Page 60 of The Women of Oak Ridge

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:MAE

MR. COLBY DIDN’T SMILEwhen he found me cleaning tools in the maintenance shop. I usually enjoyed my work at K-25, but this particular task was not one of my favorites. Dirt, oil, and grunge covered my hands and coveralls.

“Willett,” he said, an unexpected firmness to his voice. “Get cleaned up and come to my office. Now.”

My stomach dropped to my feet. “Yes, sir.”

I hurried to the restroom to wash my hands, leaving a ring of grime on the small porcelain sink, all the while trying to figure out what caused my boss’s anger. Had I broken something? Misplaced an important instrument? Nothing stood out in my memory, but obviously whatever slipup I’d committed was serious enough that Mr. Colby was not pleased. I hoped I wasn’t about to lose my job.

The door to his office was closed when I arrived. Knots twisted my gut. Surely whatever I’d done could be handled with a stern reprimand and instructions to never do it again.

Inhaling a deep breath, I knocked.

“Come in.”

I pressed my lips together and entered.

Mr. Colby sat at his desk, but he wasn’t alone. An MP stood next to him, his eyes fixed on me.

Alarm stilled my feet.

“Sit down, Willett. This officer has some questions for you.” Mr. Colby’s normally pleasant face displayed a deep scowl.

My entire body shook as I moved to the straight-backed chair against the wall.

This could only be about one thing.

Somehow, some way, they knew about Clive’s trailer. That I’d broken in and taken something. Was the MP here to arrest me?

“We’ve had a complaint registered against you, Miss Willett,” the MP said. He couldn’t be much older than me, yet he had an air of authority that surpassed his age.

When I didn’t respond, he continued. “Where were you yesterday?”

“In the dorm. It was my day off.” My wobbly voice gave away my nervousness. Although I told the truth, it wasn’t complete.

“Can anyone vouch for you?”

I swallowed. “I’m sure any number of girls saw me, although I mostly stayed in my room to read.”

“What about your roommate? Where was she?”

My gaze slid to Mr. Colby, who sat listening intently. Our conversation from two days ago played in my mind. I’d let him believe I’d had a disagreement with Sissy. Now, it seemed best to answer the question honestly.

I met the MPs gaze once again. “I don’t know where Sissy is. I haven’t seen her since the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

The guard’s eyes narrowed. “Did you and she have an argument? Say, over a man?”

The question stumped me. “No, we never argued. Over anything.”

“The person who registered the complaint against you says otherwise. He states that you were jealous of his relationship with Miss Galloway and that you broke into his home at some point yesterday while he was away. Is that true?”

My body trembled uncontrollably.

Not only had my crime been discovered, but it had been reported to the authorities. If I said too much, I had no doubt they’d put me in jail.

The men waited for an answer.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Sissy and I are best friends. She confided that she was thinking about breaking up with Clive Morrison—I assume that’s who filed the complaint against me—but after she didn’t return from an outing with him, he told me it was his idea to break up. He also claims Sissy left Oak Ridge and went home to Georgia because of it.”