Last lines of chapter 3:

“Is the recorder ready for action, Amanda?”

“Yes, S.B.”

Brennan surveyed the room, then turned to Amanda. “Get Sterling to provide an additional tube for the ceiling lamp, tell him we have urgent need of a desk lamp and, most importantly, find out what's holding up our coffee.”

Chapter 4

Statements

Amanda was gone from the 'interrogation room' less than ten seconds before returning and closing the door on an anxious group of bank employees. “You'd think Frank Sinatra was in the building, S.B.”

“You're not old enough to go back that far. How about Justine what's-his-name?”

“Justine's a girls' name. You must mean Justin. Too new for me. I'm an old fashion girl.”

“What's going on out there, Amanda?”

“They're all dying to give a statement.”

“How'd they know we're taking statements.”

“I told them.”

“And just why would you do such a thing?”

“I figured if we gave them time to think about what they'd seen, it would save your valuable time,” she said.

“Very commendable of you. Is Sterling in that mob?”

“No.”

“Good! I'd like to save him for last.”

< < ^ > >

Floyd Tucker

Amanda brought in a man in his late twenties, wearing a red bow tie over a yellow shirt, white pants and no jacket.

He was fair skinned, about 5'-11 in height, had bushy eyebrows and a pair of glasses hung around his neck.

After Floyd Tucker stated his name and other vital statistics for the recorder, Brennan put him at ease with a few questions.

“Why do they call you, Teller One?”

“It's just the manager's way of telling us apart. He could just as easily call us the man and the woman, or the tall one and the short one or the skinny one and . . .”

“Stop right there before you get into trouble.” Brennan sipped his coffee. “So you're equals.”

“Not exactly.”

“Clarify that, please.”

“I'm friendlier.”

“No doubt about that, now,” Brennan whispered to himself. “Please begin stating what you saw after the robber entered the bank.”

“Shouldn't that be, suspect?”

“There's no need for that nonsense here.”

“Okay. I was working a crossword puzzle when I first seen the robber come in . . . he didn't look like a robber . . . went to the desk, wrote on a deposit slip . . . I guess withdrawal would be more like it. I wasn't busy so I hoped he would come to my window . . . time goes faster that way . . . then he went to Gert's window and I went back to my crossword puzzle.”

“Next thing I know I hear a shot, Gerty's not in sight, he backs out of the bank . . .the emergency alarm goes off . . .”

“Someone opened the emergency door or pressed a button?”

“Either way. The cops . . . excuse me . . . I mean the police hear it . . . and here you are.”

“Who calls the ambulance?"

“I assume it's automatic, but I don't know how that works."

“Did he have a mask on?”

“I don't think so.”

“After the robber went outside, do you know what happened?"

“I hear that Mr. Sterling shot the robber.”

“You mean you heard the shot?"

“I think I did. What I meant was, rumors were flying around that Sterling shot him.”

“Now we're getting somewhere.”

 

“Now we're getting somewhere.”