Page 32 of Hacker Beloved

“Negative on the man,” CJ replied.

The bank manager stepped out of the door near the cashiers and strode toward his desk. Asher had shown me pictures of him this morning. I wiped my hands on my black suit jacket as I crossed the lobby area. Before he could sit down, I stuck out my hand. “Mr. Kline, I’m Zayla Solace. We spoke on the phone this morning.”

“Have a seat, Miss. Solace,” he gestured to the chair next to his desk. “When we spoke earlier, you mentioned someone here could help me get into my late father’s box?”

Mr. Kline nodded. “Before we get started with that. I’ll need to see your driver’s license and the death certificate for your father.”

CJ had already expected we would need a copy. The health department said it would take seven to ten days to receive a copy. Not sure how CJ had worked his computer magic, but within minutes a copy was sent to the printer in the business section of the hotel.

“Yes, here are the documents I think you would need. I also added the document where my last name was changed.” I handed him a folder with all the documents, and he flipped through each one pausing on the death certificate. Anxiety coursed through my body as I waited for him to say he didn’t need anything else.

“I see everything is here.” He rose from his chair. “I just need a second to make a copy for our records.”

My stomach turned when I watched him walk past a copier and head through the double doors off to the side. I leaned down and touched my shoe to hide the fact I was about to talk. “Something is off with the manager. He just walked by a copier.”

“The van has eyes on every aspect of the bank,” Asher explained. “I need you to stay focused on the task. Let CJ and Paolo worry about the people around you.”

“You’re doing amazing,” CJ said. “The manager walked straight to the printer in the back and made copies. He does keep checking his watch though.”

Mr. Kline strode back out and handed me back the papers. “Now, let’s check to make sure your father gave you access. As I said earlier, I couldn’t confirm if he had a box here until we had your documentation. Give me a second while I pull up the records.”

The bank had given me the run around when I asked for help with my father’s box. They said if it did exist, the only way to check would be to come in. With the secrets my parents had kept, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure the box would have anything inside.

Mr. Kline pushed his glasses up his nose and clicked the mouse a couple of times. When he started to type, I wanted to pull the keyboard out of his hands and tell him I would help. I never understood how people could function only using their index finger alone to type. I’m sure four-year-olds use all their fingers to type.

“Almost to the page, Miss Solace,” he said as he hit the delete button six times. “I have good news. You’re the only beneficiary listed on the account. I know you said you were only interested in the safety deposit box, but your father had a high-yield savings account with us and a checking account. Do you want to move those into your name?”

“Is there anything in the accounts?” I asked.

“The checking account has dwindled over the years. Your father had automatic payments set up with this account. Currently, you only have one hundred and seventy thousand two hundred and three dollars.”

“Damn,” Paolo chuckled in my ear. “The guy made me think he would say fifty bucks.”

“And how much is in the savings account?”

He tapped the enter key three times with his index finger. “From what I see, he had it in one of our old high-yield accounts. The balance is lower than it would have been if the money were in one of our new investment accounts. As for how much you have now, it is at eighty-three million seven hundred and sixty dollars.”

“Zayla, he’s not lying. I just zoomed in on the computer, and the number is correct,” CJ confirmed.

“Don’t do anything with the accounts yet,” Antonio’s deep voice rang through my ear. “This amount would take a while for him to move, plus we need to make sure they don’t screw you over. For now get access to the box. Then Asher and CJ can put you in touch with a lawyer and an accountant.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, “I wasn’t prepared to do that today, Mr. Kline. Can I see my father’s box first? Then I’ll make an appointment to change the account over.”

“Whatever is easiest for you, Miss. Solace. When you make the appointment to come back, make sure to let them know you are a member of our private banking program. For the box you mentioned, do you have a key?”

“No.”

“Let me see what the number is on his,” he paused. His brow furrowed as his index finger hit and poked at the keyboard a few more times. “Your father doesn’t have a safety deposit box.”

My stomach dropped.

“Please can you double-check?” I asked, hoping he’d missed the entry.

“I don’t need to look anything else up,” Mr. Kline’s finger swiped the mouse center button. “Since he was a member of the private bank program, he has a safe within our vault, not a safety deposit box. To access it, you will need the code. Normally this number was given to the lawyer who handles the family's estate.”

But Vincenzo had told us he had the key.

“In a document I found, a key was mentioned and it would be needed to open the safe.”

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