Chloe was grateful they spent the rest of the drive talking and reminiscing, taking it slow and getting to know each other again. The subject of how they felt about each other, and how she felt about Hunter, wasn’t brought up again. She told him as much as she was willing to about her life over the years, and he told about his time in Chicago with David. Christopher spent most of his time in charge of the collections, working out of David’s offices, but if someone didn’t come through on their debts, he had to enforce the consequences.
“Unlike Matthew, murder isn’t the answer to everything.”
“Did you ever kill for him?” When Chloe turned to look at Christopher, she clearly saw the shame on his face. “How did I never know?”
“I had to play the game. Doesn’t mean I liked it. The first time I did it, I never told you because I knew how much it would hurt you. Before that, I was just the schmuck who had to clean up the mess. Tucker was the one who got his rocks off when it came to punishments.”
“Unsurprising,” she replied.
“So what happens when we get to the bank?” Christopher asked, changing the subject.
“I go inside and get the box.”
“But how are you going to get the box? Doesn’t the bank have identification rules and signature cards and stuff like that?”
“Alice took care of it,” she said, trying to put him at ease. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because,” she said, “contrary to popular belief, anyone can be bought for the right price.”
***
Within an hour, Chloe parked in front of the bank and turned off the car, taking in their surroundings for a few minutes. Well off of the highway and seeming to be engulfed with trees, Rockford was not only remote, it was one place Alice knew nobody would think of looking for the box. Still, in a population of less than five hundred, Chloe couldn’t imagine staying longer than they had to.
“How did she find this place?” Christopher asked. “It’s in the middle of nowhere.”
“I don’t know. She probably took a road trip and drove around until she found the right place. That’s what I’d do.”
“Are you sure this is the place?”
“I’m guessing this is the only bank in town,” she said as she opened the car door.
“Wait,” he said as he reached for her, resting his hand on her arm.
She thought his touch might ignite some kind of feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time, but it didn’t. The only thought that momentarily ran through her head at his touch was her wish that it was Hunter’s touch.
“Are you afraid to stay in the car by yourself?” she asked jokingly. “Just sit back and take in the…” she paused trying to find the right word, “…nostalgia. Seems like this place is stuck in the sixties, although it’s a small enough town that I wouldn’t be surprised if we are being watched from behind closed shutters. I’m leaving the keys so you have air conditioning and music. Do not leave me here.”
Christopher held up the index and middle fingers of his right hand. “Scout’s honor. I won’t go anywhere.”
Chloe scoffed with amusement. “Like you were ever a Boy Scout.”
They exchanged a quick smile as Chloe grabbed her purse and approached the front door of the bank.
***
Mr. Wilkins, the bank manager, was a handsome man of middle years and a little more than curious about the stranger standing before him. Chloe guessed that the last time a stranger came into the bank was when Alice had been there a few months ago. She knew that if she didn’t cut his curiosity off at the knees, she would be there longer than she wanted to.
“How can I help you, Ms. Riggs?”
“A friend of mine was here a few months ago to obtain a safe deposit box. Number eighteen.”
He raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I’m sorry. Box eighteen?”
Chloe held up the key. “Box eighteen.”
“Do you have identification?” he asked suspiciously.
She could see she would have to revert to intimidation tactics with Mr. Wilkins just as she had done with others in the past. She got a flutter in the pit of her stomach because she knew she was good at it, and part of her enjoyed this game—after all, she had learned it from Matthew, a cold-hearted, malevolent man who enjoyed watching her make others twitch. “You will always get your way if you can remember this,” he told her once. “Knowing how to read your opponent will determine whether or not you win or lose, and I am not raising a loser.”
She cracked a small but caustic smile and leaned forward, almost whispering in his ear. “The key is in the light.”
He jerked his head back and his eyes were wide with surprise. Chloe’s tone was demanding and impatient, but she kept her body language calm enough so as not to arouse suspicion from anyone else in the bank. She raised her eyebrows to indicate she was waiting for an answer.
With a shaky voice Wilkins replied, “Please, follow me.”
She followed him into a separate and secure room lined with safe deposit boxes and a long table in the middle. Mr. Wilkins inserted his key into one of the locks of box eighteen then silently indicated to Chloe to insert her key as well. They both turned their keys at the same time and the door opened. Wilkins pulled the medium-sized metal box out of the wall and placed it on the table. He then took another key and opened the box, revealing the lock box stored inside, and turned to leave.
“Please stay, Mr. Wilkins,” Chloe said as she removed the lock box and inspected it carefully, Mr. Wilkins watching her in wonder the whole time. The box was exactly the same as it had always been and there was no evidence that anyone had tried to unlock it. Alice had taken great care with it. Satisfied, Chloe put the lock box in her purse and turned to Mr. Wilkins. She had demands, and like it or not, he would follow them.
“Has anyone else been here to try to claim this box?”
“No, ma’am.”
She slightly narrowed her eyes at him to make him think she was deciding whether or not to believe him. “You may not be aware of this, Mr. Wilkins, but there are people who would have no reservations to cause considerable pain to get this box. I sincerely hope you are a fabulous liar, because if someone else comes looking for this box, you know nothing about it. You have never heard of anyone in possession of the box and you have no idea what you are being questioned for. There is a chance that you will experience pain you never thought possible if whomever you talk to doesn’t believe you. I’m not telling you this because it will happen, I’m telling you this because it might. I wouldn’t be too concerned about it, but I thought you should be warned either way. You have been paid well to watch over this box, but there will be no further payments now that I have it. There is no amount of money to protect you should someone be told that I have this box. I assume you understand what I’m saying.”
Mr. Wilkins’s eyes were wide with fear as he slowly nodded his head.
“Have a pleasant day, Mr. Wilkins.”
Leaving Mr. Wilkins in a petrified stupor, Chloe walked out of the bank to go back to Louisiana, pack her bags, and meet her destiny.