Page 122 of Her Defiant Warrior

“We give free refills for coffee. Come back whenever.”

Now that was how it should be. He tipped his head at her. “Thanks.” He walked back to the register and threw in a couple of bucks to the tip jar, then found a comfortable seat to sit down. He pulled out his smartphone to see if Gideon or Jada had any more info on MacLaine Simpson for him.

There it was, something from Jada and it came with all the opinions and humor he’d come to expect from her.

Apparently, MacLaine had started working for the bank in the management trainee program nine months ago. He had graduated from Clemson University with honors and was part of a well-respected, aka snooty, family in Charleston, South Carolina. The family had money. Lots of old money. Chances were, daddy pulled strings for MacLaine to get into this program, since over one hundred people had applied.

He's dirty, that’s for sure, because within six months of starting at the bank, he liquidated almost a quarter of a million worth of gold coins from Fredson’s Gold and Antiquities which he then dumped into his bank account, and he bought himself a condo right in the heart of Annapolis.

He’s our man, Mateo. You find a way to take him down and find out all his secrets.

Mateo grinned as he read the last two lines. He definitely intended to do just that. But he wasn’t going to start with an all-out frontal attack. This required some reconnaissance, i.e., a phone call. Then some finesse.

He crossed his ankle over his knee and leaned back in the comfortable chair and dialed the number to the bank across the street. And wasn’t it a pleasant surprise when a human answered, and not some fake computer-generated voice who tried to herd him toward one department or another?

“Hi,” he said to the woman on the other end of the line. “I’m thinking about transferring some of my money from my current bank to Lionel. It’s rather complicated, and a friend suggested I talk to Mr. Simpson.” He was careful to keep all hint of his Spanish accent under wraps. He didn’t want to be identified when he showed up later.

There was a pause on the line. “I’m sorry, sir. We don’t have a Mr. Simpson who works here at the bank. I’m sure one of our personal bankers can assist you.”

“No, my friend was pretty specific that MacLaine Simpson was the man who could help me.”

The woman laughed. “Oh, you mean Lainey. She’s not working in the personal banking department anymore. Now she is in the Compliance and Regulatory department. I’m sure someone else could help you. Arthur Stevenson is great and he has availability today. Do you want me to make you an appointment with him?”

“Let me talk to my friend and see if there was somebody else he worked with at your bank. I really do like to work with recommendations. I’m sure you understand that.”

“Oh, I do.”

“Thank you for all of your help. What was your name again?”

“Penny Durby.”

“Well, Penny, you have been extremely helpful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Mateo peered off into space as he considered how to approach MacLaine “Lainey” Simpson. It shouldn’t put a different spin on things that she was a woman, but it did. Not that a woman wasn’t capable of being a criminal, or a murderer for that matter, but it would definitely change his approach.

His mother had always been so fond of quoting Steven Hawking. “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

So, he’d adapt.

“Hello, this is Lainey Simpson,” she said as she picked up her phone.

“Lainey, I have Cliff Ackerson from the FBI on the phone for you. He wanted to talk to Mr. Pine, but I told him you could help him.”

Lainey looked over to where Janice was typing at her computer. She couldn’t see her screen, but she’d bet next week’s manicure that she was on her social media account.

“Penny, I think that⁠—”

“Have a heart,” Penny interrupted her. “He sounds nice. Don’t make me send him to the piranha.”

Lainey stifled her giggle. They were going to have to go to dinner soon. She missed her girl time with her friend. “Fine. Pass him through.”

There was a click on the line.

“Hello, this is Lainey Simpson, with the Lionel Security and Trust Bank Compliance and Regulatory Department. How can I help you?”

“I think Penny might have told you. My name is Cliff Ackerson and I’m a Special Agent with the FBI.”