Free Doing the Right Thing by Alexis Lindman Page A

cubby holes and closed their doors which made everyone even more paranoid.
    When the door opened and the five came out, eyes dropped from the top of the partitions to focus on computer screens. It was as though they were in a war zone and someone had yelled “incoming”. The increased noise of tapping at keyboards sounded like an oncoming swarm of locusts. Yellow-bellied cowards, Addie thought, keeping her own head up. The next moment she was on her knees on the floor, her heart battering her ribs to get out of her chest, so it could make a run for it.
    The noise fell away and Addie listened to Bob thanking them all. She wanted to look again to make sure she’d not made a mistake, but there was little point because she hadn’t. Will stood between Bob and Genghis. Shit. Next to Genghis was the blond one from the gym. Double shit . And the other side of him stood the third guy. Triple shit .
    Addie scuttled across the floor like a giant crab to reach Joe’s cubicle. He stared at her as she crouched at his feet. Addie pretended to be inspecting his chair leg and then moved on to Margaret, then Lizzie, then Charlotte the harlot. Voices were coming down the other side of the room as Addie crawled in the opposite direction. She reached the photocopier, wondering if there was time to dig an escape tunnel. She could hear Genghis introducing people.
    Addie couldn’t do this now. Running away from trouble was second nature. She was always reluctant to accept inevitability, particularly when it stared her in the face.
    Plus, her stomach was threatening to eject a slice of toast and coffee. All she could think about was escape.
    “What are you doing?” whispered Joe, who’d followed her to the copier.
    Addie cringed. Joe’s voice at a whisper, could carry in a crowded football stadium.
    “Lost an earring,” she said, forgetting she wasn’t wearing any.
    She saw a herd of feet heading her way and shot hunched over in the opposite direction, colliding with the water cooler, sending the whole thing rocking so that a mini tidal wave threatened to topple the bottle. Addie had to wrap her arms around it and dance for a few seconds before it calmed down enough for her to let go, then she dashed on, ricocheting from one object to another, swerving at the last moment away from Genghis’ precious aquarium. Finally she turned the corner and could breathe.
    Addie heard the men having a short chat with each person in the room. Genghis even introduced them to her bloody angel fish, Gabriel and Gideon, which should have sent warning signals, but it wasn’t until Addie heard the word “garage” that she panicked. She’d been listening when she should have been escaping. Now she had a choice of three doors—the Gents, a cupboard and the garage. Addie made for the cupboard.
    She sat on the floor in the dark and waited.
    “What’s in here?” Addie heard Will say. Well of course he bloody did.
    “A small storeroom,” Delia said.

    The handle jiggled above her head. Addie wedged herself between the door and the shelves opposite, pressing her feet against the lowest shelf.
    “It seems to be locked.” Will again.
    “There isn’t a lock. There’s nothing valuable in there,” Delia said.
    Addie braced herself, but the next moment, she slid forward on her bottom as the door was forced open behind her. She concertinaed the top half of her body between the two lowest shelves. The light went on.
    “What on earth do you think you are doing?” Delia asked.
    “Looking for something.” Addie kept her face hidden.
    “What?”
    “Er…” Her mind went blank. Great timing, brain.
    “Would you like to explain what you could be looking for in the dark?”
    Genghis had a lot in common with her mother. She’d scented weakness and wouldn’t give in until she’d ripped out Addie’s throat.
    “The light?” Addie tried, still crouched down with her back to them.
    “The light switch isn’t on the floor. Get up. Mr. Magelan would like to