Page 27 of Ferocity

“Thank you.” Dave turned from the counter and headed for the stairs. “Should be interesting.”

Kenny chuckled. “Being told you’re part of an embezzlement ploy at best and money laundering at worst...”

“Yeah, like I said, interesting.” Dave smirked as they stepped onto the landing.

Benji Brinks, branch manager and head of the loan department for PP&E Bank, approached both men with his hand extended. “I was surprised when Mandy said you were here. It’s been a minute.”

“Sure has.” Dave shook his hand.

“Good afternoon, sir,” Kenny said, taking Benji’s hand. “Thanks for seeing us.”

“Come on, let’s talk in my office.” Benji waved them toward the corner office with a nice view of downtown Colorado Springs. When they were situated in his office, he continued, “How’s your dad? Still got that sixty-seven handicap?”

Dave nodded. His plan was simple. Kill Benji with kindness then ask for all the paperwork dealing with the conservatorship and the will. Might be confusing for him, however, enough was enough and Maisie was going down. “He’s doing well. Said he got together with your father at the club the other afternoon. Those two are inseparable.”

“I swear they’re connected at the hip.” Benji laughed. “It’s good for dad. Since mom died, he’s not been the same.”

"I'm still so sorry about that." Benji Brinks' mother passed away in her sleep. The autopsy ruled the cause of death cancer related, though she'd been cured. The way Benji explained it, she had a massive heart attack due to the chemotherapy weakening her heart. She was only fifty-five. "Glad dad's around to help out when he can."

“Five years in and we both can’t figure it out.” Benji sighed. “Anyway,” he cleared his throat, “I’m guessing this isn’t about my father. What can I do for you today?”

“I know this is going to sound ridiculous,” Dave said, sitting forward. “I know I gave you the Leon Trust and Will, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I also lost the conservatorship paperwork. Can you get me a copy? I know it has to be placed with all the loan documents.” He tried to appear as sheepish as he could. “I’m blaming a secretarial mix-up at the office. I have a new person who is overeager to please sometimes, and she gets in over her head.”

Benji snorted. “I understand. Let me pull up the file then go grab it. I can have a copy for you lickety-split.”

“Thanks, man,” Dave said. “You’re saving my ass on this.”

“Not a problem.” Benji tapped a few keys. “How is Scarlett doing? She seemed out of sorts earlier.”

“Off day,” Kenny said. “I think she needs a vacation.”

“Well, if the sanctuary is doing as well as it is, she should take one. The refuge is in perfectly capable hands with Maisie.”

Dave grit his teeth. It took all of his strength to not blurt out, what was going on. Dave needed to be sure first. He had to read the conservatorship papers to find out which doctor supposedly examined Scarlett. Or, if like the website for the supply company Timothy told him about, it was a forgery too. Later, when he had a better grasp of the situation, he would come back and fill Benji in. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too late. “Maybe.”

“Ah, here it is. Give me a moment.” Benji exited the office and went in the direction of the large two-story vault. Upstairs it housed all of the paperwork on their customers along with loans. Downstairs, they kept all of the safety deposit boxes along with the bank’s money.

“Leave it to Maisie?” Kenny snorted. “Not even close.”

"I don't think Benji knows how deep the shit is about to get for him and this bank," Dave said. "When he does, I'm going to hate putting the nail in the coffin."

“It’ll teach him to research better.” Kenny shrugged.

“Yeah, but at what cost?”

“Don’t matter,” Kenny grunted, crossing his arms. “Scarlett has been fucked over for long enough.”

True. She had. “You’re right.”

“I know I am.” He pointed to the vault. “Unwitting or not, this man helped Maisie cut Scarlett out of what made our girl happy. The sanctuary is her home. Maisie couldn’t give a shit about it and she’s spent her life preparing for this moment.”

When Benji started back to them, Dave cleared his throat. “We’ll figure it out after we leave here. Can’t talk about it now.”

"I agree." Kenny pasted on a smile when Benji joined them. "Sorry, it took me a minute. Someone did a horrible job of filing."

Or, someone didn’t want Benji or anyone for that matter to find the file. “Not a problem. Again, I understand.”

Benji opened the file and flipped through all of the documents then stopped on the information Dave requested. He folded his hand on it and lifted his gaze to meet Dave’s. “You don’t have to lie to me.”

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