Read Online On The Beat (Goosey Larsen Book 3) by James Vachowski - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Vachowski
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hustled out from a side office to intercept him. “Duke!” he called out, reaching for his friend’s hand as he flashed an inviting smile. “Good to see you again, old boy!”
Regan returned the smile as he grabbed the man’s hand and gave it a hearty double pump. “Brooks, you son of a gun . How’ve you been?”
Still smiling, the manager drew a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and pressed it gently against his forehead. The man wore his bulging waistline proudly as an outward indication of his professional success, so the short jog across the lobby was all it took for him to become winded. “I can’t complain, but sometimes I still do! Oh, but speaking of complaints, I was just reading about your store in the News and Courier. I ’m so sorry! My office?”
Duke nodded at the invitation and followed behind his friend, pausing only to shut the office door behind them. He chose a seat in front of the desk without waiting for it to be offered , then drew a thick manila envelope from inside his navy blue blazer. “Thanks for the discretion, Brooks” he said, setting the envelope down on the desk. “These cash deposits can create such a spectacle, but I’m afraid the alternative would be to use your night drop box. With all the amount of crime on the streets these days, I ’m afraid that’s just not an option.”
Brooks let the envelope sit between them on the desktop as he leaned back in his upholstered leather chair and clucked his tongue. “You mean to tell me that your insurance agent will pay out a settlement in under twenty-four hours ? And in cash, no less? Remind me to get his number from you! When my BMW was sideswiped on King Street last year, it took nearly a month for those tightwads at Nationwide to cut me a check.”
Duke smiled . “I wish it was that simple. Those ‘thieves’ made off with nearly all of my new merchandise… at least that ’s what the invoices say. It’s hard to steal items that were never actually delivered but I swear, that ’s what happened!” He shook his head, enjoying the satisfaction of yet another successful business transaction. “I tell you, I should’ve started cooking the books like this years ago . Can you believe that back when I took over that dump of a store on a tax lien, it was actually turning a profit? But anyway, it only took my partner and his team about fifteen minutes to force their way in and stage the crime scene, and now it ’ll take most of the weekend for a legitimate crew to clean it all up again! On the bright side , though, at least the store manager will finally be able to use some of those vacation days he’s always whining about.”
Brooks howled with laughter. He rocked back and forth in his leather chair, clutching his sides as fresh buds of perspiration appeared on his pasty forehead.
“I’ll probably have to swing back in here next week to process the actual insurance settlement” Duke continued, tapping the envelope . “This is just from the past week’s sales receipts .” He shot the banker a knowing look.
Brooks picked up the envelope and eased it open, giving the thick stack of hundred-dollar bills inside a quick riffle with his thumb. He raised a single, questioning eyebrow. “Business must be good.”
Duke smiled. “Booming. Tourist season is upon us, you know.” His chin nodded ever so slightly. “There’s fifty thousand in all, which includes your usual fee.”
Brooks gave a curt nod as he tucked the envelope closed. He opened a desk drawer, withdrew a single deposit slip and produced a ballpoint pen to fill in the blanks. His fingers moved swiftly across each space, Brooks’ hands betraying the fact that he’d filled out this same standardized form hundreds, if not thousands of times in his career. “Forty thousand it is, and it’ll be going to the Bermuda account this week. The wire transfer will take effect at nine o’clock.” He slid the deposit slip across the wide desktop. “Sign here, old
Regan returned the smile as he grabbed the man’s hand and gave it a hearty double pump. “Brooks, you son of a gun . How’ve you been?”
Still smiling, the manager drew a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and pressed it gently against his forehead. The man wore his bulging waistline proudly as an outward indication of his professional success, so the short jog across the lobby was all it took for him to become winded. “I can’t complain, but sometimes I still do! Oh, but speaking of complaints, I was just reading about your store in the News and Courier. I ’m so sorry! My office?”
Duke nodded at the invitation and followed behind his friend, pausing only to shut the office door behind them. He chose a seat in front of the desk without waiting for it to be offered , then drew a thick manila envelope from inside his navy blue blazer. “Thanks for the discretion, Brooks” he said, setting the envelope down on the desk. “These cash deposits can create such a spectacle, but I’m afraid the alternative would be to use your night drop box. With all the amount of crime on the streets these days, I ’m afraid that’s just not an option.”
Brooks let the envelope sit between them on the desktop as he leaned back in his upholstered leather chair and clucked his tongue. “You mean to tell me that your insurance agent will pay out a settlement in under twenty-four hours ? And in cash, no less? Remind me to get his number from you! When my BMW was sideswiped on King Street last year, it took nearly a month for those tightwads at Nationwide to cut me a check.”
Duke smiled . “I wish it was that simple. Those ‘thieves’ made off with nearly all of my new merchandise… at least that ’s what the invoices say. It’s hard to steal items that were never actually delivered but I swear, that ’s what happened!” He shook his head, enjoying the satisfaction of yet another successful business transaction. “I tell you, I should’ve started cooking the books like this years ago . Can you believe that back when I took over that dump of a store on a tax lien, it was actually turning a profit? But anyway, it only took my partner and his team about fifteen minutes to force their way in and stage the crime scene, and now it ’ll take most of the weekend for a legitimate crew to clean it all up again! On the bright side , though, at least the store manager will finally be able to use some of those vacation days he’s always whining about.”
Brooks howled with laughter. He rocked back and forth in his leather chair, clutching his sides as fresh buds of perspiration appeared on his pasty forehead.
“I’ll probably have to swing back in here next week to process the actual insurance settlement” Duke continued, tapping the envelope . “This is just from the past week’s sales receipts .” He shot the banker a knowing look.
Brooks picked up the envelope and eased it open, giving the thick stack of hundred-dollar bills inside a quick riffle with his thumb. He raised a single, questioning eyebrow. “Business must be good.”
Duke smiled. “Booming. Tourist season is upon us, you know.” His chin nodded ever so slightly. “There’s fifty thousand in all, which includes your usual fee.”
Brooks gave a curt nod as he tucked the envelope closed. He opened a desk drawer, withdrew a single deposit slip and produced a ballpoint pen to fill in the blanks. His fingers moved swiftly across each space, Brooks’ hands betraying the fact that he’d filled out this same standardized form hundreds, if not thousands of times in his career. “Forty thousand it is, and it’ll be going to the Bermuda account this week. The wire transfer will take effect at nine o’clock.” He slid the deposit slip across the wide desktop. “Sign here, old
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