The Parcel

Chapter 4 – Kathy

  “Hello. I’m glad you are on your own.” The question came from nowhere.

  Kathy spun round to see who could be speaking. “Sorry?” she said shakily. “Where are you?”

  “You’ll have to find me. I’ve got something for you.” The voice was high pitched and seemed to echo.

  “Who are you? Where are you?” Kathy repeated. She ran quickly between the rows of wooden trestles that held the hundreds of priceless blooms. She searched underneath the wide shelving even lifting the green netting that covered the plants overnight.

  There couldn’t be any customers around, she thought. The gardens had closed their gates as normal at five thirty. The last lingering tourists were seen off the premises half an hour before. The site security officer had done his routine check of the grounds, the café and the toilets. There had once been an incidence of a hard of hearing visitor being locked in the loo and another time a homeless guy had tried to hide in one of the greenhouses in the hope of having a warm shelter for the night. So management took no chances after that. Burley ex guardsman Geoff took pride in his role as security officer, patrolling the whole site with the same enthusiasm he had felt in his soldiering days. He had studied horticulture since retiring, even learning the names of the exotic and rare specimens and would have guarded them overnight if the business’s budget had allowed. He was able to bring his little Jack Russell to work so no trespasser would get past either of them.

 

  That evening, Kathy was working late and alone. She had bid Geoff goodnight explaining that she was staying to do some stock checking. “Now you’re sure you’ll be alright?” he had said. “I can stay on with you if you like.” He cared as much for and felt as protective towards his colleagues as he did for the flora in the beautiful gardens.

  “No, no, I’ll be fine,” Kathy said. “Just leave me the keys and I’ll drop them through your letterbox at home for you to unlock in the morning.”

  Now she wished she had said yes to his offer. Hoping she sounded more courageous than she felt she said very loudly, “Now listen whoever you are. Just come out and show yourself and then leave.” She heard a scraping noise and from behind some huge pots of Yucca plants and Camellias a little man appeared. He was small enough to have crouched down between the massive ceramic tubs. How Geoff and his little dog had not discovered him she couldn’t imagine. But then she thought he must have hidden inside one of the empty tubs. She stepped back. “What are you doing? What do you want?” She wasn’t so frightened now he had shown himself. He was very small, five feet one at the most and very slightly built. He wore jeans and only a thin tee shirt.

  “I don’t want anything,” he said. “I’m here to give something to you.” He wasn’t at all threatening. He walked to the back of the assorted plant pots and put his had inside one of the empty ones. He came towards her and held out a brown parcel. “I was told I had to give this to you but nobody must see you take it from me.” Kathy hesitated then put out her hand to take it from him. It was quite light and had an address written on it in back marker pen.

  “What on earth…?” she started to ask.

  “No, I can’t tell you anything because I don’t know anything. Only that somebody very important wants this to be delivered to the pharmacy in the village near here. But I was to give it to you first.”

  “But what’s in it, and why me?” Kathy didn’t feel at all scared now, just disbelieving and intrigued.

  “Can’t tell you that ’cos I don’t know. All I know is if it doesn’t get to the pharmacy, people in really high places will hear of it and there’ll be consequences .So I suggest you don’t even think of opening it however curious you are. And no, it isn’t drugs. Now – I’d like to leave. I’ve got a long drive.”

  After a restless night, Kathy phoned her colleague and explained she would be late into work as she had an errand to do in the village.

  ***