He made his way across town, back to the café where she was waiting.
He was nervously looking around as he approached. If it weren’t for the money he wouldn’t be doing this. It wasn’t his thing. It had all started with a single phone call to his girlfriend. She was a lot more at ease about the deal than he was. Several people milled around chatting outside. One man seemed to be in two minds about going in. He skirted around him and made his way to the table. She could see he was troubled.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, as he sat down.
“I saw a man.”
“What sort of man?”
“I don’t know, just a man.”
She sighed.
“He was loitering as I came in,” he went on.
She looked over at the entrance. “Well, he’s not there now.”
He turned and looked. “No, but he was!”
Her head shook. “Of course there are people around, this is a café. What would you expect?”
He looked hurt.
Her tone softened. ”OK. Look, I think you’re just getting jumpy. Nobody knows what we’re doing. How could they? We’ve been very careful. You know that, right?”
“Suppose so.”
“Well then, just show me what you got.”
“Oh! Yes, of course.” He dug into his pocket and brought out an envelope, tore it open and took out a key. He laid it on the table, then covered it with a napkin. “I suppose this will open the box.”
She asked, “Did he give it to you personally?”
“No. Paid some random kid he found on the street to meet me and hand it over.”
She frowned, “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Me neither,” he said, shrugging, “we don’t really know who he is or why he’s prepared to pay us so handsomely, for just collecting something from a Post Office box.”
She said, “OK. I made a note of the phone instructions. Let’s do it.”
They left the café and made their way to the central Post Office. They both felt the excitement building. Whatever it was, they were both moving into unknown territory.
They found the box with the number she had written down, they opened it. Inside, was a large brown envelope with the words ‘Please open’. It was stuffed with banknotes. There was also a typed note, with no signature.
It read: ‘Please find here the recompense you were promised. I am a billionaire who enjoys giving away money, but also, making a game of it. Thank you for your participation.’
They just stood there, looking at each other…