Part 23: Olive makes up the pay packets…

Olive makes up the pay packets ready for tomorrow.

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Olive placed the two suitcases and the handbag next to her feet. “Can’t stop to chat,” she said to the secretary. “I’m in a hurry. I’ll get on with making the pay packets ready for tomorrow.”

She ambled to the entrance door and locked and bolted it. Then she crossed the room to the vault—a narrow, unaired cell, with a hard linoleum floor and one central light bulb that dangled from a wire in the ceiling. In bygone days, someone had painted the walls and ceiling in a dull whitewash. These days, it smelled of dank decay and cobwebs festooned in the corners. Three steel doors hung on massive hinges, made up the right-hand wall. Behind them lay several millions of pounds in cash and securities.

Each door had two dials. They needed two people to open them, each person knowing one of the two combinations. As bookkeeper and cashier, Olive knew the second combination for the door furthest in. Mr Styles knew the other, and he’d already opened his half of the lock. The safe contained one million, seven hundred thousand pounds in cash, and forty thousand pounds in gold and silver.

Olive passed back and forth, carrying bundles of currency to her desk, less than three feet from the secretary’s. A low screen divided them, and you had to stand to see over.
After counting out one hundred and ninety thousand pounds, Olive peeked over the screen and flung a few casual words to the secretary. “Big payroll for the part-time workers this week.”

The secretary stopped punching the keys of her typewriter and smiled up at Olive. “Those men draining a new meadow for the horses?”

“Yeah, a few hunky nuggets there. Shame I won’t be here to dish out their pay.”

“Uh-huh!” said the secretary. With a loving husband and five cute kids, she showed no interest. Her fingers thudded down on the typewriter once more, and while Olive could hear that sound, she felt safe to carry out her plan.
 
To be continued… 
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Like to know more about Alf, Bert and the rest of the gang? You can read their chaotic history in What on Earth.
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