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‘Yolanda has asked me to do this while her son is with her. We have spoken and she is aware now that you are here as a working girl. I can either do this discreetly or I can call for the police.’
It was the ultimate walk of shame. Walking into the room alongside two security guards who knew that Costa had paid for her services. But far worse than that was the fact that Yolanda knew.
Except it wasn’t really like that.
Was it?
The only vindication was that of course she wasn’t the thief.
Still, it felt nerve-racking.
The luggage that Costa had bought her was all clear.
‘I told you,’ she said.
Then they went through her make-up bag, and it was then that Mary knew she would be leaving right away. There was no way she could stay here a moment longer after this.
But then Nemo opened up her folded hat, which was still in the wardrobe, and shook out the shells she had collected form the beach. Onto the bed fell some earrings, then a watch, and a silver hairpin with a diamond as big as Mary’s little fingernail...
‘No!’ she said immediately. ‘I did not take them.’
‘So they just fell into the hat?’
‘Of course not.’ Mary could feel her heart thumping in her chest as her worst nightmare came true. ‘I would never...’
She would not even pick up so much as a penny on the street to avoid precisely this situation. Her father’s crimes tortured her still.
‘It’s a set-up.’
‘What the hell’s going on?’
It was Costa, with his mother behind him.
‘Oh, Mary...’ Yolanda said.
The shell earrings Mary had given her were dangling on her ears and so it hurt even more that her voice was wretched with disappointment as she surveyed the bed.
‘Papou’s watch, Yaya’s earrings...’ Yolanda started to cry. ‘That is the hairclip poor Roula lost last night.’
‘Get out!’ Costa said.
Mary stilled at the darkness in his voice, but it was aimed at the guards.
‘I mean it,’ he said. There was no doubting that he did. ‘Out.’
‘Do you want the police?’ Nemo asked from the safety of the doorway.
Costa told him once again, this time somewhat less than politely, to leave.
‘Send a car.’ Yolanda dragged herself into management mode. ‘No police.’
‘You too,’ Costa said to his mother when the guards had departed. ‘Go.’
‘Costa, listen to me. We have policies for this.’
‘I’ll wheel you out myself,’ Costa warned.
Mary stood silently, like a statue, barely able to breathe as Yolanda turned to leave.
