The Loyal Servant Read Online Free PDF

people of this great nation of ours. Thank you for your support.’ He smiled into the camera. ‘Goodnight ladies and gentlemen. I’ll give you a full statement in the morning.’ He turned and ran back up the steps, his wife trailing behind him.
    Jean started to say something; Caroline laid a hand on her arm. They both stared at the television in silence. Caroline read the breaking news caption at the bottom of the screen three times before its meaning finally sank in.
    …William King replaces Duncan Oakley as prime minister…

5
    Caroline lowered her head and summoned all her strength to force a path through the television news crews and rabble of reporters blocking the main entrance of the Department for Education. As she struggled across the final few yards of pavement, digital recorders were shoved at her and journalists shouted questions just inches from her face. Finally she made it to the revolving doors.
    The hubbub didn’t subside once she was inside. There was a buzz of movement around the reception desk as security staff issued temporary passes to a long line of visitors.
    She nodded at one of the receptionists who immediately nudged her colleague; both women stared at her as she turned away. She fumbled with her security pass at the barrier and headed towards the lifts, keeping her gaze on the floor all the way. She hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours all night and each step was an effort.
    There was a shout behind her. ‘Hold up!’
    Immediately she recognised the security guard’s voice and flinched. Ed Wallis caught up with her and timed his steps to match hers. He jabbed her arm with an elbow.
    ‘That was a turn up for the books, wasn’t it?’ he said.
    Caroline ignored him and tried to quicken her pace. He lengthened his stride.
    ‘I mean, if I’d started my round on the eighth floor and worked my way down,’ he continued, unabashed, ‘rather than setting off from the basement going up... or maybe if I hadn’t stopped on the fourth to talk to you… well… who knows? I probably would have been able to save his life. Makes you think, doesn’t it?’ He blew out a breathy whistle. ‘Fate, my missus says.’
    They’d reached the lifts. Caroline hit the up button and stepped right back, putting a safe five feet between her and Ed and trying to keep an eye on all six lifts at the same time, ready to jump into the first one that pinged onto the ground floor.
    ‘But I reckon he timed it deliberate like.’ Ed still hadn’t picked up on her body language and ploughed on. ‘I bet he’d been watching my routine and planned it down to the last second.’ He shuddered, his huge stomach undulating under the straining buttons of his shirt. ‘To think you and me were in the building while he was doing that to himself.’ He whistled again.
    Caroline looked directly into his face for the first time. ‘No one knows what happened.’ Her heart was racing, sweat started to prickle under her arms.
    ‘But you found him. You know what happened. You must have seen the pills… the booze.’
    He was staring at her cleavage again. She yanked her jacket across her chest.
    ‘Who told you about that?’
    ‘There’s not much happens in this place without me knowing about it.’
    The lift doors nearest Caroline opened and she threw herself towards them. Once inside, she stayed near the threshold and turned back quickly to Ed, barring his way in.
    ‘Well then,’ she said as the doors started to close, ‘you must know the police are keeping all lines of enquiry open.’
    The doors slid shut and Ed’s blotchy, flaky face finally disappeared. Caroline edged her way further in and punched the button for the fourth floor. She could feel her face flushing; aware suddenly the loud chatter of the other occupants had died down to a murmur. A few of them threw surreptitious glances in her direction.
    ‘Nothing to see here,’ she said. ‘As you were.’
    After a moment of embarrassed silence, the chatter