EL'S

hone twelve times

ear the counter, arguing with my colleague about a screen protec

noticed a

ed on the conversati

eauti

lue t

t 10:2

rep

chat, as though that would

reen out," my colleague remar

our bus

our message and didn't r

nd placed it face d

't mean a

ourse

k, but he only laughed a

er when she needed it, asked for her number, and she'd eventually agreed to give it

aken her politen

ple message, yet here I was, acting like a teenage

it quietly and told her the service was free. I hadn't done i

she'd tried to remain polite despite everything going wrong. Some

up my pho

th

reath and slipped

ings on her mind. Either way, she didn't o

rstood

me wondered whether her phone was finally work

head at t

to chase her

talk to me, she kn

t, I'd have to a

reached for my tools, trying very hard no

ca's

ver to my

e for a moment

n't want to wor

t? No, ma'am. T

u came to work

alling you several times yesterday, bu

my phone yesterday. I spent most of the day trying to

d at me c

g to reach me, so I wa

htly touched the phone in my hand

es

. Then go and get

rig

r inside, then stopped a

ooked

iving our salarie

red on her face. "W

ext week, so that's w

hould arrive soon. Now go and get rea

ka

ack to change. When I

ious. The moment she saw me,

you come yesterday? And w

"I'm sorry, my lo

ust her. I simply knew how she could be, and if I told her ev

y new phone from my ha

d. "Ooh, the camera

aven't even check

era is i

supervisor walked in. "Wai

e into her pocket.

rd the back. I

ring the fruit we would

cutting and arranging it. After about

anc

holding my phone, and she

meone is ca

took it. The moment I saw the

ri

ered.

nded calm. "Have yo

m alread

ed to make sure yo

sy righ

s a brie

t. Take

all e

nt. Why did I suddenly feel guilt

e that I hadn't done anything wrong. Besides, I barely kn

d closer, eyebrows cli

fri

had that phone for

ar

th hands, but the grin didn't lea

e away and re

just as it usually did. By the ti

to Mary, but I

he station until six, and i

tic chairs bolted to the wall. A man near the counter was loudly explaining that his car had been towed. A

r. "Officer Marsh is expecting me

e a

I counted every one of them. I

s Bi

a pen tucked behind his ear. He led me into a small office wit

picked up his pen. "Let's

, the two men on the dance floor. It was strange to say it aloud to someon

know ei

N

n them befor

N

e touc

bbed my

k's statement says the same t

sorry I misse

d, not unkindly. "What matte

s a still from the club's footage: a man in a gre

man who grabb

at jaw. I knew that smile, the

es

're

m s

bag at Velvet Eclipse last week Friday. This is the third phone stolen at that clu

it," I said. "As if

. "That's what

d h

arrogance or a message. In my experience, it'

hed the back

's on the box, or in your account. We can ask the ne

at home. I'l

ase

get it