The Codex File (2012) by Miles Etherton Page B

saddened’ by Colette and Clare’s deaths. His expression hardened and his forehead creased with tension.
    Well they would, wouldn’t they? Gives you a bit more to do. A few more clients to bill.
    There had been no major surprises in the will. Colette’s estate had mainly been left to him. Although, some of it would have gone to Clare if she’d still been alive.
    Her parents, sister, and some distant cousins had received family items containing sentimental value. There were no surprises until the solicitor handed him the Post Office key that was with the will for safekeeping.
    He could still see the embarrassed surprise etched on the solicitor’s face. He wondered how many other times benefactors of a will had been left an item they didn’t know existed.
    Reaching out his hand he gently touched the top of the box. It was comforting to know that Colette had once handled it. It was one of the few things left in the house she would have touched he thought sorrowfully, gazing through the ornate patio doors onto the recently mowed lawn.
    Since the parents had re-decorated and re-furnished everything was new and fresh, untouched by Colette and Clare. He didn’t know what was worse. Knowing their presence wasn’t there, or having all the ghastly memories to remind him.
    He looked around the pristine room and frowned. Everything was just too new. It no longer seemed like his home anymore.
    Turning back to the table, and without a second thought, he flicked the box file open. He really had no idea what it might contain.
    Or should that be reveal?
    In the Post Office when he first discovered the box file he’d clung to the hope that maybe it contained clues to finding their killers. But then reality had struck. How would Colette have known that someone wanted to kill her, to kill Clare? Unless she’d been involved with something more sinister that he didn’t know about?
    No, he knew Colette. He would have sensed if she’d been keeping something important hidden from him.
    The box file sat on the table. He hadn’t known about that.
    Tentatively, he pulled the open box file towards him. His gaze rested on a stack of papers sealed by transparent plastic wallets. Picking up the papers with reverential care he read the titles of each set of documents.
    ‘ State Network Tender’, ‘Intranet Development Plan’, ‘5 th Generation Semantic Web’, ‘Advanced App development’, ‘Cookies’ and ‘Data Storage Devices’.
    State Network Tender .
    For several long moments he stared at the plastic wallet, re-reading the title. Sordid newspaper headlines came rushing back to him.
‘ Computer company executives slain’
    ‘ Green activists blamed for brutal double murder’
    The familiar numbness he felt when reminded of their murders engulfed him. Firmly closing his eyes he fought back the dark shadows of his subconscious.
    Rising from his chair, and clasping the plastic folder tight to his chest, he crossed over to the eCitTV set. As the picture snapped into life he slumped into the dark blue armchair. The new furniture definitely wasn’t to his taste.
    As daytime content smothered the screen he reached for the control panel.
    Let’s see just how useful and informative eCitTV really is. If Colette was involved in developing this technology it must be pretty damn good.
    Pressing the ‘Web’ button on the screen of the console the familiar UKCitizensNet toolbar appeared, clinging to the bottom of the screen. Pressing the ‘Search’ icon the pictures vanished as the red, white and blue logo appeared on a fresh page.
    He typed tentatively, his fingers perspiring.
    ‘ Colette AND Clare Robertson’ the keys spelled out.
    Within an instant the search had been completed and the screen blinked again. A pale grey screen advertising various information channels on UKCitizensNet slid down the right side.
    ‘ Your search has returned 231 matches for ‘Colette AND Clare Robertson’ he read.
    The information was split into