The Beasts of Upton Puddle Read Free

groan, Redwar had decided a director’s chair was probably supposed to do that.
    â€œI don’t have an eleven o’clock in my planner,” saidRedwar, not looking up.
    â€œYes, sir. The name’s Brant. Gregory Brant from archives? I was due to see you at nine, but I’m afraid we had an emergency. Dr. Golding collapsed, and I had to call an ambu—”
    â€œYou didn’t think to warn me you’d be late?”
    â€œI left a message with Ms. Burrowdown. She said—”
    Redwar finally looked up. “Did he?”
    Ms. Burrowdown nodded.
    Redwar eyed his employee. “So you’re Gregory Brant.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œKnow why I called you in here?”
    â€œNo, sir.”
    â€œYou’ve been putting a lot of hours in this week, haven’t you, Brant?”
    The man’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Erm, yes, sir. There are a lot of projects which needed—”
    â€œAnd you didn’t think we’d notice?”
    Brant looked confused. “Well . . . I had hoped that I’d earn a little recognition for my efforts since—”
    â€œI’m not a fool.” Redwar picked up his planner and slammed it down, causing the employee to wince. “You know what I’m talking about.”
    â€œI’m sorry, sir. I—”
    â€œTheft is a very serious thing, especially for a man on a salary as large as yours.”
    â€œSir, I can assure you, I—”
    â€œDon’t even
think
about denying it. The security cameras showed you stacking several boxes of confidential files into the boot of your car after hours yesterday.”
    â€œWell, of course, sir, the planning department instructed me to—”
    â€œTo what? To steal?”
    Brant, his mouth agape, said nothing.
    Redwar glowered. “I’ll have security escort you off-site, and your personal effects will be posted to you in the morning along with your official letter of dismissal. I’m a reasonable man, so I won’t be reporting this to the police on this occasion, but rest assured, I won’t hesitate to contact them if you go whining to your union representative. Understood?”
    â€œNo, sir. I—”
    â€œGood day, Mr. Brant.”
    Redwar returned to his planner, angrily thumbing through the pages.
    Brant remained where he was, openmouthed.
    â€œWell? Why are you still here?”
    â€œSir, I really must protest. I was not stealing anything. I—”
    â€œI said good day, Mr. Brant.”
    Brant carefully placed his folder on the desk in front of Redwar and, after a puzzled glance at Ms. Burrowdown, walked silently out of the office. The door clicked shut behind him.
    Ms. Burrowdown approached the desk and utteredsomething unintelligible just as Redwar punched a button. A ring sounded on the speakerphone.
    â€œWhat? Speak up, woman.”
    Ms. Burrowdown took Brant’s folder and waved it at him.
    He waved back dismissively. “Oh, just file it away. I’ll look at it later.”
    She stepped back from the desk and opened the folder.
    A voice crackled on Redwar’s phone. “Hello, sir. Security here.”
    Ms. Burrowdown thrust the open file under Redwar’s nose. “Yooshd takeylook.”
    â€œA moment, please,” he said at the phone before turning on his secretary. “What?”
    She jabbed a bony finger at the paperwork, and Redwar glared at it.
    PLANNING DEPARTMENT—REF:65KT175
    ORDER FOR DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTATION TO MR. G BRANT.
    DOCUMENTATION FOR DESTRUCTION:
    Architectural Designs, Planning Applications, Surveyor Reports, Budget Plans.
    REASON:
    Purchase offer to Merrynether estate rejected by owner.Planning permission for extended building contracts denied. Expansion plans into Ringwood Forest rejected. Architectural designs no longer required.
    Redwar shifted his glare to Ms. Burrowdown. “The planning department abandoned my expansion plans because of that