The Poacher by J.M. Elliott

Author:J.M. Elliott [Elliott, J.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jackie Elliott
Published: 2020-02-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ office, which also housed a Marine Biology Unit was located on prime waterfront real estate overlooking Nanaimo Harbour. Despite meticulous landscaping, and the spectacular ocean view, Andi couldn’t help thinking that the box-like building resembled a hospital. It also appeared to be deserted.

There was no security officer at the gate, and only one notice pointing towards reception. After trying several doors that looked like they could be the entrance, Andi found one that was unlocked. She walked into a small lobby, painted institutional grey. There was no reception desk, just a door with an electronic lock.

Andi rummaged and found the contact number and name that Jim had given her and called it from her cell phone. A bored sounding lady answered, and after describing where she was, and who she was scheduled to meet, Andi heard her sigh, and finally agree to walk down, collect her and show her to the right office.

Andi thanked her and waited.

After ten minutes, Andi was just about to call again, and the door swung open. A young woman, with a bored expression to match her tone, asked Andi to follow her.

The building was a maze of corridors lined with closed brown office doors and narrow staircases that all looked the same. Andi wondered if she should drop breadcrumbs so she could find her way out after the interview. A couple of times, she caught a glimpse into an office with an open door, and saw desks piled high with files, dusty shelves full of bank boxes and people huddled silently in front of computer screens.

It was eerily quiet.

“How long have you worked here?” Andi asked her guide in an attempt to make conversation. The woman ignored her completely and stopped in front of a glass door. A brass plaque to the left read ‘Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Enforcement Division, Pacific Region’. The woman pressed a button on the right-hand side, and another young woman, with an equally bored expression opened the door. At least, Andi thought, this young woman was rebelling against the beige interior of the building, with a pink streak in her hair and a nose piercing.

She took Andi’s business card and asked her to sign in.

“Take a seat,” she said to Andi. “Captain Roberts will be with you in a moment.”

Confused, Andi checked the note that Jim had given her. 'Gerry Roberts’ Jim had scrawled, plus the phone number.

Inwardly, Andi groaned. It had been a while since she interviewed a government bureaucrat. Some of them had been institutionalized for so long, insisting on the importance of rank and seniority that they had completely lost touch with the real world. And they tended to talk a lot.

Andi tried again to make conversation, this time with the pink-haired secretary.

“Could you give me an idea about what you guys do in this department?” she asked.

Pink Hair looked up and pointed to the plaque on the door.

“Enforcement,” she said and looked back down at her desk.

Another twenty

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