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Chapter 1 : Archives and Suspicions
Barbara waited two whole weeks for an occasion to have a look at the clinic files . She could not just go around the clinic asking where she would find proofs incriminating Doctor von Sklaverei for Kate's disappearance . She had to tread lightly since she was in the lion's den .
However, just when she was beginning to wonder if she had not wasted her time, the occasion fell right in her lap . The helpers like herself were on turning shifts . This meant that they were not attached to a particular service . This Friday, a colleague of Barbara called in sick, saying it would last at least two weeks, and it was asked for a volunteer to take over the duties of this colleague . When Barbara saw what it would exactly be, she barely restrained herself from leaping on the spot : the work was to clean the archives area .
Barbara immediately referred to her superior who accepted . However, Barbara had to perform part of her old duties even if some of it would be shared between her co-workers . This meant that she would have to stay late in the evening to complete her task . This did not bother her . It was even a chance, since it would allow her to remain at the clinic when there would be little people left in the building to disturb her .
That evening, after her co-workers had set off home, Barbara went to the door she had been indicated . She inserted the key given to her and entered the room she hoped would allow her to solve her friend's disappearance . She locked the door after herself and began rummaging in the drawers which were neatly aligned against the walls . First, she could not find anything suspicious . Though, after a second thorough examination, she discovered something that made her rub her hands in glee .
Several of the names that had been on the list Kate had sent were names of patients . She could not find all the names, but there were too many of them to be just coincidence .
She left the clinic at two in the morning . She had taken great pains in removing any evidence of her search . She would come the next day to take photographs of the files to study them more closely . However, she never got the occasion to do it .
Unbeknownst to her, a video-device had been filming her every moves in the archives room . Her progress had been seen by the one person she was trying to frame : Doctor Lydia von Sklaverei .
The doctor had stayed late at her office that evening to finish her paperwork . She was about to leave when she had looked one last time at the security screen in her office . And then, she had stopped dead in her track . On the screen, she watched Barbara at work, looking through the files of the patients . She saw her looking at a list of names . She understood Barbara was after her . However, it did not bother her . In fact, she was positively gleeful . As she sat behind her enormous desk in her office, watching again the video of Barbara's raid in the archives, she was humming happily . When she was done , she went up and talking to herself, said :
« Well, well, well . Another nosy meddler . And a good-looking one at that . She will make a perfect slave . »
And her cruel laughter echoed through the corridors of the clinic as she went off to prepare Barbara's downfall .
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