Page 95 of Nothing to Fear

Gideon remained standing, back to a wall, gaze sweeping the bank and the street.

She fiddled with her late mother’s pearls, running through the list of everything she had to remember. Make occasional eye contact. No fidgeting. Willow lowered her hand.

Give a soft smile, before or after speaking. Comment with “uh-huh” or a head nod. Ask reciprocal questions. Speak slowly and firmly.

She didn’t want to do or say the wrong thing. This was their only shot to get evidence to clear her. Everything was riding on this. She had to give the social performance of her life.

“Ms. Harper.” A middle-aged gentleman with dark-brown eyes and bronzed skin approached. “I’m Mr. Walters. Please, come into my office.” He extended an arm of invitation to enter.

Willow forced a grin, heart thudding in her throat. “Good morning.” She stood and walked past him as she crossed the threshold.

Gideon followed close enough for his body heat to send a tingle down her spine. They each took one of the twin chairs in front of the desk.

Mr. Walters took his seat. “How are you today?”

“I’m fine.” Willow swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. Ask reciprocal questions. “How are you?”

“Very well. Thank you for asking. How may I be of service to you today?”

“My name is Willow Harper.” He already knows your name. Her face heated. She removed her sunglasses, chiding herself, and took a deep breath. “Did you receive the urgent email I sent yesterday regarding my account?”

“No, madam. I’m afraid not.” He glanced between her and Gideon. “We just opened.”

She nodded and waited for Mr. Walters to find the email, but he simply sat there staring at her. Gideon nudged her knee with his.

“The manner in which you can be of service is outlined in the email,” she said. “I took the time to write it. Please, do me the courtesy of reading it.”

He cleared his throat. “All right. Passport, please.”

Gideon withdrew Willow’s passport from the backpack and gave it to her. She passed it to Mr. Walters and folded her hands, fighting every fidgety impulse beating through her. Following all these new rules had the thick knot in her stomach twisting, but she’d written down the behavioral cues Gideon had outlined and pulled up the list clearly in her mind as if on a teleprompter while he sat languid in his chair, ankle propped on his knee. The only thing to betray the intent behind his relaxed appearance was the unblinking sweep of his cold eyes.

After eyeing the passport, Mr. Walters typed on his computer. “Here it is.” He began reading and frowned. “I’m sorry you’re unhappy with our service and would like to withdraw the full amount from the account. Ms. Harper, you’re a valued client and we’d hate to lose you. Surely, we can find some way to fix whatever—”

“No. I’ve made up my mind.” She and Gideon had gone over many versions of this sidetrack tactic. “As I’ve stated in the email, I’d like to wire transfer five hundred thousand.”

“I’ll need your current account number and the bank information for the new—”

“In the email, I included a temporary SharePoint link to my financial information, both for my account with you as well as the one for the wire transfer.” She added a smile, not too broad, tight-lipped, reminding herself to maintain eye contact.

“SharePoint?” He considered her, his eyes narrowed, and dread churned in her gut. “Efficient way to stay organized and have everything you need at your fingertips.” Mr. Walters moved the mouse, his index finger lifted, hovering in the air a second, and left-clicked.

They were in. She released a long, subtle breath.

“Address, account and routing numbers. Excellent. You seem to have more than I need, really. I wish all our clients were as prepared as you. I do wish you’d reconsider—”

“Also, I want to withdraw the remainder of my balance in cash.”

Mr. Walters’s eyes grew wide. “Excuse me, madam. Did you say in cash?”

“Yes, and I’d like it immediately.”

He adjusted his tie and straightened. “Ms. Harper, your request is quite irregular. Clients always prefer to wire their money. It’s safer and easier. Why would you want to risk carrying so much cash?”

Willow swallowed thickly, hoping there was no hint of alarm on her face. She sorted through the choice of responses wallpapered on her mind and said, “That’s none of your business.”

Mr. Walters blinked rapidly and took a long sip of coffee, then folded his hands atop the desk. “Madam, I mean no disrespect, but won’t you be concerned about your safety?”

“No. That’s why I have him.” She gestured to Gideon, who gave a tight smile.