Page 21 of A Face in the Crowd
We share a look because we know how efficient our building manager is. Late rent: Lauren will be on it within minutes. Anything needing fixing will take a full assessment and tendering process that means it’ll be lucky to get done within a month.
Karen pulls the door until it’s almost closed behind her. ‘Thanks for having the boys,’ she says, before taking a big breath. She bites her lip and it’s obvious there’s something there.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’ I ask.
She opens her mouth and there’s a moment in which I think the reason for her Sunday disappearances is going to come out. Instead, she yawns once more, covering her mouth with her hand.
‘Sorry,’ she says, though I’m not sure if the apology is for the yawn. ‘I hope you enjoy the money.’
I crane my neck, taken aback, before realising she means the fantasy scratch card win. ‘Thank you,’ I reply.
She gives a little wave and then disappears back into the apartment.
It’s only a few steps to my flat, but Billy is ahead of me, waiting outside the door and peering back over his shoulder to see where I am.
‘I’m right here,’ I tell him as I creak across the floorboards.
Billy turns back and then pushes his way into the apartment. I almost do the same before I realise what’s wrong.
I never unlocked the door.
I stop and turn to look around the empty hallway. The corner near Karen’s is shrouded with darkness, but the rest of the space is filled with the dim orangey glow from the cheap bulbs. I push into my own apartment and stop to take in the room.
Billy is twisting himself in circles as he pads down the blanket in his bed. He does this every night, even though he ends up sleeping on my bed.
I hurry to the other side of the room and pull the bed down from the wall. I’m barely thinking and the hinge catches on the wall, wrenching backwards so violently that I feel a snap in my shoulder. All that does is make me heave harder until the foldaway bed pops out from the wall and crashes into the floor with awhump. The stabbing pain in my chest is such that I pat a hand to my top, fully expecting there to be blood. There’s not, but I’m gasping for breath as I slip my hands underneath the mattress.
The money has gone.
Chapter Twelve
I almost took the envelope of money out with me when picking up the boys – but thought it would be safer here. How could I have been sostupid?
I stand, turning in a circle, before noticing that the front door is still open. I dash across the room and slam it closed and then stand to take in the room. Aside from the sheets that have tumbled from the bed, everything else is in place. It’s easy to say that because I have so little. I check the drawer underneath the television, but my brand-new laptop is still there. The old, unresponsive, one is there, too. I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out.
Billy is sitting in his bed, staring up at me with confusion. I still need to help him out of the trick or treat costume, but he’s ready for bed and the toilet roll gun is long gone.
There’s a flicker of something in the corner of my eye, but, when I turn, there’s nothing there except the bare wall, which is sliding slowly towards me.
I stand as still as I can, closing my eyes and willing calm. It’s hard – somebody has broken into the apartment and taken the money – but I push those thoughts away and instead think of a wide, open field. Acres of lush, bright green stretching in all directions and endless blue above.
Breathe.
When I open my eyes, the walls are where they should be. I shuffle into the kitchen and open the drawer, allowing myself two deep puffs on the inhaler.
‘Be calm,’ I tell myself.
And I am.
I’m not sure how or why, but I suddenly realise I was looking for the envelope on the wrong side of the bed. My thoughts are clear now and I round the kitchen counter, step across to the askew mattress and reach underneath.
The envelope of money is exactly where I left it.
I pull open the flap at the top and dig inside, removing the neat bundles of cash and placing them on the table by the sofa. As Billy watches on and scratches at his costume, I count the money. Then I count it a second time. And a third.
It’s all there.
Nobody has been in the apartment and nothing is missing.
