Death from the Shadows - Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOURAbegail didn't get much sleep after her call to Dave. Too much adrenaline, and admittedly her nerves were starting to get to her as well. While she wants this information, she wants to get this panther. There is a part of the back of her mind that keeps telling her it's a bad idea, and she has been attempting to shut that part of her mind up all night but to no avail.She is currently standing in the lobby of her bank, waiting in a rather long line. She wasn't able to calm down enough to make herself look presentable until lunchtime, so she wasn't able to get to the bank until now. Lunchtime is always the worst time to come to this bank, as everyone who works rushes in to cash their paychecks or do whatever else they need to do. While she waits, she is running through her act in her mind, and noting things she will need to have to make it convincing. Any suspicion at all could be a very bad thing when dealing with a known killer.Finally, she moves up to the front of the line, and when the teller calls "Next," Abegail jumps slightly but walks over to the open teller. The teller recognizes her and smiles, "Ah, Ms. Horn, pleasure to see you today. What can we do for you?"Abegail smiles back to the teller, "Denise, nice to see you today. I need to get a cashier's check if you don't mind.""Oh, of course, that should not be a problem at all." Denise types for a moment, presumably pulling up Abegail's account, "Can I see your ID. I know, I know, it seems silly when I know
you, but bank rules and all that." Abegail fishes in her purse, opens her wallet, and pulls out her driver's license and hands it to the clerk."There you go," Abegail says, "Am I Abegail Horn?" she asks chuckling.The teller laughs, and nods, "Yes indeed you are. Now, how much will you need this check for, and what account do you want to draw out of? Or will you be paying for the cashier's check in cash today?""Oh, no, not in cash." Abegail thinks for a moment going her accounts and the money in each of them, "Pull from the 4878 account, and the amount will be for eighteen thousand three hundred and fifty dollars...even.""Eighteen-thousand three hundred and fifty dollars, Ms. Horn? That's a bit unusual, can I ask what you need that for? Again, bank policy when someone is withdrawing more than is common. I do apologize for having to ask." The teller is starting to fill out the form while she waits for the answer."Oh, I am having some work done on my home. A bunch of renovations and you know the costs of things here in this city, especially when you live in a nicer part of the city. People inflate everything because they assume you don't mind parting with it. Granted, the place could use the sprucing up and I don't have a lot of options." Abegail gives a fake shrug to further take away any suspicion."Oh, of course, and builders are the absolute
worst. Just had my roof re-done and the cost could have choked a horse, I swear." The teller chuckles, "I am betting in your building, just putting up a shelf costs a small fortune." The teller continues typing, presumably the reason for the withdraw, "Would you like the check made out, or would you prefer to make it out yourself?""Oh, I can make it out myself. I shopped around and most of the estimates were pretty much the same, so if this builder flakes, at least I have the check and can make it out to the next builder I have in mind. Other problem with this city -- people flake out on you. It's like no one has any ethics left." Abegail is surprisingly good at lying, once she starts to get into one. Terrible at starting one, great at keeping it going."Yea, I know how that is. Lost a teller just this week, in fact. Just flaked out and decided not to come to work, no call, nothing. Really left us in a bind." The teller finishes typing and smiles, "Alright, I will be right back with the check, just going to grab it off the printer."When the teller leaves, Abegail looks around the bank to make sure no one is eyeing her. While this area is a nicer area of the city, there are still robberies, and a cashier's check for that much money, without a name, is a risk to have. Seeing no one even glancing at her, she looks back at the empty teller window, lightly tapping her fingers on the desk. Bad habit, and one she has never been able to break.After five minutes, the teller returns and slides the check, as well as Abegail's license back to her. "There you go Ms. Horn. I apologize for the delay, the printer jammed up. Everything is going wrong this week it seems. Anyway, the top copy is for the builder, the bottom copy is yours. Press hard when signing it so everything goes through. Is there anything else you need?""No, no thank you, Denise, I'm all set. Thank you so much for your help.""Of course Ms. Horn, it's always a pleasure to help you. Take it easy, and I do hope all the renovations turn out well for you."Abegail smiles, nodding her head, before stepping out of line. She steps off to the side to replace her license in her wallet and fold the check up to put it into the front pocket of her wallet. She looks around again, once more before she heads out of the building. Once out of the building, she pulls her cellphone out of her purse and enters Dave's phone number. After four rings, it drops to voicemail."Dave, it's Abegail. I have your check and will be back home in about ten minutes. Give me a call when you are on your way." She pushes the end button and begins to walk back to the house.**********"You are a fucking bitch, you know that Abegail?" Dave hadn't even gotten into the apartment and already he was cussing Abegail out. Abegail closes the door behind Dave and calmly walks over to sit down on the couch. "It's nice to see you too, Dave. You are a bit late, you know that right? Didn't I say by one today?""LATE? You are telling me I am late? How about you calling me at fucking three this morning? That's late. No, you did not tell me any specific time; you said by the end of the afternoon."Dave is a VP of Technology at one of the larger firms in the city. Usually, he is nicely dressed though right now his clothing is a bit disheveled. He is wearing his favorite black Armani suit, with a white shirt underneath it. A blue tie is tied around his neck though it is slightly askew. His black horn-rimmed glasses are sticking out of the breast pocket of his suit coat. He is carrying a bag that looks to be from a bank, with a zipper and a lock on it. "You fucking wake me up and demand that I bring you fifteen-thousand dollars. Then you have the nerve to sit there and tell me I am late. I have been stuck in traffic for nearly thirty minutes to get here, and I had to spend forty-five minutes at the bank making up as many lies as possible to get this money for you.""David, would you calm down. You look like a total mess, your tie is all askew, and you are sweating. You need to learn to calm down." Abegail reaches down into the purse that is sitting at her feet, and after a moment, pulls out the cashier's check. "I also had to lie at the bank. Had to tell them I was having renovations done, so don't tell me about having to lie."David reaches a hand back to grab the handle of the door, half tempted to walk right back out and to end any communication with Abegail again. She has had this bug up her ass about this....Black Death for far too long, and it's almost all she talks about and he is starting to get sick of it. "You say one more word, I walk out and you can figure out how to get your own fucking money. Yes, I am a mess. Sitting in a car, in this weather, in gridlock will do that to you. Lying to a bank, something that is fully punishable by a very long jail sentence will also do that to you. Carrying fifteen fucking thousand dollars with you will ALSO do that to you.""Why don't you just come over here, sit down and relax. Do you want something to drink? Water, wine, beer?" Abegail is either totally oblivious to exactly what David has gone through, or she just doesn't give a care. David would probably say that it's the latter, and to a very large extent he would be right. Abegail has always gotten what she wants, anything less would be unacceptable to her."No Abegail, I don't want anything to drink, nor do I want to sit down. What I want to do is give you this money, get my check and go back to work. You know what that is right? Some of us have to do it so we can continue to eat." Abegail has lived off a large fortune that her father had amassed which was passed on to her when he was killed. The idea of work, to Abegail, is a foreign one as she has never had to do any work in her life."You know David, you really don't have to be rude. Of course I understand you have to work, and I appreciate you taking the time to help me out, I very much do." Abegail stands up from the couch and walks over to where David is standing, still next to the door, "Your check, fifteen-thousand plus your extra twenty-five percent, as you requested."David takes the check, looking it over, and shoves it into his pocket. He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a key ring. He searches through the key ring, finds a small key, and unlocks the money bag. He smirks and turns the money bag over, dumping the cash right in front of the door. "It's all there, bundled up. Fifteen thousand dollars, all hundred dollar bills. I wasn't going to request small bills as I was already being eyed quite oddly for pulling this much cash out of my account." He shoves the lock in his pocket and rolls up the money bag, "Now, do not call me again, got me? I am done doing favors for you. You are insane, and I hope to god you know what you are doing." He turns his back on Abegail as she is about to speak, opens
the door and walks out of the apartment."I..." Abegail shakes her head lightly and kneels down, starting to pick up the bundles of money and setting them on a table next to the door.