The Gin Shack on the Beach. Catherine Miller

did you think I was doing?’

      ‘This…’ Veronica did a dramatic flourish of her arm ‘…is not a position any normal person adopts to read. We thought you’d gone and had a stroke or something.’

      ‘I didn’t think anyone could see me from in there. I always read here. Far more comfortable than any of the chairs in the lobby.’

      ‘Your feet are poking out. We thought we were coming to discover a cadaver,’ Olive said.

      ‘Why aren’t you sitting on the bench? Surely that’s what they’re for.’ Veronica was still gesticulating with her arms.

      ‘The grass is far comfier for my bony bum. You should try it. It’s the perfect way to top up my tan and greet the moon as it comes to play. Anyway, enough about me. What are you two doing in this part of the building?’ Randy abandoned his book and propped himself up on one elbow.

      ‘Nothing,’ Veronica was quick to say.

      The statement giving them away in an instant, Randy’s interest was instantly piqued. ‘So why are you missing this evening’s delightful cabaret?’ Moving his legs off the bench and popping his shoes on, Randy started to get up with surprising agility.

      ‘I was, er, just, um, showing Olive around some of the less-well-known parts of Oakley.’

      Olive hated to think how useless Veronica would be under any pressured questioning. She’d give up all their secrets in moments.

      ‘But I’ve already given her the unofficial tour. We covered this part. Didn’t Olive say?’ There was that twinkle in Randy’s eyes telling Olive he was winding Veronica up.

      ‘Um. Yes. No. Maybe.’

      ‘We’re looking for a way of getting out undetected.’ Olive hadn’t planned on confiding their mission to anyone else, but Veronica’s guilty look meant Randy would have guessed eventually, and as he was the unofficial tour guide of Oakley West, if anyone knew how to get out, it would be him.

      ‘Olive!’ Veronica chastised. ‘We’re not supposed to tell anyone.’

      ‘We’re not going to tell any of the staff. And I’d rather we didn’t tell all the residents, but Randy’s okay. He might be able to help us.’ Olive hoped to appeal to the old rogue’s better nature, so offered her sweetest smile. ‘Is there any chance you know of a way out? We’ll get caught if we go out of the exits we know about.’

      A wicked grin broke out on Randy’s face. ‘Hmmm… what’s it worth and what are you up to?’

      ‘Our eternal gratitude and that would be telling.’

      Randy laughed. ‘You’re off to that beach hut of yours, aren’t you? Can’t say I blame you. I’d be heading there as often as I could if I had one.’

      ‘We’re hoping to go there every Friday.’ Veronica let that information slip like an excitable child unable to contain the secret.

      ‘Veronica…’ It was Olive’s turn to do the telling off.