Before leaving, he stopped beside the door.
“You know, buildings like yours attract problems.”
The teacher said nothing.
The developer continued.
“Mail theft. Trespassing. Safety complaints.”
He glanced toward the school hallway.
“And when enough problems pile up, people start asking whether the property is being managed properly.”
The teacher became still.
“What exactly are you saying?”
The developer smiled.
“I'm saying you should think carefully.”
Then he left.
The teacher stood alone in the conference room.
For several seconds, he stared at the empty doorway.
He had dealt with unpleasant investors before.
But this was different.
The developer had mentioned problems that hadn't occurred.
Or at least, none that the teacher knew about.
He returned to the building that evening and reviewed the security system with his maintenance supervisor.
They checked the main entrance.
The parking area.
The courtyard.
And the mailroom.
The teacher instructed the supervisor to preserve footage of any unusual incidents.
He also contacted the property attorney.
The lawyer advised him to document future communications and avoid making accusations without evidence.
The teacher agreed.
Two days later, someone attempted to pry open several mailboxes.
The security camera recorded a man entering the mailroom shortly before midnight.
He wore a dark jacket and a baseball cap.
He moved directly toward the lower row of boxes.
He appeared to test several locks.
Then left when another resident entered the hallway.
The teacher reviewed the footage.
He reported the attempted tampering.
He also arranged for a locksmith to inspect the damaged compartments.
The incident was genuine.
Someone had attempted to interfere with the mailboxes.
But the identity and motive remained unknown.
Then came the strangest detail.
The next morning, the building manager received a telephone call from someone claiming to represent a neighborhood safety organization.
The caller asked whether mail theft had become a recurring problem.
The manager was confused.
The incident had only just been discovered.
Very few people knew about it.
She asked how the caller had heard.
The person refused to explain.
Then ended the call.
The teacher became concerned.
He instructed the manager to preserve the call information.
And he asked the property attorney whether the incident should be considered alongside the developer's recent statements.
The lawyer answered cautiously.
There was not yet enough evidence to connect the events.
But the timing justified careful documentation.
That afternoon, the teacher returned from school carrying his messenger bag.
He was tired.