Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 56 Cleanup

港务局

The new week began in the gloom of winter. The air carried the chill of the sea breeze, and the two-story building where Green worked looked even older in the gray daylight.

Green pushed open the door of the small building, intending to greet old Bob, who always sat behind the old table by the door, as was his habit, but found the chair empty.

He paused for a moment.

Old Bob was never late, at least not since he came to the port authority.

"Did he go somewhere else?" Green muttered to himself, not paying any attention.

He walked straight toward the heavy door leading to the underground warehouse.

The key was inserted into the lock, turned, and the door hinges made a familiar creaking sound.

However, as soon as the door was pushed open a crack, a faint rustling sound, different from the usual silence, came from inside.

anyone?

Green frowned. Was it old Bob coming down? He pushed open the door and went down the stairs.

In the dim light, a figure was standing with his back to him, seemingly organizing several bundles of old files piled up in the corner.

The figure was slender, dressed in the port authority's uniform, slightly oversized dark blue women's work dress, definitely not the hunched figure of old Bob.

Hearing footsteps, the figure froze abruptly, then turned around in a flustered manner.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze.

"Anna...Annaise?" Green asked incredulously.

Standing in front of him, with a bit of dust still on her face, was the young female employee who had been harassed by Henry last week and whom he had stepped in to help.

Anaïs clearly hadn't expected to run into Green here. Her eyes widened instantly, then she quickly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing red at a visible speed. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt as she stammered:

"Mr. Morris...you...how did you...Manager Henry sent me here...He said they were short-staffed and asked me to help organize the files..."

Did Henry send them?

Green remained calm, but a surge of anger suddenly rose within him.

What is this?

He thought the matter was over; the intimidation of the ledger and the photos was enough to make Henry keep his tail between his legs.

But this idiot clearly hasn't learned his lesson; he still thinks... shoving her over here is enough to make amends?

A poor attempt at appeasement, or a disguised form of bribery?

He even suspected that this was Henry's audacious test, trying to see where his bottom line really was.

He was almost laughing in exasperation at the idiot's thought process.

"Stay here and don't move."

Green left Anaïs with those words and strode away from the underground warehouse, without even glancing at her momentarily panicked expression.

He walked straight through the small building and headed towards the main building without saying a word. Several employees he encountered on the way, seeing his gloomy expression, instinctively gave him a wide berth.

Upon arriving at Henry Burns' office, Green didn't even pause politely; he simply raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Henry's deliberately affected tone came from inside.

Green pushed open the door and entered.

Henry was holding a coffee cup in his office, seemingly in a good mood.

But when the door was pushed open and he saw that it was Green, the leisurely look on his face froze instantly, and then he jumped up suddenly.

"Mr. Morris!" He quickly put on a fawning smile, hurriedly put down his coffee cup, and almost ran to greet him, bypassing his office.

"What brings you here? Please, have a seat!" He eagerly led Green to the sofa, but dared not sit down himself, bending slightly over and rubbing his hands, looking as if he were ready to be ordered around at any time.

It has to be said that Henry's set of workplace experience is simply superb.

Green didn't sit down; he just stared at him coldly.

Henry felt uneasy under his gaze, and his smile faltered. He quickly tried to make conversation, "I...I...Oh, right, I was just about to look for you, here..."

"What's going on with Anaïs?" Green interrupted him directly.

Henry was taken aback, then put on an exaggerated expression, as if he had been greatly wronged: "Mr. Morris! You've misunderstood me! How could I dare!"

He hurriedly explained:

"It was Anna herself! I talked to her, and as you suggested, I offered her compensation, and even said she could be transferred to a less demanding department, or she could simply leave with a lump sum of money... but she refused! She said her family needs this job, and she can't lose it!"

"I... I don't dare keep her around anymore, wouldn't that... wouldn't that just cause me trouble? I asked her which department she wanted to go to, and she... she hesitated for a long time before finally saying... she wanted to work with you..."

As Henry spoke, he carefully observed Green's expression, cold sweat already beading on his forehead.

"I was thinking, over there... in the underground warehouse, old Bob is getting on in years and can't really help you much, so adding someone would be... understandable. Besides, Anna seems quiet and meticulous, and she can keep you company... so I... I arranged for her to go there."

"I swear, Mr. Maurice, I meant absolutely nothing by it! I just... I just went with the flow, both to solve her problem and... to prevent her from gossiping elsewhere..."

His explanation was reasonable, even absolving himself of all responsibility, as if everything was Anaïs's own choice, and he was merely a helpless, rule-following superior.

A man like Henry would never do something without a purpose.

Whether it was due to Anna's own request or Henry's ulterior motives, bringing Anaïs to his side had become an inescapable problem.

A young woman who knows some of his secrets and may feel gratitude or other complex emotions towards him is now to share a room with him every day in that secluded underground warehouse...

He could guess what this guy was up to even with his bare hands.

Green's gaze lingered for a moment on Henry's face, which was filled with innocence and flattery, and suddenly, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

"manpower?"

Green looked thoughtful. "Hmm, you're right, Supervisor Henry. The underground warehouse does... need a thorough cleaning. It'll be difficult for me alone, with just a new girl."

Henry paused for a moment, not understanding what Green was trying to say, but subconsciously nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, there are so many things there, and they're all mixed up..."

"So," Green interrupted him, looking at him.

"Why don't you send a few more people? Not just one or two, but enough. Help me thoroughly clean and organize the underground warehouse. Get rid of all the useless old files and scrap. Make room so I'll have a decent space to live in. After all, you're not going to make me a permanent employee, are you?"

"Huh?" Henry's mouth opened slightly, his fawning expression frozen on his face.

Thoroughly clean up the underground warehouse? He knew better than anyone how massive that would be! It had been piled with garbage for who knows how many years; the accumulated dust was enough to bury a person. Normally, no one wanted to go down there.

How many people should we send? And...now?

But he hesitated for less than a second. The man in front of him held his fatal weakness! Let alone cleaning up the warehouse, even if he were to go and gnaw on the warehouse right now, he wouldn't dare say a word against it.

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

Henry immediately straightened his back, his face beaming with a smile again, and patted his chest to assure everyone, "You're absolutely right! That place should have been cleaned up a long time ago! I'll arrange it right away, immediately!"

He strode to his desk and pressed a brass bell on the surface.

"Ring ring—"

A crisp bell rang in another office.

Soon, a series of slightly hurried footsteps approached from afar. The office door was knocked on and then pushed open, and a young woman dressed in a well-fitting suit and with exquisite makeup walked in.

She smiled, her gaze quickly sweeping over Henry, whose face looked rather pale, and Green, whose back was turned to her.

"Manager, what can I do for you?" she asked in a clear, crisp voice.

Henry cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound authoritative:

"Julie, immediately notify everyone in the office and the maintenance room. Tell them to drop whatever they're doing, grab their tools, and assemble at the underground warehouse behind the main building! Now, immediately! Go and thoroughly clean that place up! Sweep away all the dust, remove all the useless junk, and neatly organize all the useful items! I want the warehouse to look brand new by the end of the day!"