- •It was Alex Vandervoort who said, “We`re obviously here to celebrate.” He motioned with his sherry glass. “The question is - what?”
- •In the center of this last area, a new large building and the steelwork of a second stood out against the skyline.
- •It was while they were having coffee that a waitress brought a message to their table.
- •It was from Juanita Nunez`s cash drawer that the money was missing.
- •It was then that Tottenhoe had telephoned Edwina.
- •In due course Mr. Rosselli, for whom counsel appeared in court, was fined heavily for reckless driving and awarded three demerit points, to be recorded on his license. He was exceedingly angry.
- •It was obvious he meant it and the banker snapped, "I don't respond to threats."
- •Vandervoort said, "I see the difference, though I wouldn't have without the glass. How do the counterfeits look under ultraviolet?"
- •Vandervoort whistled softly. A single plastic sheet would produce sixty-six Keycharge credit cards. That meant, potentially, almost twenty thousand fraudulent cards.
- •Vandervoort looked surprised. "You think you can get someone?"
- •Vandervoort said drily, "We prefer to speak of it in percentages. That way it doesn't sound as much, and the directors don't get alarmed."
- •In other circumstances, she realized, she might not have believed herself.
- •In one way it was her memory which had added to her troubles.
- •It was a three-block walk from the bus to the nursery school where she had left Estela this morning on her way to work. Juanita hurried, knowing she was late.
- •It was obvious from the stillness that the other children were all gone.
- •It had been a month and a half since Alex had seen Celia and, though he had been expecting some deterioration, her present appearance chilled him.
- •It was during that time - the thought of it shamed him now - he had suggested they divorce. Celia had seemed shattered and he let the subject drop, hoping things would get better, but they hadn't.
- •It was close to midnight. A log fire, blazing earlier, had burned low in the hearth of the snug room in the small, sumptuous bachelor suite.
- •If not Nunez, who?
- •It was like pricking a bubble. The audit chief flushed crimson as he admitted, "Yes, it is. But even we miss things occasionally when a thief has covered his tracks well."
- •Innes grunted understanding. "If you could show that, any reasonable judge would send him straight to jail. But can you?"
- •Innes glanced toward his colleague who shrugged.
- •If the phone had been answered, Wainwright would have made an excuse about a wrong number and revised his plans. As it was, he now headed for his car, parked in the headquarters' basement garage.
- •Immediately ahead was an elevator which he ignored. He saw a stairway to the right and went up it, two stairs at a time, to the second floor.
- •In the end he compromised. Instead of arresting and charging Wainwright he took him, the same night, to the police gym and, in Bufflehead's own words, "beat the b' jesus out of him" in a boxing ring.
- •It was possible that the security chief dozed off, but a key inserted in the apartment lock alerted him. Cautiously he sat up. His illuminated watch dial showed it was shortly after midnight.
- •In the row ahead of Alex were Jerome Patterton, the vice-chairman, and his wife.
- •It was the director with the longest service, the Honorable Harold Austin, who announced the board's decision.
- •It was like a fencing match with shadows. He said in exasperation, "I'll never understand you."
- •It was the second such offer she had had in the past few days. "Maybe."
It was like pricking a bubble. The audit chief flushed crimson as he admitted, "Yes, it is. But even we miss things occasionally when a thief has covered his tracks well."
"Obviously. Though you did say a moment ago the handwriting was a giveaway."
Burnside said sourly, "Well, we've caught it now."
She reminded him, "After I called you in."
The FBI agent Innes broke the ensuing silence. "None of this puts us any further ahead so far as Wednesday's missing cash goes."
"Except it makes Eastin the prime suspect," Burnside said. He seemed relieved to redirect the conversation. "And he may admit that, too."
"He won't," Nolan Wainwright growled. "That cat is too damn smart. Besides, why should he? We still don't know how he did it."
Until now the bank security head had said little, though he had shown surprise, then his face had hardened as the auditors produced their succession of documents and the evidence of guilt. Edwina wondered if Wainwright was remembering how both of them had put pressure on the teller, Juanita Nunez, disbelieving the girl's protested innocence. Even now, Edwina supposed, there was a possibility the Nunez girl had been in league with Eastin, but it seemed unlikely.
Hal Burnside stood up to go, refastening his briefcase. "Here's where Audit leaves off and the law takes over."
"We'll require these papers and a signed statement," Innes said.
"Mr. Gayne will stay, and be at your disposal."
"One more question. Do you think that Eastin has any idea he's been found out?"
"I doubt it." Burnside glanced toward his assistant who shook his head.
"I'm certain he doesn't. We were careful not to show what we were looking for and, to cover up, we asked for many things we didn't need."
"I don't think so either," Edwina said. She remembered sadly how busy and cheerful Miles Eastin had been immediately before she had left the branch with Burnside. Why had he done it? Why, oh why?
Innes nodded his approval. "Then let's keep it that way. We'll pick Eastin up for questioning as soon as we've finished here, but he mustn't be warned. He's still at the bank?"
"Yes," Edwina said. "He'll stay at least until we get back, and normally he'd be among the last to leave."
Nolan Wainwright cut in, his voice unusually harsh, "Amend those instructions. Keep him there as late as possible. After that, let him go home thinking he hasn't been found out."
The others glanced at the bank security chief, puzzled and startled. In particular the eyes of the two FBI men searched Wainwright's face. A message seemed to pass between them.
Innes hesitated, then conceded, "All right. Do it that way."
A few minutes later, Edwina and Burnside took the elevator down.
Innes said politely to the remaining auditor, "Before we take your statement, I wonder if you'd leave us alone a moment."
"Certainly." Gayne left the conference room.
The second FBI agent closed his notebook and put down his pencil.
Innes faced Nolan Wainwright. "You've something in mind?"
"I have." Wainwright hesitated, wrestling mentally with choices and his conscience. Experience told him that the evidence against Eastin had gaps which needed to be filled. Yet to fill them the law would have to be bent in a way running counter to his own beliefs. He asked the FBI man, "Are you sure you want to know?”
The two eyed each other. They had known each other for years and shared a mutual respect.
"Getting evidence nowadays is sensitive," Innes said. "We can't take some of the liberties we used to, and if we do it's liable to bounce back."
There was a silence, then the second FBI agent said, "Tell us as much as you think you should."
Wainwright interlaced his fingers and considered them. His body transmitted tension, as his voice had earlier. "Okay, we've enough to nail Eastin on a larceny rap. Let's say the amount stolen is eight thousand dollars, more or less. What do you think a judge will give him?"
"For a first offense he'll draw a suspended sentence," Innes said. "The court won't worry about the money involved. They'll figure banks have lots and it's insured anyway."
"Check!" Wainwright's fingers tightened visibly. "But if we can prove he took that other cash - the six thousand last Wednesday; if we can show he aimed to throw the blame on the girl, and damn near did.. ."