Page 65 of Slouch Witch
‘Marsh,’ Price repeated. ‘From Geomancy.’
Tarquin got to his feet. ‘Certainly, Adeptus,’ he murmured. ‘I’m happy to help.’ He walked purposefully to the filing cabinets, as if he were delighted by this mundane task. I was delighted to see him acting like a general dogsbody but I’m kind of petty that way.
‘Tell me, Adeptus Price,’ Winter murmured, in a tone that suggested hidden steel and would have sent many a lesser witch scurrying for the hills, ‘why were you visiting Adeptus Diall earlier this week? Apparently you were rather anxious to speak to him.’
Price jumped but he recovered quickly. ‘Adeptus Diall helped me out from time to time.’ He sighed, although it seemed calculated for sympathy rather than a genuine sound of despair. ‘I’ve been having some difficulties with my staff and I was looking for guidance on how to deal with them. Some people don’t have the respect for their elders that they used to.’
‘Perhaps because respect needs to be earned,’ Winter said.
Price stared at him. ‘Quite.’
Winter switched tack. ‘Do you keep all the personnel files here? I wouldn’t have thought you have the space.’
Price chuckled. ‘Well we are Human Resources. It makes sense that all the personnel files are kept here. They used to be all over the place but I have centralized the system. Between you and me, there was a terrible incident over in Amulets where they misplaced twelve files. It caused some consternation, I can tell you.’ His smile dropped. ‘Although not as much consternation as recent events. It’s simply terrible what happened to Adeptus Diall. And the Cypher Man—’
‘Thank you, Adeptus Price,’ Winter said loudly.
The witch seemed to realise his error in broadcasting what was supposed to be a secret, classified matter. He coughed to cover his mistake. ‘Can we get you any refreshments while you wait?’
‘Tea, please,’ I chirped. I could do with a cuppa.
Winter frowned. ‘Just the file.’ The man had no true understanding of what it meant to be British.
‘Fair enough. No rest for the wicked in Arcane Branch!’ Price grinned and looked at me. ‘So, Ms Wilde,’ he enquired. ‘How are you settling into your new role?’
Ha! So he did remember me after all. ‘Oh, it’s fabulous,’ I enthused. ‘But there aren’t enough tea breaks.’
Price laughed, although it was obviously forced. ‘Indeed. Indeed.’ He licked his lips. ‘I am sorry about the mix-up, you know. It was simple human error that can happen to us all.’ He glanced anxiously at Winter. ‘No one’s perfect. And I do have some incredibly difficult people in my Department who…’
Tarquin cleared his throat. ‘Adeptus Price? Could you come over here, please, sir?’
Fleeting annoyance flashed across Price’s face. ‘Excuse me,’ he muttered, turning away to help Tarquin with the difficult task of opening a filing cabinet.
‘I feel a bit sorry for him,’ I whispered to Winter. ‘He’s clearly out of his depth here. And he did apologise.’
Winter glowered. ‘Then in the same breath he blamed his Department for the cock-up. He’s the one in charge. He should take full responsibility.’
I kept my voice low to avoid being overheard. ‘By his own admission, he doesn’t get a lot of respect from his team. Is he another person who benefited from Diall’s work? It would make sense, given he was looking for him for help.’
‘You mean was Price promoted despite being ill-equipped to manage the job?’ Winter watched the witch put his hands on his hips and glare ferociously at Tarquin. ‘It’s certainly possible. He’s only Adeptus Major. But not many witches are keen to run HR. It’s not exactly a glamorous position.’
I’d say. ‘We should ask him for his own personnel file too,’ I suggested.
Winter quirked up an eyebrow. ‘We should request the personnel file of the Head of HR from the Head of HR?’
I shrugged. ‘Yeah.’ My mouth twitched. ‘You are Arcane Branch, right?’ I teased.
‘We,’ he said. ‘Weare Arcane Branch, Ivy.’
‘So you’re sayingIshould ask for it?’
Price began walking back to us. ‘You will keep your mouth shut,’ Winter told me. Contradictory plonker.
Price stopped in front of Winter, looking worried. ‘There is a slight problem,’ he said.
‘What’s that?’
‘Oscar Marsh’s file isn’t here.’
