at the ceiling. “You know, without anyone seeing him. I’ve never seen him come through here.”

“What about that elevator and staircase you told me about yesterday? Those private ones they’re supposed to use?”