That’s illegal in New York now. You can’t have tinted windows like that anymore. She kept looking back at that car. Three or four times while she was standing in front of me. Not frantic, not like she was afraid. But she just kept checking. But it was very busy that day, and once Angel came to take her in back, I got caught up with other things.”
She sighed lightly, tapped her gold wedding band on the table. “I remembered all that when I saw her picture in the Post . I called corporate and told them that she’d been in our branch that day and closed her accounts. They told me I was right to call and that they’d handle thecall to the police. I never heard from the cops until today. But a day or so later, I got a visit from the head of fraud security.”
The waitress came then and all three ordered regular cups of coffee.
“He wanted to make sure that we hadn’t had any indication she wasn’t acting of her own accord. We’re trained to look for that kind of thing. I mentioned her demeanor and the vehicle I’d seen but said that it didn’t seem like she was acting under duress of any kind. And that was true. It was all just a vibe, just a feeling on my part.”
“Then they provided you and Mr. Rodriquez with the things you needed to say to protect the bank from liability, should Lily or her family ever claim that the money was obtained fraudulently and that the bank failed to protect her accounts,” said Jesamyn.
“That’s right,” she answered with a nod.
“When I heard from my manager that the security video and Ms. Samuels’ banking records had been requested by branch security, I was relieved. I figured the bank was working with the police and that the things I’d observed had been passed along. But then I ‘accidentally’ saw the statement the bank had given to the police and it made no mention of the SUV.”
“Accidentally?”
“I accidentally came across it while I was looking to file something away in the branch manager’s cabinet,” she said with a small smile.
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Matt asked, though he figured he knew the answer.
“I called corporate and asked to speak to the head of branch security.”
“Brian Davis?” asked Jesamyn.
She nodded.
“What did he say?”
“He very gently suggested that the information wasn’t relevant since we were certain that she wasn’t acting under duress. He said some shit about being a team player and how the bank couldn’t afford disloyalty. Let’s just say the message was clear.”
She put her head in her hand for a second and then rubbed at her temples with a long graceful hand. She looked up at them again.
“I’ve been with this bank twenty years; I’m fully vested. I’ve got two sons in college.”
The waitress placed the coffee in front of them, asked if they wanted anything else, and walked off when no one answered.
“I’m sorry,” Thelma said. “I’m so sorry for that girl.”
Jesamyn put a hand on her arm. “We all have to make choices, Ms. Baker. We don’t judge you. Coming forward now is very brave.”
She looked up at them then and nodded. “Thanks,” she said, gently withdrawing her arm. “I appreciate that. But I really hope it’s not too late to help her.”
“We do, too,” said Matt. He didn’t judge Thelma Baker either. It was easy for a person to get squashed by a corporate giant; it happened every day, all over the world. They used people up, controlled them by threatening their livelihood. But he couldn’t quash the rising tide of frustration and anger he felt swelling in his chest. If they’d had this information two weeks ago, where would it have led them?
“I saw part of the license plate,” she said, pulling a pen from her purse and scribbling on a napkin. “My eyes are not great but I think the first three digits were H57. That’s all I know.”
She got up then, quickly, as if she’d woken from a trance and realized she was in a strange place. She
She sighed lightly, tapped her gold wedding band on the table. “I remembered all that when I saw her picture in the Post . I called corporate and told them that she’d been in our branch that day and closed her accounts. They told me I was right to call and that they’d handle thecall to the police. I never heard from the cops until today. But a day or so later, I got a visit from the head of fraud security.”
The waitress came then and all three ordered regular cups of coffee.
“He wanted to make sure that we hadn’t had any indication she wasn’t acting of her own accord. We’re trained to look for that kind of thing. I mentioned her demeanor and the vehicle I’d seen but said that it didn’t seem like she was acting under duress of any kind. And that was true. It was all just a vibe, just a feeling on my part.”
“Then they provided you and Mr. Rodriquez with the things you needed to say to protect the bank from liability, should Lily or her family ever claim that the money was obtained fraudulently and that the bank failed to protect her accounts,” said Jesamyn.
“That’s right,” she answered with a nod.
“When I heard from my manager that the security video and Ms. Samuels’ banking records had been requested by branch security, I was relieved. I figured the bank was working with the police and that the things I’d observed had been passed along. But then I ‘accidentally’ saw the statement the bank had given to the police and it made no mention of the SUV.”
“Accidentally?”
“I accidentally came across it while I was looking to file something away in the branch manager’s cabinet,” she said with a small smile.
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Matt asked, though he figured he knew the answer.
“I called corporate and asked to speak to the head of branch security.”
“Brian Davis?” asked Jesamyn.
She nodded.
“What did he say?”
“He very gently suggested that the information wasn’t relevant since we were certain that she wasn’t acting under duress. He said some shit about being a team player and how the bank couldn’t afford disloyalty. Let’s just say the message was clear.”
She put her head in her hand for a second and then rubbed at her temples with a long graceful hand. She looked up at them again.
“I’ve been with this bank twenty years; I’m fully vested. I’ve got two sons in college.”
The waitress placed the coffee in front of them, asked if they wanted anything else, and walked off when no one answered.
“I’m sorry,” Thelma said. “I’m so sorry for that girl.”
Jesamyn put a hand on her arm. “We all have to make choices, Ms. Baker. We don’t judge you. Coming forward now is very brave.”
She looked up at them then and nodded. “Thanks,” she said, gently withdrawing her arm. “I appreciate that. But I really hope it’s not too late to help her.”
“We do, too,” said Matt. He didn’t judge Thelma Baker either. It was easy for a person to get squashed by a corporate giant; it happened every day, all over the world. They used people up, controlled them by threatening their livelihood. But he couldn’t quash the rising tide of frustration and anger he felt swelling in his chest. If they’d had this information two weeks ago, where would it have led them?
“I saw part of the license plate,” she said, pulling a pen from her purse and scribbling on a napkin. “My eyes are not great but I think the first three digits were H57. That’s all I know.”
She got up then, quickly, as if she’d woken from a trance and realized she was in a strange place. She
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