Joshua was amazed. “How could your bank release such a substantial sum in cash without requiring identification?”
“We did require it,” Preston said. “And you’ve got to understand that he looked like Mr. Frye. For the past five years, Mr. Frye has come in two or three times every month; each time he has deposited a couple of thousand dollars in his checking. That made him noticeable. People remembered him. Last Thursday, our teller recognized him and had no reason to be suspicious, especially since he had those personalized checks and his passbook and–”
“That’s not identification,” Joshua said.
“The teller asked for ID, even though she recognized him. That’s our policy on large withdrawals, and she handled it all according to policy. The man showed her a valid California driver’s license, complete with photograph, in the name of Bruno Frye. I assure you, Mr. Rhinehart, First Pacific United has not acted irresponsibly in this matter.”
“Do you intend to investigate the teller?” Joshua asked.
“An investigation has already begun.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.”
“But I’m quite sure it won’t lead anywhere,” Preston said. “She’s been with us for more than sixteen years.”
“Is she the same woman who let him get to the safe deposit box?” Joshua asked.
“No. That’s another employee. We’re investigating her as well.”
“This is a damned serious matter.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” Preston said miserably. “In all my years in banking, I’ve never had it happen to me. Before I phoned you, I notified the authorities, the state and federal banking officials, and First Pacific United’s attorneys.”
“I believe I should come down there tomorrow and have a chat with your people.”
“I wish you would.”
“Shall we say ten o’clock?”
“Whenever it’s convenient for you,” Preston said. “I’ll be at your disposal all day.”
“Then let’s make it ten o’clock.”
“I’m terribly sorry about this. But of course, the loss is covered by federal insurance.”
“Except for the contents of the safe deposit box,” Joshua said. “No insurance covers that loss.” That was the part of it that was giving Preston a bad case of the jitters, and they both knew it. “The box might have held more of value than the savings and checking accounts combined.”
“Or it might very well have been empty before he got to it,” Preston said quickly.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Mr. Preston.”
Joshua hung up and stared at the telephone.
Finally he sipped his whiskey.
A double for Bruno Frye? A dead ringer?
Suddenly, he remembered the light he had thought he’d seen in Bruno’s house at three o’clock Monday morning. He’d spotted it on his way back to bed from the bathroom, but when he’d put on his glasses, there had been no light. He’d figured that his eyes had played a trick on him. But perhaps the light had been real. Perhaps the man who had looted those Pacific United accounts had been in Bruno’s house, looking for something.
Joshua had been to the house yesterday, had taken a brisk five-minute tour to be certain everything was as it should be, and he had not noticed anything awry.
Why had Bruno kept secret bank accounts in San Francisco?
Was there a dead ringer, a double?
Who? And why?
Damn!
Evidently, overseeing the complete and final settlement of the Frye estate was not going to be as short and easy a job as he had thought.
***
At six o’clock Tuesday evening, as Tony swung the Jeep into the street that ran past his apartment building, Hilary felt more awake than she had all day. She had entered that peculiar second-wind state of grainy-eyed alertness that came after being awake for a day and a half. Suddenly, the body and the mind seemed to decide to made the best of this forced consciousness; and, by some chemical trick, the flesh and the spirit were renewed. She stopped yawning. Her vision, which had been blurry at the edges, grew clear again. The grinding weariness receded. But she knew it would be only a short-lived reprieval from exhaustion. In an hour or two, this surprising high would end in an abrupt and inevitable crash, not unlike the sudden descent from an amphetamine energy peak, and then she would be too drained even to stay on her feet.