Page 98 of One Last Promise

His mouth closed. “Okay. But . . . I don’t want the cameras to pick up your voice, so speak low. Show your ID, get the box, and leave.”

“Sir, yes sir.”

He rolled his eyes.

They’d started walking in the front door when his words filled her head—“We commit this crazy endeavor into your hands, and . . . yes, we ask for favor.”

The words lingered now as she walked up to a teller. Not busy, the place held a hush, and she didn’t look, but felt a dozen cameras on her.

She pulled out her passport. “Hello. I need to access a safe deposit box.”

The teller, a woman in her early sixties, took the passport, then keyed the information into her computer.

Moose had stepped behind Tillie, away a little, head down.

“Yes, Ms. Torre.” The teller slid off her chair and walked over to an office, rapped on the window.

A man got up, and they huddled for a moment. Tillie didn’t move. The teller returned. “Do you have your key?”

Tillie held it up.

“Very good. You’ll meet our branch manager by the security entrance.” The woman pointed to a door near the back of the room, and Tillie took her passport and headed over.

Moose followed her.

But when they reached the door, the branch manager held up his hand. “Sorry, sir, just the owner from here.”

Admittedly, she felt a little naked walking through the big steel door, opened by a swipe of a card, then a code, and finally a fingerprint.

She didn’t glance back at Moose, however, just followed the banker through, into the safe deposit box room. Three walls with white metal boxes, with two key locks in each door.

For a second, she was back at the hospital, Flynn saying she was going to arrest her. She hazarded a look at the banker, who was searching the room for her number, written on a card, and only then did she check behind her.

No one seemed to be rushing tocall security, so . . .

“Box 2301.” The banker stopped in front of a box and she walked over. Handed him her key.

He unlocked the door and pulled out a long inner box.

It didn’t seem heavy enough for a hundred thousand dollars. He set it on the nearby table.

“I’ll close the door behind you. Buzz when you are ready to leave.” He indicated a doorbell by the massive door.

Then he left her there, closing her in, and she looked up just in time to see Moose’s gaze on her. It wasn’t unlike a prison, the room austere and cold. She blew out a breath and opened the box.

No money.

She stared at it, not sure why it felt like a punch.

No. Money.

Roz hadliedto her.

Except—Pearl’s old phone sat in the box, on top of an envelope.

She pulled out the phone, then the envelope. Stuck it in the bag, then closed the box and put it back. Shut the door and removed her key.

Then she pushed the bell. A buzz sounded, and the door clicked.

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