been to any Christmas parties there, but he was certain he had been to the offices in the past, and had met some of her colleagues. Though not for some time. She always kept work and home life separate. So what was that jerk talking about yesterday? Maybe she was having an affair; and it was with him. That was why he was denying all knowledge of her. But then it all came back to Nathan again: she would never desert him.
He got up, and continued his walk through the Common. He decided he would walk down to Ruth’s office again. No point trying to gain entry, but by the time he got there it would be lunchtime. If he waited outside, maybe he would catch Ruth taking her lunch break. Or perhaps he would recognise a workmate.
He took the path away from Frog Pond, and walked across the common, past the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, veering slightly to the right as he passed the sports field. Even on this cold morning, four hardy souls were playing tennis on the courts adjacent to the Central Burying Ground. He paused momentarily as he passed a plaque stating that portrait painter Gilbert Stuart was buried nearby.
He reached Tremont Street and crossed over outside the Boylston Green Line stop. Two more blocks and he was on Washington. Turned right and headed down to Cambridge Pharmaceuticals. He paused as he passed an HSBC branch and headed for the ATM. Inserted his card, keyed his PIN and requested fifty dollars. With all the events of the last two days, he had forgotten to get any cash. Something he and Ruth always joked about: he worked in a bank, but always forgot to make use of his branch’s ATM.
Suddenly a thought hit him. If Ruth had left voluntarily, she would have needed money. They had a joint account, so he could see if and where she had made any withdrawals from their account. That might at least give him an idea of where she was. That was why that policewoman had asked about their accounts. He could leave it for the police to handle, but he felt he had to do something. Slight hitch here though: their account was with the Bank of New England and this was an HSBC machine. He wouldn’t be able to get a list of transactions here. He took his cash, then pressed a couple of other buttons to get the balance. He frowned as he read the account balance on the screen: it was inconclusive, as he wasn’t sure how much should be in the account. He needed a Bank of New England branch, and he knew there wasn’t one in this part of the city. Or he would have to wait until he got home, and then go online. He looked around as he pondered: he needed to know about the account urgently, yet didn’t have time to go home.
He stepped into a doorway where he found shelter from passers-by and from the wind, and speed dialled Larry Mason. It went to voicemail. He left Larry a message asking him to call him back ASAP, and continued his walk down to Ruth’s offices.
He had just covered one block when Larry returned his call.
‘Hey, Matt; how you doing?’ Larry asked.
‘I’m good. Well, as good as yesterday,’ Matt replied, stepping into another doorway. ‘I just need a favour.’
‘Sure thing. Shoot.’
‘If I give you my checking account number, could you check the recent transactions on it?’
‘Sure, pal. Whatever you need.’
Matt read out the account number and held on while Larry retrieved the list of transactions.
‘There’s been a fifty dollar ATM withdrawal on the... Today. It was today.’
‘Yes. That was me. Go back the last couple of weeks.’
‘A hundred out on the tenth. At one of our machines here.’
‘Yes, that was me again.
‘I have two hundred on the eleventh. That was at the Safeway on Tremont.’
‘Okay. That would have been Ruth. She goes there after work sometimes.’
‘And a three hundred on the thirteenth. Again, Safeway on Tremont. Man, that’s a lot of shopping.’
‘Yeah. Okay, Larry. Thanks. See you tomorrow.’
‘Sure thing, buddy. You take care, now.’
Matt put the
He got up, and continued his walk through the Common. He decided he would walk down to Ruth’s office again. No point trying to gain entry, but by the time he got there it would be lunchtime. If he waited outside, maybe he would catch Ruth taking her lunch break. Or perhaps he would recognise a workmate.
He took the path away from Frog Pond, and walked across the common, past the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, veering slightly to the right as he passed the sports field. Even on this cold morning, four hardy souls were playing tennis on the courts adjacent to the Central Burying Ground. He paused momentarily as he passed a plaque stating that portrait painter Gilbert Stuart was buried nearby.
He reached Tremont Street and crossed over outside the Boylston Green Line stop. Two more blocks and he was on Washington. Turned right and headed down to Cambridge Pharmaceuticals. He paused as he passed an HSBC branch and headed for the ATM. Inserted his card, keyed his PIN and requested fifty dollars. With all the events of the last two days, he had forgotten to get any cash. Something he and Ruth always joked about: he worked in a bank, but always forgot to make use of his branch’s ATM.
Suddenly a thought hit him. If Ruth had left voluntarily, she would have needed money. They had a joint account, so he could see if and where she had made any withdrawals from their account. That might at least give him an idea of where she was. That was why that policewoman had asked about their accounts. He could leave it for the police to handle, but he felt he had to do something. Slight hitch here though: their account was with the Bank of New England and this was an HSBC machine. He wouldn’t be able to get a list of transactions here. He took his cash, then pressed a couple of other buttons to get the balance. He frowned as he read the account balance on the screen: it was inconclusive, as he wasn’t sure how much should be in the account. He needed a Bank of New England branch, and he knew there wasn’t one in this part of the city. Or he would have to wait until he got home, and then go online. He looked around as he pondered: he needed to know about the account urgently, yet didn’t have time to go home.
He stepped into a doorway where he found shelter from passers-by and from the wind, and speed dialled Larry Mason. It went to voicemail. He left Larry a message asking him to call him back ASAP, and continued his walk down to Ruth’s offices.
He had just covered one block when Larry returned his call.
‘Hey, Matt; how you doing?’ Larry asked.
‘I’m good. Well, as good as yesterday,’ Matt replied, stepping into another doorway. ‘I just need a favour.’
‘Sure thing. Shoot.’
‘If I give you my checking account number, could you check the recent transactions on it?’
‘Sure, pal. Whatever you need.’
Matt read out the account number and held on while Larry retrieved the list of transactions.
‘There’s been a fifty dollar ATM withdrawal on the... Today. It was today.’
‘Yes. That was me. Go back the last couple of weeks.’
‘A hundred out on the tenth. At one of our machines here.’
‘Yes, that was me again.
‘I have two hundred on the eleventh. That was at the Safeway on Tremont.’
‘Okay. That would have been Ruth. She goes there after work sometimes.’
‘And a three hundred on the thirteenth. Again, Safeway on Tremont. Man, that’s a lot of shopping.’
‘Yeah. Okay, Larry. Thanks. See you tomorrow.’
‘Sure thing, buddy. You take care, now.’
Matt put the
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