Kerry regarded the note quietly. What exactly was Dar saying? That she was in danger, or were they in danger of getting knocked on the head and the switch swiped? She tapped out just that question and waited, keeping one eye on the techs.
He couldn't give a rat's ass about the guys or the switch.
Ah. Kerry looked around, but they were alone in the stairwell, and though she could hear workmen above them, so far everyone she'd seen had completely ignored her. I'll keep my eyes open. She assured her. You're gonna need to send me more little macho boys, though. Mine are giving out already.
She closed the device and put it away. "Ready?" she asked the techs. "Sure you don't want me to grab a corner of that?"
The techs hesitated, then moved over to allow her to join them on one side of the switch. Kerry took hold of a curved bit of metal and they lifted together, then started slowly up the stairs.
"SO, WHAT'S THE story?" Dar pressed the cell phone against one ear, as she reviewed a list of newly uncrated equipment. "John, did we get a case of fiber patch?" she called out. "If we did, find it!"
"Will do." John trotted off in search.
"I have just finished interviewing my four senior auditors," Duks said. "Three of them, I have no doubt about. They were as puzzled as I as to what was going on."
"Uh huh." Dar scanned the list again. "And the fourth?"
"The fourth one has admitted to being the person who started that activity last night," Duks answered calmly. "I have terminated them and begun legal proceedings."
Dar blinked. "You did...they did?" she blurted. "Just like that?"
"Just so," Duks agreed. "It was Adriene Blatklo, and she was unrepentant. Apparently there was some money involved in asking for the information," Duks said. "She has retained a lawyer already, and apparently believes we will not pursue the matter."
"Hell with that."
Duks snorted. "You may say that again, my friend. I got off the phone with Hamilton before I called you. At any rate, apparently that hole is closed. Have you heard anything more from our obnoxious friend from last night?"
"No."
"Excellent," Duks said. "I will say this; Adriene rather arrogantly informed me that I should not be surprised if she was the only one to be approached. Apparently our freeze on salaries is rather well known in the outside at the moment."
"Great." Dar sighed. "Well, I can't worry about that right now, Louis. I've got a project to bring in."
"I will let you get to it then," Duks said. "Have you spoken with Alastair?"
"No." Dar made a note on the page. "You want to call him? I'm busy." She glanced at her PDA, which had started to flash.
There was a significant pause, then Duks cleared his throat. "Of course. It is my department, after all."
"Great. Tell him I say hi," Dar said. "Talk to you later." She hung up, and set the cell phone down, then picked up her PDA and flipped it open. She read Kerry's note and answered it, then reviewed the response. "Uh huh."
Bodies she had plenty of. "Mark!"
Mark swerved and headed across the room to where she was sitting. "Yes, boss?" He leaned his arms on the counter. "Like your cubby here."
"Kerry needs help inside," Dar said. "Get half dozen guys and send them up to the deck eleven closet," she directed. "I don't want to hear she was lugging that damn gear around, got me?"
Mark grinned. "Do I get to tell her that?"
"NO." Dar glared at him.
"Ma'am." John trotted up with a box. "Here's the fiber patches...should I bring them to Ms. Stuart?"
"Yes." Dar pointed to the door, then turned her eyes back on Mark. "Have you sent those guys yet?"
"I'm going." Mark backed off. "Hey you want some coffee or something?"
Dar's eyes narrowed. "You insinuating I need some?"
Mark grinned. "I'm outta here, boss. You sound like the good old days." He turned and headed toward a group of technicians clustered around some boxes, grabbing some by the arm and calling others over.
Dar leaned back on her stool and pondered that, then returned her attention to the list of items. Kerry had done a very good job of ordering, and it looked like nothing had been left off the list. Most of their gear was in, and things were progressing fairly well.
She tapped a pencil on the counter and tried to figure out what to do next.
THE ELEVENTH DECK was mostly dark. As they walked up the last step, Kerry flashed her light around, peering down the hallway toward where their wiring closet was. On one end of the floor--the far end--electricians were working inside a panel, sparks flying as they welded something into place. "Hmm. This is going to be fun."
"It's creepy in here," the shorter tech commented.
"Yeah, it is," Kerry agreed. "Okay, let's get this thing mounted and plugged in." She led the way down the hall with her powerful light bobbing up and down with her steps and outlining the closed cabin doors. The scent had changed up here, from old mildew to new carpeting over old mildew, interspersed with fresh paint.
It was an improvement, but at the back of her tongue Kerry could still taste the age and decay. She suspected it would stay that way until some decent air conditioning could dry the air out a little. At least this high up, most of the diesel stench had dissipated.
As she walked, Kerry tried to imagine sailing on the ship to some place, her world bounded by the walls and the deep blue sea around them. It was hard; even though she'd spent time out on the Dixie, this was something else entirely.
This would be more like cruising in a slightly seedy, somewhat rundown hotel with a new coat of paint on it. Kerry had decided she would be interested in taking a cruise with Dar, but not on something like this. She'd found a sailboat cruise company in a magazine the other day and had already started planning. "Okay, watch it." She carefully stepped over a roll of carpet remnants left in the dark hallway.
"Urf." The tech in front grunted.
"Want to put it down a minute?" Kerry asked.
"No, we're good."
Men. Kerry sighed, though she suspected Dar would have given the same answer. She continued down the hall, becoming more and more aware of the darkness around them as they left the semi-lit stairwell behind. There were creaks all around as well, and a soft groaning somewhere as the ship shifted in its berth.
They reached the cross corridor that held their wiring closet, and she turned into it, the partially opened door moving inward as she pushed.
"Ayah!"
Kerry nearly hit her head on the roof as she jumped, the yell from inside the dark closet scaring her silly. "Yow!" She yelped, backing into the techs who dropped the switch on the deck with a solid thump. Since they and the hundred pound item were behind her, she was trapped near the door and she teetered for balance as she heard a clatter behind it. "Holy--"
The door yanked open and a large figure appeared. Faced with no retreat, Kerry flashed her light at it, her free hand lifting into an automatic defensive posture in front of her. Dar's warning rang in her mind and she felt a moment of panic, before her light illuminated the man's t-shirt and she recognized the name of their own cable vendor. "Oh."
"Jesus, lady!" the man exclaimed. "You scared the crap out of me!" He glared at Kerry. "I coulda been on a ladder in there, y'know!"
"Sorry." Kerry collected herself. "We're just trying to get this equipment in," she explained. "They told us the cabling was ready."
The man snorted. "Yeah, sure." He brushed by them. "Next time, watch it!"
Kerry peered after him, watching his back retreat into the darkness. "Hmm." She shook her head and tapped her flashlight against her palm. "Remind me to talk to his boss."