The Merger – 28

 

"He's running late," Mike said to Josh, just as Rosie let them know that Mr. Osborne had arrived. At that point it was nine twenty and Mike had begun to worry that something had happened to change Osborne's mind.

Osborne appeared agitated as he came into Mike's office. Without preamble, he said, "I received a call from someone who purported to be Bethany's kidnapper. He was extremely angry, threatening to kill her or my wife, if I didn't do as planned and meet him at the bank tonight. I immediately called Linda, telling her she was to keep Bethany at home, to turn on the house security, and not to let anyone in—period."

"Was it the same man as before? Mr. Nowell?" Mike asked. If it had been, then the police had arrived too late to catch him at the warehouse.

"It might have been, but I couldn't say for certain. He was talking rapidly and as I said, sounded very angry. And he kept the conversation short."

Josh frowned in thought, holding up one hand to forestall either of the others from saying anything more. Finally, he asked, "What security company does the bank use?" When Osborne told him, he smiled as he replied, "I know them. Please call now and ask whoever's in charge of your account to meet us here as soon as possible. If he, or she, demurs, remind them there are other companies that would be more than willing to take over in their place, given the chance."

With a sharp nod, Osborne made the call. He didn't have to make that threat, as the person he talked with agreed to be at the agency within the half-hour.

"What are you planning?" Mike asked after Osborne hung up.

"If he..." Josh turned to Osborne. "What's his name?"

"George Stanton."

"I know him personally. He's the owner of Stanton Security." When Osborne nodded, Josh said, "They're good. He's good. Anyway, as I was saying, we'll tell him what's going on and then ask that he send at least two of his people to keep your wife and Bethany safe—for starters."

"Then?" Mike asked.

"Hope he'll agree to work with us to catch whoever comes to the bank tonight."

"He'd better agree and not try to take over," Mike replied tightly.

"He seems to be very flexible," Osborne put in. "I'm sure he won't object."

"I agree," Josh said, before asking Osborne, "Do you have floor plans for the bank somewhere online?"

"Of course not. That would be asking for trouble," Osborne replied tartly before adding with a brief smile, "Actually, we do. They're just not accessible to anyone who doesn't have the authorization to look at them. If you'll allow me…" He pointed to Mike's laptop. Mike nodded, ceding his chair to Osborne. Whatever site Osborne accessed was obviously very secure, based on the time it took him to open it and get where he needed to be.

"Where are the vault and the safety deposit boxes?" Josh asked when Osborne brought up the plans.

"The main vault is to the left of the teller stations; the safety deposit vault is to the right, across the hallway leading from the back door into the main area of the bank. The tellers' work area is in this secured room behind the stations," Osborne replied, tapping each one on the floor plan as he named them. "The door to the main vault is directly off the work area. The employee's entrance to the safety deposit vault is…here"—he pointed—"right across the hallway."

"Very self-contained," Mike said. "I've seen some banks where they were much farther apart."

Osborne nodded. "We're a smaller bank with a physically smaller plant, so practicality factored into our decision."

"What we need," Josh said, "is a place to hide until Nowell and/or Comstock, and perhaps more of Comstock's men, arrive. We also have to be there well before the bank closes, if what Nowell told you during one of his earlier calls was the truth and they'll be watching to make certain all your employees have left."

"Would one of the offices work?" Osborne asked, pointing to the ones lining the right wall of the bank.

"That depends on whether—let's just say Nowell, for convenience's sake—makes you take him directly to the tellers' work area, which obviously will give him easy access to both vaults," Josh replied.