Final Turn: A story of adventure, intrigue and suspense. by maurice engler

up and runnin’. Talked with one of your people, Bill Whithers. Sent him some data from one of the trucks. He says there was data from a truck being used on Friday. It went through the gate. He asked me to dump the mileage and stuff recorded by the computer in the truck." Kevin looked like a kid who had just opened a Christmas present and found his favorite toy. He went on, “It all went O.K. He must have run the reports because here they are." Kevin pointed to the screen. He had the EDS system running on his terminal and had located the same reports that Roger had in his briefcase. Bill must have set up the reports on-line for Kevin to access. Kevin did seem to be on top of things.
    Roger settled into the chair. "That's great. When will your company begin to issue ID cards to your clients?"
    "Supposed to get here today. They've assigned us a bunch. Accountants like to log things in you know, they’re doing that first. They say they have their own card reader there and some special programs. You know about that?" Roger explained that eStorage's accounting office had special programs to allow them to enable and disable I.D. cards and to generate the special reports needed maintain the system.
    He could see Kevin loose interest as he got too deeply into it. Kevin seemed know where his own responsibility started and stopped. He knew how much he had to know. He captured the essence of what Roger had said in his own version, "So that doesn't affect us out here none." He followed that with, "You heard anything else from them we should know about?"
    "Not really." Roger said reticently.  There was a tone of 'us and them' in Kevin's voice. Roger wondered again if Kevin was sniffing for information about possible staff reductions.
    "Will you keep a manual log for a while before you switch over completely?" Roger changed the subject.
    "Yeah. They told us to do that. We’ll just keep doing what we did for a while." Kevin didn't look the type who was going to take a whole lot of chances with some computer system.
    Roger leaned forward to look at the screen in front of Kevin. "Can you tell from this if the records from last Friday are correct?" He saw a blank look occupy Kevin's face. Roger explained further. "The time, date, mileage and those things. Are they about right in the computer report? Have you checked them against your manual logs?"
    Kevin's expression changed to puzzlement. "You'd best ask your own people about that one. We didn't use that vehicle. Didn’t know someone had taken one of them large trucks without telling’ us. That's what the test card lets you do, must be OK with the company. Head office gives out the cards. They know what they're doing." There was a tone of resignation in his voice.
    "Yes the card allows us to do that. It does. But we haven't been driving around in your equipment. I spoke with Bill just before coming out here and it sure wasn't him. He wouldn't be doing that. In fact, I think our only test card is in Jack Fischer's desk and he is out of the country. You have one of the other test cards and eStorage's accountant has the other. There are only three."
    "Well, I don't know. We sure don't have any manual log of that truck." Kevin said picking up the phone. He dialed a number and without introductions said, "Come in here for a minute." He put the phone down and sat waiting as if he didn't want an interruption. Roger stood up so as not to occupy the only other chair in the office when the person whom Kevin had called arrived. There was a crunching of gravel outside before the door opened abruptly and in came the wind and the charming young man from the front gate. He gave Roger a repudiating glance and asked of Kevin, "Yeah?"
    "Did anyone take a truck out last Friday? That would be the fourteenth." Kevin asked him directly.
    "Take a truck out? What for?" His voice lacked respect and did nothing to hide his dislike of being asked.
    "It doesn't matter what for. Do you know if anyone took a truck