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“Let me ask this.” Jocelyn had them both staring at her now. “If this wasn’t about taking money or things out of safe deposit boxes, then why didn’t they just grab me and run?”
There was only one answer to that, so Ben gave it to her. “Because they had to make it look like a robbery.”
“That guy seem okay to you?” Joel leaned against the table and nodded in Kent’s direction.
The man sat at his desk in full-on fidget mode. Sweat dotted his brow and he kept wiping his hand over his mouth.
Ben had noticed the nervous tics before. They struck him as even more pronounced today, which made no sense at all. The danger had passed. He should be celebrating living through it or at least look more relaxed.
“To be fair, his bank was robbed, kind of,” Jocelyn said.
Joel nodded. “While he was out.”
There was a clicking sound as Jocelyn tapped the pile of slips against the table. “Still thinking it’s too convenient?”
“Connor will break him.” Even now Ben admired Connor’s work. He kept his voice low and his gestures smooth as Kent unraveled into a bucket of sweat.
“No question.”
Ben turned around to agree with Joel and saw Ed usher a man in the front door of the bank. “Hey, you can’t be in here.”
That was the deal. They had all come to get the search done faster. That meant bringing Jocelyn outside the house again, and Ben had laid down a bunch of rules to make sure that happened. Being in the bank with only Ed and Kent was one of them.
The new guest walked right over, just a few steps behind Jocelyn. Joel moved to block the direct line to her and Connor came up out of his chair with his hand on his gun. Ben beat them both. Ignoring the pull of the stitches across his stomach and the tightness over his shoulder, he vaulted around the table and put his body right in front of hers.
“Not one more step.” And he would put a bullet in the guy to back up his threat if he had to.
Forget the expensive black suit and successful-businessman trappings. The guy was fortysomething and fit and could be a killer for all Ben knew. He wasn’t about to play wait-and-see on that one.
The man’s eyebrow lifted. “Since my money is in this bank, I believe I can do whatever I think is appropriate.”
Connor shook his head as he walked over and through the wall of tension. “Sir, you have to—”
“It’s okay.” Kent rushed in with his hands in the air. Nervous energy radiated off him as he flailed. “This is Gary Taub.”
Gary stood in direct contrast to the bank manager. A good five inches taller and totally put together. He frowned when he saw the sweat pouring off Kent, then dismissed him by turning to Connor. “I own the building next door.”
“I’m guessing you don’t mean the coffee shop,” Joel said.
Gary didn’t break eye contact with Connor. It was as if he knew who was in charge and refused to deal with anyone he deemed lower on the food chain. “Worldwide Securities.”
“What kind of business is that?”
“Financial.”
“What can we do for you, Mr. Taub?” Connor shifted away from the group and took the spotlight off the place where Jocelyn stood.
She hadn’t said a word. She was too busy digging her nails into Ben’s back.
“Gary, please.” The man almost bowed as he said it. “I’m checking on Kent.”
That made almost no sense in Ben’s mind. If Kent weren’t a complete mess, maybe. As it was, Ben couldn’t imagine Gary hanging out with schlubby, balding Kent unless Gary needed something from him. Gary just seemed that type.
“Are you two business associates?” Ben asked.
“We share an interest in keeping the area safe.” Gary’s gaze finally landed on Ben. Did a quick flick over his shoulder to Jocelyn, then back again. “And you are?”
“Connor Bowen,” he said before Ben could answer. “This is my team.”
“Of what?”
“Investigators.”
The corner of Gary’s mouth eased up. “For the police?”
“Maybe we could ask you a few questions.”
Gary folded his hands in front of him. “I notice you’re not answering any.”
“That’s how this game is played.”
A terse silence followed the verbal volleying. If this Gary guy wanted a battle, Connor was not the right guy to pick as an adversary. Connor didn’t blink. Didn’t call any attention to the rest of the team, which was good because if Ben guessed correctly, Joel was using that fancy phone, held low in his hand, to get a photo of Gary.
Gary finally broke the quiet with a quick nod. “Well, I can tell you what I saw on the day of the incident.”
