Bradley untied the tapes and opened the file. We both stared at a half a dozen folded sheets of blank paper for some seconds.
“What the devil…” Bradley began, blood rising to his face.
“Take it easy,” I said, reached out and poked at the sheets with my finger. Only blank sheets: nothing else.
Bradley dug his thumb into the bell-push and kept it there.
Maybe the clerk scented trouble because he came in fast.
“What’s this?” Bradley said. “What are you playing at?”
The clerk gaped at the blank sheets.
“I don’t know, sir,” he said, changing colour. “The file was fastened when I took it from your out-tray.”
Bradley breathed heavily, started to say something, changed his mind and waved a hand to the door.
“Get out,” he said.