Dibs

“Ma’am? I’m telling you for the ninth time. That elevator simply does not work”

“I know” Emily simply replied and stabbed the elevator button again.

The guard fumed, “If you could just hear-“     

“What?”

“it doesc't work. The elevator." A carefully controlled face. Why do humans like her exist?

“Oh!” Emily smiled, “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

And with another infuriatingly sweet smile she swept out of the elevator with as much grace as a queen leaving the guard think just  how much his salary should be hiked given the fact he had to tolerate such customers.

The truth was, of course, that Emily was a tad bit occupied. She’d spent her whole day contemplating how to pickpocket Alessandra Chord, the tall thin wealthy woman who was spending her vacation in Hotel Daffodil, Emily’s current location. She was as miser just like her husband and the few jewellery she allowed herself to, she guarded with all her life.

But Emily Torrent was a professional pickpocket as she enjoyed a challenge so she put herself to the task of robbing dear Mrs.Chord just of a few shillings. Nothing big, of course.

She spotted her chance just as she stepped down from the staircase. Alessandra Chord was walking to the staircase in a huff. “She must have created quite a tantrum for the elevators”, Emily reflected.

This was a perfect chance. One collision and she could easily take her wallet. Alessandra seemed angry so it was the perfect chance because after years of pick-pocketing Emily had learnt one thing and that was emotion was useless and left one vulnerable. To people like her. Plus there weren’t many people in the lobby and those who were there had their faces buried in newspapers.

Emily speedily moved towards Alessandra and purposefully collided with her. Her wallet fell off her expensive Armani purse and Emily scooped it up unaware to the millionaire standing in front of her.

“Oh but I am so sorry” Emily apologized and before Alessandra could hurl more first class expensive insults at her, she excused herself gracefully and speedily headed towards the exit.

All was going so well! Emily even allowed herself a grin halfway to the exit when a person suddenly a person emerged from behind the potted snake plant and stopped her saying, "Well hello! I’m Robert and who might you be?”

Emily glared him fiercely into the plant as if she wished he would turn into one.

“Someone who doesn’t care who you are. I’m late for my meeting, okay?” she fiercely said.

The man didn’t seem deterred. “No need to be so curt. I'm not having an awesome day either.”Before she could cut in by saying she didn't really care he added "The work of a hotel detective is harder than most people make it to be..." Followed by a indicative eyebrow raise.

The full meaning of his words sank in. Emily cursed herself for not being more watchful. Anyone of the people might have been watching her. And a hotel detective that too! But this was Emily's favorite part of the game.

Robert smiled, “I think you and I had better have a talk, don’t you think?”

“Yes, of course” She slowly sat down on of the chairs in the lobby. Robert followed suit.

“So,” He began “A fine day..?”

"Yeah..." He was looking at her. She blushed and looked down. Let her look as demure and shy as possible.

"I suppose you know why I called you here?"

"I don't suppose there's any chance pretending I didn't do it.."

"No.." He was watching her carefully.

"Well , here it is" She fished in her bag and brought out a cheap little plastic comb. "I took it from the total bathroom. But," She hurried to say, "Doesn't everyone else too? But I'm sorry I'll return it at once. " She passed it along the table.

He looked at the comb with a strange expression. Then he looked at her and the look on his face was definitely a good-move-but-here's-checkmate.

"So you weren't the blonde lady wearing the fake mink sink coat who very skillfully might I add, picked up Mrs. Chord's wallet?"

“How dare you! Are you suggesting that-“

“Oh come off it! I saw you do it.”

Ugh. Some days she had to concede. Guess it was gonna be one of them. But she wasn't going without a bang.

Her upper lip trembled. She dropped her head into her hands and made a big show of sobbing. Finally she raised her head and slowly said, “It’s just- I cant’ help it, you know…I have this urge to steal..and..”

“Kleptomania?” He says empathically .

“And if my father learns about it..” More lies, “he’ll put me in a mental asylum..”

“But he doesn’t need to know about it.”

Emily couldn’t believe how easy it was. She didn't trust how easy it was.

“No?” She asked.

“No. I see no need in causing undue embarrassment to the hotel. Meanwhile Mrs.Chord shall have her wallet back..”

Emily handed him the wallet, her face shining with gratitude. Still feeling something was wrong.

“..And you’ll get away with a warning. But don’t come back here.” He completed.

Emily not believing her good luck, thanked him profusely and hurriedly left the hotel. The last glance she stole, she saw the man mimicking tipping a hat as if to acknowledge her. She didn't know for what.

She grinned halfway from her house. She might have been thrown from Harvard but she’d got an A in acting.

While returning from the hotel, she fingered the dollars she’d managed to slip into her pockets from the detective's from the wallet while the hotel detective had been jabbering. She'd been shoddy enough to give herself away but clever enough to slip out.

Meanwhile Robert Sandy slowly pocketed Alessandra's wallet. Instead of returning to the lobby , he moved out of the hotel. When he felt he was far enough from the hotel he counted the money in the wallet and smiled.

He'd realized the worthy opponent but she still was a beginner, Maybe she'd become cautious in the future.

He didn't expect to feel sympathy for the girl because Wasn't that how all amateur pickpockets learnt?. And after all Alessandra Chord had been his mark and he was almost going to pickpocket her when this girl had virtually appeared from nowhere. She did take some dollars from his wallet but that was virtually nothing compared to Alessandra's vast sum of money.

But wouldn’t you say she was entitled to it?