Read Online 041 Something to Hide by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Tags: Mobilism
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white-brick building in front of the factory must contain Asco’s central offices. She parked close to the front door and walked around to the trunk.
Good thing I have my toolbox in the car, she thought as she lifted the trunk door and pulled out the metal box.
Now, if only she could use it to bluff her way inside to find out what she needed to know . . .
Nancy boldly walked up to the front door of the main building. If she was lucky, she’d soon know the truth about Justin Dodd’s relationship with Asco. If her luck didn’t hold— Nancy didn’t want to think about how she’dexplain her presence in the Asco executive offices to Chief McGinnis. He’d been understanding in the past, but Nancy doubted that he’d be able to overlook entry under false pretenses.
Gripping her toolbox in one hand, Nancy walked into the building. There, at a large reception desk, sat a guard. She seemed to be the only person around.
The guard was a middle-aged woman in a blue uniform. She was watching her tiny TV so intently that she didn’t even notice Nancy walk up to the desk. Nancy had to clear her throat to get the woman’s attention.
“I’m here to repair the computer in the personnel office,” she told the guard. “They called us yesterday, but this is the first chance we’ve had to get here.”
“Personnel’s down the hall, second on the right,” the guard said in a bored voice. Clearly she accepted the fact that when an Asco computer was broken, it had to be fixed—even on a Sunday.
Well, that was easier than I expected! Nancy thought. Now all she needed to do was find the file—and hope no one from personnel had decided to work on Sunday.
As she opened the door and switched on the lights, Nancy whistled softly. This was an expensive office! There was an oriental rug on the floor, and the desks were made of highlypolished walnut. From the lush potted trees and brass desk accessories to the dark walnut paneling, no expense had been spared. And this was only the personnel office. What could the executive offices be like?
Obviously Asco was a profitable company, or one that wanted to give the impression that it was profitable. But were its profits based on sales of products like Clearly? Or had they been generated by sabotaging a competitor?
That was one of the things Nancy hoped to find out.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw personal computers on several of the desks. She switched one on and put her open toolbox next to it. If anyone happened to walk by, it would look as though she were really trying to repair the computer.
As long as no one asks me any questions, Nancy thought.
Her eyes raced around the room, searching for file cabinets. Asco was a big company. The personnel records for its employees would have to be stored in a lot of files.
But there were no files in this main reception room.
Nancy looked again. There had to be files somewhere. Even if most of the employee information was kept on the computer, every personnel department did keep paper files. Where were Asco’s?
As she cast her eyes slowly around the room, Nancy saw a gleaming brass doorknob in the middle of one wall of dark paneling. Was this the door to the file room?
Nancy turned the knob, but the door didn’t budge. She walked back to her toolbox and pulled out a ring of picks. Opening locked doors was a skill she’d completely mastered. It would take only a few seconds to open this one.
But it didn’t.
The lock was a kind she’d never seen before, and it took at least five agonizing minutes before she had the door open. Nancy studied the lock carefully. Unlike most of the locks she’d encountered over the years, this one required a key to open it on both sides.
Nancy flipped on the lights and breathed a sigh of relief. This small, windowless room did hold the files. Three of the four walls were lined with cabinets. A table with a single chair sat in the middle of the room, probably to give the file clerks space
Good thing I have my toolbox in the car, she thought as she lifted the trunk door and pulled out the metal box.
Now, if only she could use it to bluff her way inside to find out what she needed to know . . .
Nancy boldly walked up to the front door of the main building. If she was lucky, she’d soon know the truth about Justin Dodd’s relationship with Asco. If her luck didn’t hold— Nancy didn’t want to think about how she’dexplain her presence in the Asco executive offices to Chief McGinnis. He’d been understanding in the past, but Nancy doubted that he’d be able to overlook entry under false pretenses.
Gripping her toolbox in one hand, Nancy walked into the building. There, at a large reception desk, sat a guard. She seemed to be the only person around.
The guard was a middle-aged woman in a blue uniform. She was watching her tiny TV so intently that she didn’t even notice Nancy walk up to the desk. Nancy had to clear her throat to get the woman’s attention.
“I’m here to repair the computer in the personnel office,” she told the guard. “They called us yesterday, but this is the first chance we’ve had to get here.”
“Personnel’s down the hall, second on the right,” the guard said in a bored voice. Clearly she accepted the fact that when an Asco computer was broken, it had to be fixed—even on a Sunday.
Well, that was easier than I expected! Nancy thought. Now all she needed to do was find the file—and hope no one from personnel had decided to work on Sunday.
As she opened the door and switched on the lights, Nancy whistled softly. This was an expensive office! There was an oriental rug on the floor, and the desks were made of highlypolished walnut. From the lush potted trees and brass desk accessories to the dark walnut paneling, no expense had been spared. And this was only the personnel office. What could the executive offices be like?
Obviously Asco was a profitable company, or one that wanted to give the impression that it was profitable. But were its profits based on sales of products like Clearly? Or had they been generated by sabotaging a competitor?
That was one of the things Nancy hoped to find out.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw personal computers on several of the desks. She switched one on and put her open toolbox next to it. If anyone happened to walk by, it would look as though she were really trying to repair the computer.
As long as no one asks me any questions, Nancy thought.
Her eyes raced around the room, searching for file cabinets. Asco was a big company. The personnel records for its employees would have to be stored in a lot of files.
But there were no files in this main reception room.
Nancy looked again. There had to be files somewhere. Even if most of the employee information was kept on the computer, every personnel department did keep paper files. Where were Asco’s?
As she cast her eyes slowly around the room, Nancy saw a gleaming brass doorknob in the middle of one wall of dark paneling. Was this the door to the file room?
Nancy turned the knob, but the door didn’t budge. She walked back to her toolbox and pulled out a ring of picks. Opening locked doors was a skill she’d completely mastered. It would take only a few seconds to open this one.
But it didn’t.
The lock was a kind she’d never seen before, and it took at least five agonizing minutes before she had the door open. Nancy studied the lock carefully. Unlike most of the locks she’d encountered over the years, this one required a key to open it on both sides.
Nancy flipped on the lights and breathed a sigh of relief. This small, windowless room did hold the files. Three of the four walls were lined with cabinets. A table with a single chair sat in the middle of the room, probably to give the file clerks space
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