(part four)
Mr Caldecott.
He was standing on the opposite of the narrow street facing the anonymous building, looking up at it he looked at the envelope taken from the pocket of his cargo pants at the scribbled address quickly jotted down when he telephoned yesterday, they matched, walking across the street he got to the glass doors and pushed on the handle... nothing.... he tried the other one, then he pulled them both,
"Bloody hell" he thought "I can't get in" behind it was an empty foyer, then looking round he noticed a stainless steel box with a small grille and a button below it, pressing the button he could hear a feint buzz, he held his ear close to the box,
"HELLO" blasted from the box with an accompanying whistle and hum,
"JESUS!" exclaimed John Paul as he jumped back in surprise,
"Hello" once again came from the box,
"Hello my name is John Paul McQueen I have an appointment for half one today" replied JP,
"Someone will come to the door for you Mr McQueen please wait" said the disembodied female voice, a few moments later the lift doors at the opposite end of the foyer opened and out walked a girl about Sarah's age but not her demeanour, very prim and proper wearing a business suit,
"God this all looks a bit snooty" he thought,
She unlocked the door with a swipe card,
"Have you any identification Mr McQueen?" she asked,
After looking at his passport she said "Please follow me Mr McQueen"
Into the lift they went when the doors closed she visibly relaxed and looking at his puzzled face simply said "it's okay there are no CCTV cameras in the lift, Mr Caldecott does not stand for any messing about he likes to run a tight ship whatever that means... all spick and span he is god round here!"
"Oh" replied JP "is he in charge of security round here then?"
"Oh no Mr McQueen he is the boss, your appointment is with him did we not tell you when you called?"
"Erm-no" was the reply
"Don't worry Mr McQueen he wont eat you, we only call him "the Grumpy one" as a joke
"Only a joke" repeated John Paul,
The lift pinged and the doors opened and they stepped out into the outer office and walked in, there were two desks one with another Sarah clone typing and presumably one for she who had let him in , he offered the letter and it's contents he had been clutching so tightly to number one,
"Oh not for me Mr McQueen that would be for Mrs Holmes Mr Caldecott's secretary"
"But I thought you were the secretary?"
"Me! Not me Mr McQueen, please take a seat she wont be long"
"Could I use the...the err.... I have been on a coach since six this morning" asked JP,
"Oh of course Mr McQueen along the corridor first on the left"
He shot off to the Loo, all he could think of was that this was a surreal dream he would soon wake up to go to Leeds and if anyone called him Mr McQueen again he would explode! Out of the door he went turning right into the office with the door opposite open, with presumably Mrs Holmes standing in it,
"Ah Mr McQueen come straight through and take a seat Mr Caldecott will see you in a moment have you the documentation we asked for?" enquired Mrs Holmes,
He handed over the envelope and it's contents, passport, medical card and birth certificate,
"Any one of these would have done" she said,
Off she went with the envelope into another room and soon came back after checking the contents,
"Please follow me Mr McQueen" she then approached another door, knocked paused slightly then opened the door and went in followed by John Paul, there was a large mahogany desk with a man sat behind it the woman put all the documents on the desk went out and gently closed the door behind her,
"This is it" thought JP "this is the moment of truth" twenty eight days behind him and now only minutes before him at last!
"Good afternoon Mr McQueen" he said as he stretched out his hand JP did the same and nervously said
"Good afternoon Mr Gru....sorry Caldecott"
"Please take a seat and let's get the formalities out of the way shall we" Caldecott said,
"Oh OK" replied JP
the older man pressed a button on the desk intercom then there was a knock on the door and the secretary walked in carrying a tray with a teapot, jug, two cups and saucers, sugar and milk and some biscuits,
"Thank you Mrs Holmes, tea Mr McQueen?
"Just one thing" asked JP can you call me John Paul instead of Mr?"
"Of course, sugar?"
As Mrs Holmes walked through in-between the two clones she just cleared her throat ,that was all that was needed for for them to be signalled that it was a yes for the young man that had just gone in to see "the boss"