"Hi Joyce could you show me where the b25 forms are before you go home? We're out of them in the cabinet and I can't see them in storage anywhere."
"Sure Matt. Just give me a sec to send this, log out and grab my stuff."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
"Just having to fill the almighty Toni in on the Salisbury situation. She's going to be really happy on Monday," Joyce said sarcastically as she typed the last few words and hit send. "There, done. Let's blow this joint."
They both started heading out of the office, Matt opened the door and let Joyce go through before following her into a very plain looking corridor that led out to the car park.
"I put them up high so sales don't steal them when they come around," she said playfully as they walked.
He let out a chuckle.
"That would explain why I can't find them then."
"Marcy took five hundred d7 forms last year while no one was looking, I do things differently now," she said as she stopped in front of a door and fumbled for her key to unlock it.
"After you this time," she said as she held the door for Matt.
He smiled and walked in as she followed him through. Joyce let the door go and it latched itself with a heavy clunk behind them.
"I shouldn't be showing you my secrets but just remember I'll know who it was if any disappear," she said staring at him seriously.
"Damn I had a buyer all lined up and everything, I'll need to rethink the plan," he said with a smile. "Maybe a fake robbery, even if you suspect you won't be able to prove anything."
"You'd break and confess buddy, no one lasts past the first 24 hours when I'm on to them."
"Promises promises," Matt replied with a smile.
"They all doubt at first," she said as she looked at him "The Steps are over there, make yourself useful."
Matt looked round and saw the step ladder next to him, he grabbed it and hurried after Joyce as she took off down a row of shelves and round a corner.
"Up you go, right at the back of that top shelf there."
He pulled out the steps and climbed up, reaching right to the back to grab a stack of forms.
"You really don't want sales getting these do you?" Matt said as he climbed back down.
"Gotta look after our own in this place."
"Clearly," he replied as he started carrying the steps back with the forms under the other arm.
"Well thank you for showing me your hidey hole. I suspect if I came back I'd find it empty but your secret is safe with me regardless.
Matt popped the steps back as Joyce put the key in the lock and twisted.
A metallic snap rang out.
"Er... we have an issue," Joyce said flatly.
"The key broke in the lock didn't it?"
"Yep...."
"Do you have your phone? I left mine in the office."
"Oh I do...."
"Great, let's ca....."
"......But it's completely flat."
"Ah..."
"Yeah...."
Matt started banging on the door.
"HELLO! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!" He shouted.
"ANYONE?!" Joyce joined in as she hammered on the door with him.
They both shouted and banged loudly for a few minutes with no luck.
"It's ten past six on a Friday, everyone will have gone and the cleaners don't come until the morning," Joyce said breathlessly.
"Fuck... sorry about the language," said Matt as he looked embarrassed.
"It's fine swear all you fucking want. Will anyone notice you're not home?"
"No one, I don't even have a cat. What about you?"
"I have fish, they aren't great at calling for help I've found so no. If we can't find a way out we are stuck till morning."
"Fuck," he said.
"Fuck indeed," she replied.
They both stared at each other in silence for a moment wondering what to do.
"Well the window is barred to stop anyone breaking in and even if we got the key out somehow we couldn't turn it. We are here until nine when the cleaners come in aren't we," Matt said flatly.
"Yep...."
"I guess we get comfy then," he said as he started looking around for anything to sit on.
"Least we keep the canteen supplies in here," Joyce said as she wondered off down the shelving.
She came back with two bottles of water and a pack of biscuits as Matt piled up some packs of office paper against the wall to sit on.
"Looks comfy, I can't wait to see the beds you make from toner," she said dryly as she munched on a biscuit.
"If only this was the supply room we store the king size mattresses in," Matt replied.
They both slumped down on the makeshift chairs defeated.
"Well I've had worse Friday nights, especially with my ex husband. This is better than the floor, thank you."
Matt nodded thanks and took a biscuit.
"How long were you married?"
"Six miserable years. It was so bad I looked forward to work just to get away from him."
"Hah, that is bad. What did he do?"
"Nothing at all, not even in the bedroom.... Sorry too much information there."