“I didn’t spot any Tanus people inside either. I guess it’s time for me to make another appearance in the bank. I’ll set up a safety deposit box today. I’m hoping the bank has someone in particular who handles the area where the boxes are.”
“You’ll be a lot less comfortable, but I like your outfit better.” Rachel gestured at Nick’s gray slacks and light blue short sleeved pullover shirt. “You’ll look a lot more presentable today.”
Nick pulled his notebook computer case from the backseat. “This will be what I’ll have with me every day. You’ll go in with a large black purse with blank flash drives already in it when we decide it’s time. After taking the real drives out and putting them into a small zip lock bag, you’ll lock your box back up and come out. I’ll be holding the case in such a way you will be able to brush by me in the bank and drop the drives in. Then, you take a seat and mess around filling out something while I copy the drives. I’ll put the originals into my own safety deposit box. I want you to then look around nervously while I complete the transfer and leave the bank ahead of you. With any luck, the bad guys will have gathered by then, waiting for their moment.”
“If I didn’t trust you -”
“Yeah, this plan would be awkward. I could ditch you right then and there, leaving you to take the heat. Instead of that traitorous scenario, I’ll get my bag somewhere safe and cue Gus. I should have a good idea who the grabbers will be. I’ll take them out and give you the word to hurry the hell out of the bank and into the car with Gus. I don’t want you exposed for even ten seconds, so once the Tanus guys hit the deck, you run for the car. I’ll meet up with you at the condo. We’ll have all the poker chips then: original flash drives still in a safety deposit box, us with copies, you and Jean out of danger.”
“Wow, it sounds so simple when you put it like that.”
“Off I go.” Nick opened the door to a furnace blast of humid hot air. “Good Lord in heaven! I’ll keep you on the cell while I’m playing businessman inside. Watch for guys paying attention to me.”
“Okay. Just shut the damn door.”
Nick closed the door and adjusted his sunglasses. He hurried diagonally across the street so as to end up at the SunTrust bank entrance. He called Rachel while walking across the threshold.
“Nick, bring me back a Diet Pepsi.”
“Sure thing, Princess.” He walked to one of the people at a desk, asking about opening a safety deposit box. Fifteen minutes later, the man who had helped him fill out the paperwork guided Nick to the safety deposit box area, cautioning him on what would happen if the keys were lost. He buzzed the rear section. A pleasant faced blonde in her mid-thirties came to the window. Nick recognized her immediately.
“Rene will help you from here, Mr. Weatherby.” The man shook Nick’s hand.
“I see you have your signature card all filled out. Sign and date the sign-in sheet and I’ll take you back to the boxes.”
Nick signed in and Rene let him into the back. She found his new safety deposit box number and inserted her key, gesturing for Nick to insert his. Once he had the box in hand, Rene led him to a line of small rooms.
“Let me know when you’re ready to return the box to the room, Sir.”
“I will, Rene, thank you.”
“Rachel,” Nick spoke into the cell-phone after closing the door. “We have contact. Rene’s working in safety deposit box land. You have her on your sheet.”
“Rene Santora?”
“Yep. What do you think about following her home tonight, trussing her up before work in the morning, and blowing all these complicated plans to hell? We could walk right in and back out if there’s no tipster in here.”
Rachel started laughing and took minutes to calm down before being able to speak.
“What…what happened to patience?”
“Patience took a hike the moment I saw a familiar face in here.” Nick leaned back in his seat visualizing what he would need to do. “We do it exactly as I outlined, only I won’t have to drop any guys on the way to the car. We get away clean.”
“You won’t kill her, will you?”
“It would be easier if I did.”
“You cold-hearted bastard,” Rachel murmured. “She’s just an employee. You’re screwing with me, right?”
No. “Of course I am. I’ll be out in a couple minutes.”
“You haven’t said a word since we drove away from the bank.” Rachel pointed out as Nick drove their rented Pontiac. “Are you plotting?”
“I called Gus. He’ll be meeting us at the condo. I’ll get changed into a suit and tie. He and I will go over to Rene's house for recon. If our research reveals no dogs, children, or husbands, I’ll put her out of commission before dawn tomorrow.”
“Why use Gus instead of me?”
“Gus can immediately drive back to St. Pete and return the Pontiac,” Nick answered. She’s suspicious already. “The moment the bank opens tomorrow, we’ll make our flash drive withdrawal in the new rental Gus brings us. We’ll only be gone a couple of hours. I’ll have the condo locked down tight with a motion detector while we’re gone, which will alert me the moment it goes off.”
“You’re going to kill Rene, aren’t you?”
“What? You’re on a first name basis now with the woman who would have painted a target on you the moment your safety deposit box was accessed?”
“She wouldn’t have known why. Maybe they told her it was a police investigation.”
“Look, Rachel, I just need to disable her until around noontime. Once we have the flash drives copied, we’ll lay low at the condo until I’m certain there’s no heat on my Weatherby identity. I did have to give them the condo address to start my accounts. I’ll go fool around with my new accounts and visit my safety deposit box while you and Jean stay with Gus at the condo. It will give me a chance to see if our withdrawal stirs up anything. If we’re lucky, Santora won’t tell anyone so as to stay out of trouble with Tanus. The two teams may then be back in place watching each other while we hit the road.”
“When do we bring Grace and Tim back into the mix?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding slightly relieved at Nick’s explanation.
“After I arrange a get together with Suzan and her husband at a neutral spot and we decipher the information, I’ll bring the Marshalls into it. I’ll give Suzan’s husband unedited copies. Then I’ll tell them to set up a meet with Grace and Tim. We’ll lay low. I’ll plot targets until the shit hits the fan. Even with the drives and a corroborating witness, we’ll need to be in lockdown mode until I see Grace do the right thing.”
“What about Frank?”
“Frank stuck it to me with the setup in Denver. We’ll wait to find out if Frank survives the flash drive revelations. There’s no use in negotiating with Frank if he’s indicted. Our work for getting you and Jean back to a normal life depends on how many untouchables are on the flash drives.”
“Untouchables?”
“People who escape the taking down of Tanus and who might still pose a threat.”
“Can’t you make them do something about these untouchables?”
“We’ll see, but there might be a name or two only a.50 caliber solution will remedy. Frank would be an extremely valuable guy to have on our side if that happens.”
Nick parked near his Cadillac in front of the condominium complex. Inside the condo, they said their hellos, and he went in his bedroom to get dressed. When he came out, he looked like a bank executive in the slate gray suit he had changed into. While Gus waited at the Pontiac, Nick made sure his alarms were in place and activated on the condo. They drove to Rene Santora’s home on Gillespie Avenue.