Page 72 of Primary Seduction
“Do you have any ideas what could have happened?”
“How should I know, Trent? I’m not involved in all that, am I? That’s your job, not mine. If the money’s not there, then you’ve obviously not been paying it, have you?”
Trent rolled his eyes, then paused. “Who said anything about the money not being there?”
Trish didn’t say anything for a moment, making Trent’s instinct flair. “Well…if the fees aren’t being paid, then why else would it happen?” she finished hastily.
“Hmm, well I was only asking. I’m heading to the bank now to sort it out anyway.”
“Oh, really? Okay, well…let me know…what happens.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. She’d certainly changed her tune. Now she wanted to know the outcome when, only minutes before, she said it wasn’t her problem. He rung off after saying goodbye, a little more confused than before. He shook it off, then started the car.
Both his daughters had been waiting outside their respective uni and college when he’d pulled up for them. None had said very much other than the usual, “Hi, how are you?” as they had driven to the car park. Trent locked the car and walked towards the bank. His palms were sweating, and his clothes felt too tight for his body. He relaxed fractionally when he saw Max waiting for them outside the bank, holding a tray of drinks.
“What’s he doing here?” Harper asked sharply.
“Harper!” admonished Jocelyn.
“This is family business,” she snapped.
Trent couldn’t deal with their sniping today, so for once he snapped back. “Ineed him here.”
“It’s okay, Dad. We know he’s a part of the family now.” Jocelyn linked her arm in his.
As they reached Max, Trent realised he needed something before they entered. “Max?” he croaked.
Max looked at him, then quickly passed the drinks to Jocelyn before enfolding Trent in his arms. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Just breathe, okay. Just breathe. Everything will work out. Let’s just find out what’s happened first, and then we can deal with the fallout. All right, just breathe for me, sweetheart, okay.” All the time Max talked, he’d been rubbing Trent’s back and holding him tight, letting him rest his head in his neck.
He took a deep breath, then pulled back, looking at Max before kissing him chastely. “Thanks,” he whispered. He looked over to his daughters to see Jocelyn with tears in her eyes and Harper looking a little sorrier than before. “Let’s go.”
Trent led the way into the bank, heading to the reception desk to request a meeting with the bank manager. To begin with, the clerk said it wasn’t possible today, at least until Trent had fired back, “Well, apparently my bank account has been emptied, so I want someone to talk to. Now!” After that, they had been seated and asked to wait while the manager finished with his previous client. They sat and drank their drinks before being called back to the manager’s office some twenty minutes later.
When the bank manager saw how many people there were, he asked for another two chairs to be brought in. It was a tight squeeze, but they made it.
“How can I help you today, Mr Walker?” he said with false cheer.
“I’ve been paying into two accounts for the past almost twenty years to pay for my children’s university fees. I was told yesterday that the payments had not been sent to the universities like I had requested them to be. I’d like to know why.”
“Okay, Mr Walker. Let me just go through some security details. Are you okay to do that in front of present company, or would you prefer…?”
“It’s fine,” he interrupted.
“Okay.” The manager, Mr Pickering, went through the questions without issue. “Right, let me see. Um, I can see the two accounts that you mentioned. Um, the payments wouldn’t have gone through because there’s no money in the accounts.” He looked scared to be the bearer of that news.
Trent froze. “What do you mean, they’re empty?”
Mr Pickering turned the screen around for Trent to see and there it was in black and white, zero balances on both accounts.
“Where the fuck is the money?” Trent bit out. “I’ve been paying one hundred and fifty pounds a month into each account for as long as I can remember. Where is it because I sure as hell haven’t withdrawn it?”
Mr Pickering turned the screen back to him and clicked and typed a bit more. “According to this, withdrawals have been made steadily for the last year, varying in amount and times of the withdrawals. I don’t know what else to tell you, Mr Walker. The accounts are empty.”
“No one else has access to the accounts. Only me and my daughters when they reach eighteen. No one…” he paused. No way. It couldn’t be.
“Trent?” Max’s voice broke his thoughts. “Are you okay?”
Trent looked at him, not really seeing him. He turned back to the manager. “Can you see who made the withdrawals? Or which account it went to?” he asked, fearing the answer.
