Part 15: Secret Summons
Didi slammed into Lampkin's office, ready to scream, or throw something at him, whichever rid her of her excess anger sufficiently. However, his office was empty.
Still shaking, she quickly locked the door behind her. If she couldn't use Lampkin as some sort of punching bag, he surely could be relied upon to have an alcoholic stash.
Yes, she found a bottle of whiskey in his desk's bottom drawer. She took a generous swig, coughing as it burned her throat.
Angry tears blurred her vision. She opened and shut the other desk drawers searching for a box of tissues. One in particular wouldn't open. Curious, she peered inside to see if anything was jamming it. She could just see a red folder and little else. Using a ruler, she attempted to prise it open, but still it never budged.
She leaned back and thought for a moment, remembering Lampkin's jumpiness the day before. "He wasn't disconcerted because I mentioned love; he didn't want me to see that file."
She spun around, searching for something stronger than the ruler to jimmy open the drawer. A bookcase ran along one wall. She scanned the shelves for a bookend or knick knack that might be suitable. Nothing at eye level would work.
Crouching, she shuffled the contents of the lower shelf around. One book, which had been pushed to the back, caught her attention. Trial Tactics and Strategies.
Joseph Adama's book?
Footsteps distracted her. The locked office door's handle jerked and rattled. The person wishing to enter swore. It was Lampkin. Ignoring him, she flipped over the book. She could hear a jangling outside. He swore again, obviously searching for the correct key.
With a rapidly beating heart, she opened the book. There was a dedication: "To Romo, sine qua non. Joseph Adama."