'You always were straight to the point! You've probably guessed already. It was Jamie.'
My question was an obvious one to ask, hardly 'straight to the point', and why should he think I had guessed Jamie was the thief? 'Have the police been in yet?'
'Police? No.'
'How long is it since you called them?'
'What's the point in bringing them into it? We won't be seeing that money again. We'd only be making unnecessary trouble.'
'We can't pretend that nothing has happened. The insurers will want to know that we've notified the police. Unless he's spent it all already we may be able to get back what's left.'
'We won't see any of the money again, you can forget about that.'
'It isn't our money to forget about. The insurers will want details, the loss will have to be shown as a debit in the accounts.' This was standard practice, and my tone was not provocative, but he lost his temper.
'Don't make things harder for me than they are already. I'll make the money up out of my own pocket if you're that fussed about it.'
'I'm not "fussed" about anything. This is Andrew's money. What do you think we should do? Let people steal whatever they want from him and do nothing about it?'
'What Andrew said to me was that you would be keeping an eye on the books. He didn't say you'd be coming in interfering with how I run the place.'
'You asked me to come over because of a theft. If you're running a business and someone steals a significant amount of money, why would you not inform the police?'
He looked at me contemptuously. 'You don't know anything about this business. You were just some sort of computerised accountant before Andrew helped you set up that hotel.'
His mouth, which had never shaped itself into a smile in my direction, was spitting at me now. Had he always disliked me? I could overrule him and call in the police myself, but doing that would antagonise him more, and if he walked out the effect on the business would be far worse than the loss of a day's takings.
'Thanks for telling me what you think of me.' I said. 'All right, you're the one who knows all about the business, you decide what to do. We can't pretend the money is still in the till. Somehow or other the loss has to be covered for the accounts. Other than that do whatever you like.'