Time and Again

VIII

The desk buzzer snarled at Adams and he thumbed it up.

"Yes," he said. "What is it?"

Alice's words tumbled over one another. "The file, sir. The Sutton file."

"What about the Sutton file?"

"It's gone, sir."

"Someone is using it."

"No, sir, not that. It has been stolen."

Adams jerked erect.

"Stolen!"

"Stolen," said Alice. "That is right, sir. Twenty years ago."

"But twenty years…"

"We checked the security points," said Alice. "It was stolen just three days after Mr. Sutton set out for 61."