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“SECURITY.” MAX ANSWERED the call almost before it had rung.
“Hi, Max, it’s Gemma.”
“I know.” Of course he did.
“I’m worried about Oriana. She’s gone out for her evening off and she’s not back yet, but her flat door was wide open. She’s normally meticulous about keeping it locked to protect her privacy. I’ve never even been in there before. I’m worried someone might have broken in to steal something. All that money, for a start.”
“Money?”
“On her walls.”
“Ha!”
“Yes. Have you seen it? It’s there for the taking.”
Max sighed. “Listen, Gemma, to put your mind at rest, I’ll come up and take a look. But don’t worry, there won’t be any thieves on the prowl, nor any other kind of intruder. You can sleep easy in your bed tonight. I expect in her haste to get away for her night off, Oriana didn’t lock her door properly. It’s a windy night and these corridors can be draughty. A gust of wind could have been enough to push it open if it wasn’t locked.”
I wondered where Max was, hoping he wouldn’t take long to arrive.
“But what about all that cash? Isn’t it just putting temptation in people’s way? For the girls, as well as for intruders? Or even staff.” I hoped Mavis hadn’t got wind of it. “There must be a fortune stuck to her walls.”
“In her dreams,” he murmured, hanging up.
I wished I was wealthy enough to dismiss a big stash of cash so lightly. Was Max rich too? I got up to put the kettle on to make us both some cocoa, feeling guilty for calling Max out on such a wet and windy night if this was to prove a wild goose chase.
With his usual lightning reactions, Max was outside my flat before the kettle had even boiled. Within moments, so was Oriana.
“Oh, Oriana, hello,” I began, handing Max a mug of cocoa. “I’m so glad to see you. I called Max, because the door to your flat was wide open and I was worried there might have been a break-in.”
Her smile faded. “To my flat? I don’t think so. Any thief in his right mind would target the Bursary, where all the big money is kept. Besides, no intruder’s ever got past Max before.”
Max raised his mug in a toast to her compliment.
Oriana was making me feel foolish, very much still the new girl. I was starting to worry that she’d think I’d made the whole thing up to get back at her for going out with Steven.
“My flat is my private domain,” she continued, folding her arms across her chest in defiance. “And I’ll thank you to stay out of it in future.”
With that she turned on her heel and stalked back to her front door, slamming it behind her. Max and I stood in silence as the sound echoed down the corridor.
Max winked at me. “I’m guessing someone’s date didn’t go well.”
I forced a smile, not wanting to picture what might have gone on between Oriana and Steven.
“Thanks for coming over, Max, and sorry to have brought you out for nothing on such a horrible night.”
He slipped Oriana’s door key into one of his many trouser pockets. “It’s no problem, Gemma, it’s what they pay me for. And I’m glad to be able to reassure you.”
I smiled at him. “Yes. Yes, you do.”
