Veronika almost slammed open the door to Eva's office.
—Eva!
Eva jumped at hearing her name shouted so loudly.
—Yes, yeah?
—Do you remember you owe me a favor? —Veronika said.
—I remember…
Veronika looked around and noticed Eva wasn't alone; administrative staff were discreetly watching them.
—Let's talk somewhere else.
Eva followed Veronika's quick pace down the Red Block corridor.
—Is it necessary to come this way? —Eva asked, a bit uneasy.
—Anna's dragged me into more shit —Veronika replied, agitated.
—She did what?
—Do you remember the girl who fainted today?
Eva lowered her gaze, recalling the scene.
—Turns out she was heavily drugged.
—What?
Veronika stopped in front of a door.
—Go in.
—Go in? Here…? —Eva said nervously.
Veronika looked at her strangely.
—Yes? This is my room.
Veronika took Eva by the arm and pulled her inside with her.
—You live alone here? —Eva looked around, astonished at how big it was.
—There's no room for anyone else —Veronika said casually.
—It's too much… in several ways.
Veronika crouched in front of the large built-in wardrobe, rummaging for something.
—Here they are!
Eva came closer, trying to peek over Veronika's shoulder.
—This is what they found in my room —Veronika showed her an open box full of medication—. It's the drug the maids here are using.
—Is that really happening in the mansion?
—Anna told me I only have a couple of days to solve this. I need your help to get the pharmacy records.
They quickly left the Red Block for the first floor, where the mansion's general pharmacy was located.
—We're looking for the inventory and entry-exit records. With your position, you can pull those books from the pharmacy —Veronika told Eva.
Eva returned after a few minutes, struggling to carry two books that seemed to drag her to the floor; behind her came a woman in a lab coat carrying a third book just as heavy.
—Sorry for the delay… —Eva said, panting with fatigue.
—It's odd for a maid like you to want to see this kind of information, and even more odd to use an administrative to get it. Your name? —said Ilse.
—Veronika Kensington —Veronika replied.
—Kensington? Kensington Company?
—Yes, that's my father's company.
—Looks like the Master has exotic tastes with oligarchs —Ilse replied.
—This —pointing at her maid's dress— is temporary. If you've already dropped off the book, you can leave.
Ilse merely nodded and answered:
—Unfortunately, I have to stay with you until you finish whatever it is you're doing with the books.
Veronika glanced at Eva, looking for a way to get Ilse to leave.
—Sorry, it's the only way we can use the books…
Veronika, annoyed, huffed.
—Fine, whatever…
Administration Room
Eva opened one of the books.
—And… what should we be looking for? —Eva asked.
—How much NE-47 is registered in the pharmacy's stock —Veronika said.
Eva flipped through pages until she found the current inventory.
—Here it is. The last shipment of this sedative was supposed to be 420.
—Ha! Hard to believe. Right now the pharmacy has maybe around 200 —Ilse replied to Eva.
Veronika lowered her gaze, as if trying to recall something.
—They found about 50 of those things in my room. That would leave 170 vials missing.
—Excuse me? —Ilse shot back.
—Long story, and NO, they're not mine.
—All right… what are you getting at with this?
—How is NE-47 consumed? —Veronika asked.
Ilse pulled an empty vial from her coat pocket.
—It's taken in low doses over two weeks, which is the safest recommendation, since it's very strong.
—Then, for them to end up drugged, they must have taken it in a week or maybe less.
—That would cause damage, since it's a nervous depressant.
—There are 170 vials missing; that means at least eight or more people must be involved, consuming a lot of this.
—And… if there are that many, don't you think they would've taken turns more than once? How will we know who took the NE-47? —Eva asked.
Veronika smiled.
—I haven't the faintest idea, that's why you're here. They used my room as storage before I moved in. Someone must've gone in with an excuse.
—The maids in charge of cleaning!
—Obviously —Veronika said mockingly—. They could have taken turns sneaking the drug out, but surely only the head of the group is the one hiding it. Who are the ones in charge of cleaning in the Red Block? —she asked Eva.
—That I do know! Every month maids volunteer for cleaning duty in the Red Block, since it's extra work on top of their daily load. I'll bring the record now.