“Hmmm, coffee. Where is your lazy roommate?”
“Beats me.”
“You can’t cover for him forever.”
“I’m not covering. He’s here somewhere.”
“Uh huh,” Molly said. “You’re going to get caught, it’s just a matter of time.”
“Good thing he gave me a suicide pill before he snuck out then, isn’t it,” Corbin said facetiously.
“Sure, laugh it off, but people are starting to notice.”
Corbin put his hand to his cheek and mustered his best “deeply concerned” tone. “Really? People besides you?”
“I wouldn’t want to say.”
“Your concern is touching,” Corbin said returning to his normal voice. “Why are you so paranoid about this?”
“I’m not paranoid. I’m observant.”
“That’s what all the crazies say.”
“You’ll have to produce him at some point. That’s when this game of yours ends.”
“Maybe I can find a double?” Corbin laughed.
“Laugh all you want, but time is running out.”
“What happened?” Beckett asked, noting Alvarez’s shell-shocked appearance.
“If this was the first bank, I would have quit right there.”
“Fortunately, this was the last bank. What happened?”
“I was dealing with the manager, a royal cocksucker,” Alvarez said distantly. “I don’t know what his problem was, but he gave me grief about everything. He asked so many questions, I thought he was gonna jam a flashlight up my ass. I’ll tell you one thing, Corbin did a hell of a job with those fakes. Even his lease was perfect. This guy actually read the damn thing!”
“As I said earlier, Corbin is a talented criminal. Get back to the story.”
“Just as I thought I’d finally gotten everything resolved, he hands me the forms and I start zipping through them. Suddenly, all hell breaks loose. You know how when it starts raining, you see one rain drop, then another, and then two, and then a dozen, and suddenly you’re in a deluge? Same shit here. First, one kid, then two, then four, then a deluge: wave after wave of kids pouring through the door. They were everywhere, behind every counter, in front of every teller, blocking every exit. Dozens of little eyes stared at me as I filled out the forms. It was the most surreal thing I’ve ever experienced. Apparently, it was some sort of school field trip.”
“They’re just kids.”
“Yeah well, with the bank manager’s accusing stares, they seemed more like his own personal army of winged monkeys, watching me. . staring at me.”
Beckett looked at his watch. “Come on Dorothy, time to get back to Kansas.”
Molly walked straight into Corbin’s office without knocking and sat down at Beckett’s desk. She scanned the desk for signs that Beckett had been there recently. Watching her examine Beckett’s coffee cup, Corbin congratulated himself for emptying half its contents only moments before.
“This is getting old. Where is he?!”
“Around.”
“No, he isn’t. You two are up to something.” Molly picked up the coffee cup to see if it was still warm.
“No, we’re not, Molly.”
“I know you are. Your little friend hasn’t been in here all day.” Molly flipped through the papers on Beckett’s desk.
“Yes, he has.”
“Hello! I’m in the office next door. I would know.”
Corbin shrugged his shoulders. “What do you want me to tell you?”
“How about the truth?”
“You won’t like the truth.”
Molly spun around. “Let’s hear it!” she demanded.
“The truth is he’s been in and out all day. Every time his rear hits the chair, someone calls him or e-mails him, and he takes off. The only break he’s had, that I know of, came when we went to lunch.”
Molly shook her head. “No.”
“I don’t know what else I can do to prove it to you?”
“
“What is it with the big words today? Did you swallow a dictionary last night?”
Molly waved her finger at Corbin. “I know he hasn’t been here, and I’m going to prove it. You can let me in on your little secret now, or I’ll expose you later.”
“There’s nothing to expose!”
“Yes, there is,” she said, rising from Beckett’s chair. “The more you deny it the more I’m convinced. You won’t get away with it, whatever it is, so you might as well tell me now.”
“Go away.”
“I’m warning you. Just when you think you’ve gotten away with it, there I’ll be, and you’ll be sorry you didn’t let me in on your little plan.” Molly slammed the office door.
Beckett stood in the middle of 30th Street Station. A towering statue of the Archangel Michael, lifting the body of a dead soldier, looked down on Beckett from the entranceway to the cavernous room. Beckett felt relieved. They’d gotten away with it, so far at least. The money still had to be collected, but that was up to Corbin and Alvarez. Beckett’s role was over, so he planted himself on a wooden bench and let his eyes roam the room, enjoying the artwork and watching the passersby. As he sat there, all of his muscles relaxed and he nearly fell asleep.
Alvarez joined him after buying a Coke.
Beckett ran his hand along the heavy bench. “This bench has probably been here at least a hundred years.”
“Could be.” Alvarez felt more drained than relaxed.
“I wonder how many thieves sat on this very spot during those hundred years?”
“Whatever it is, add two more.” Alvarez rubbed his eyes and popped the top on his Coke. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Don’t let me stop you.”
“Corbin wanted me to take the duffel bag.”
“To the can?” Beckett asked facetiously.
“You know what I mean.”
Beckett waved his hand toward the bag. “All yours.”
“Is everything in there?”
“Yep.”
“Your pockets are empty?”
Beckett raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”
“Do you want to check again.”
“No.”
Alvarez grabbed the bag. “I’ll see you on the train. Remember, we agreed to board separately.”
“I remember.”
Alvarez pulled the duffel bag over his shoulder. He looked up at the station board. The train was running late.
For the past hour, Corbin fended off several waves of well-wishers, many of whom were repeat visitors who wondered why Beckett had yet to come see them. So far, everything ran smoothly, but Corbin knew Beckett needed to make an appearance soon or things could unravel. Before Beckett could make his appearance however, Corbin needed to pick him up. To do that, he had to get rid of Molly. This was proving to be difficult. As the day progressed, her suspicion level increased. Beginning an hour ago, she started making spot checks in Corbin’s office. Now she tried a new tactic.
Molly entered the office without knocking and made her way to Beckett’s chair. “Fancy meeting you here, too
