“You bet. When he got up on his high horse and said what happened wasn’t ‘germane to the case,’ I lost my cool. Yes it was dumb having that pistol so close to hand, but how’d that give those cops the right to beat me?” I shook my head. “The downside, like you said, is I’ve managed to make enemies of at least three members of the Charlotte police force. If I ever need anything from their department, not sure I’d get much cooperation.”
“On a more pleasant note, it looks like you won’t have to spend much longer around here,” Mike said. “Didn’t you say you were close to finishing?”
I gave a half-smile. “Another two-three days should see me out of here. One more lecture at the Carolina State Bank’s security conference, then a final write-up and meeting with one of the big bosses.”
“I seem to remember you talking about going to a writer’s workshop or something up by Asheville once you were done here.”
I nodded. “Yeah, a friend back in Seattle has been doing technical writing contracts for several corporations over the past few years. He wants to take time off to write the ‘Great American Novel’ and asked me to sub for him. I’ve done some of that stuff in the past. I said yes, but needed to brush up on my writing skills. So I scheduled time at a writer’s workshop. I’ve got an assistant back at T&M who does most of my other work since I started doing more training gigs.”
“Writer?” Mike leaned on the table, his interest evident. “Nothing about that was in your file. When did you do that?”
“Right after I left the Army. Did some freelancing for a few years, as a matter of fact. Found it to be really interesting.” I stirred my coffee. “Picked up this particular contract so I could take part in a two week writer’s class up at a place called Wildacres. Only a couple hours drive from here, too.”
“Nice. Hope you can stay out of trouble while you’re there.” He peered into his now-empty cup. “You want some more java?”
I stood. “Here, let me get us a refill.” I fumbled a wallet from my pocket and strode towards the front, veering off at the last moment to a table where two couples were just getting up to leave.
I touched an older man, in his late fifties, on the arm. “Pardon me. I found this in the restroom. Is it yours?”
The man’s eyebrows rose when he took the wallet and opened it. “Why-yes, it is! I hadn’t even missed it.” He looked at me, an earnest expression building. “Thank you, sir. I’m extremely grateful.” He pulled a twenty from his now-recovered property. “Here, please take this…”
I waved the money away, face heating. “No, I’m just glad I found it. Thanks for the offer, though.” I hurried on to the counter, intent on not only escaping but to get my refills. Once back and settled at the table, I took a healthy swig of coffee in relief, singeing my tongue in the process.
By the time I re-focused on Mike, he had a puzzled expression on his face. “I heard what you told that man. How could you have found his wallet in the restroom? You didn’t go in there.”
I thought quickly. “Um–it was on the counter by the cash register, when we ordered?”
His face shifted to mildly suspicious. “Then why do you look like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar?”
Damn, he was right. Always had trouble lying to a friend. I gave a shrug. “When you saw the file on me, you probably noticed there were some statements from other FBI agents about how I had a somewhat, shall we say, checkered past. They’re pretty sure I was a thief, but didn’t have any evidence to prove it. Several years ago, I turned state’s evidence on some bad guys, and all was forgiven.”
Mike’s face creased in a crooked smile. “Forgiven is a strong word. In fact, the reason I’m a liaison for the conference is because the FBI has misgivings about your involvement in it. Not enough to keep you from doing it, though. So besides being a liaison, I’m supposed to keep a close eye on you. Now what about the billfold?”
“Well, the truth is I boosted it when we came in. He was returning to his table from the men’s room, and I brushed by him as we walked to the counter to order.”
“I’ll be damned. I was behind you, and didn’t see a thing.”
I gave an expressive shrug, hands in the air. “One of my major weaknesses is the urge to pick pockets. It’s just so much fun. Usually I switch the wallet to a different pocket, or do like I just did.”
Mike chuckled. “Not bad. Not bad at all. I don’t see how they could go so long without missing it, though. I’d notice mine being removed, it’s one of those bigger tri-fold ones.”
“Yeah, but it’s also nylon. Slides out of your pocket nice and easy.” I tossed his wallet on the table. “And I especially enjoy doing it to law enforcement types.”
CHAPTER THREE
The projector clicked off and I stepped in front of the class when the lights went up. “As you can see, there are several warning signs called ‘Tells’ that give you hints concerning whether there’s a possible risk from the people who approach your window while on duty at the bank.” I shifted my gaze around the room, eyeballing the 40-plus bank tellers attending the class I was holding on the second floor of the main bank in downtown Charlotte . “Are there any questions?”
As usual, no hands went up. I suppressed a grimace. What a bunch of deadheads for my last class. That’s what happened
