by Mark Gannon
Rawlins nodded his head. “Yes Mitch that is exactly correct. But there is some mistake going on. Along with the finger prints we got a picture and a physical description. I can guarantee you that Sue Kerry does not fit the description of seventy one years old, five feet two inches, blue eyes and gray hair. Sue is a good twenty years younger and six inches taller.”
“But that can’t be. Sue Kerry is the one I’m sure.” My voice was pleading. “Your description must be wrong.”
Charlie piped in. “Sue Kerry is not a robber. I’ve known her for years and she is not a bank robber.”
I tried to protest again but Rawlins cut me off. “There’s no mistake, Mitch. Those prints you lifted belong to a felon, a previous bank robber. She spent ten years in the Greenville federal pen in Illinois. And bank robbery isn’t her only fall. She was involved in several scams and even had a breaking and entering. But there is no current warrant out for her right now. She served her time.”
Charlie wanted to know the same thing I did, “We need to see that photo so we can match it up with one of our customers. Now that Mitch has brought this up I noticed something myself. How did the robbers know which boxes to hit? They didn’t empty all the large boxes and only part of the midsized boxes. Why didn’t they empty them all? Somebody knew something about those renters and what they stored in their boxes.”
Mary Beth put in her two cents, “I noticed that too. Why did they hit some and not other boxes? And from what I know of our customers the boxes they hit were rented by some of our richer customers.”
Chapter 43
Still Here
“Well somebody that handled that water bottle you dusted for prints has a previous arrest for bank robbery. From that description it sure isn’t Sue Kerry.” My mind was racing to find the connection. “So if it isn’t Sue, who is it?” Who else is on that list of safe deposit boxes that didn’t get completely cleaned out?”
Mary Beth was on the way to her desk and threw back over her shoulder, “I’ll get the list and be right back.”
Charlie looked at me and said, “You better hope we find a robber in the list somewhere. You scared Sue and she didn’t need that.” I was hoping something turned out too. Otherwise I was going to look pretty foolish. Not that it doesn’t happen frequently, me looking foolish that is. This was just foolish on a much larger scale. And I had felt so good and certain all day long.
Mary Beth was back with the list. “There are four other large boxes and about half the midsized boxes that were not robbed. This is a little strange. One of the customers has two large boxes that weren’t robbed. That is just strange.”
“And who is that? Does the customer fit the sheriff’s description?” I was anxious to find out. Please let it be a fit.
“Mrs. Thompson. Now why does she need two large boxes? I remember renting the second one to her only a couple of weeks back.” Mary Beth was scanning the list of other renters with the midsized boxes. “There are several more customers that may fit the description that rented the midsized boxes. Do you want those names also?”
Sheriff Rawlins stepped up, “Depends on whether a twenty year old picture will help. I said I had a photo. It is the one from her entering prison.” He took a paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. All of us leaned in to get a look. I leaned in harder than the rest and almost knocked Charlie over. He was still favoring his injured leg and using a cane. As I tried to help steady him Judy got a look before I did.
I heard her gasp and then Mary Beth did the same. “That’s her. That is Mrs. Thompson. Her hair is different and she has more wrinkles now but that is the same face and eyes.” Judy said the last with certainty.
Rawlins had passed the picture over to Mary Beth and Judy and they handed it to Charlie. I had to look over Charlie’s shoulder. It was like Judy said. It was the same face and eyes. Charlie said, “That does look like Mrs. Thompson. However a previous bank robbery doesn’t mean she did this one. I have a hard time picturing Mrs. Thompson being the leader of a bank robbery. What would she have to gain? She is already well off. The reason she has the safe deposit boxes is to keep her jewelry safe.”
We were all standing there looking at each other. Charlie’s face said he still didn’t believe any of it. Mary Beth and Judy were thinking it over and Sheriff Rawlins was right there with me.
“Are you having a convention?” We all jumped and shuffled in an embarrassed motion. It was Mrs. Thompson right behind us. How long had she been there? What did she hear?
She gave us all a strange look and said, “My, I must have interrupted an important meeting. I just came by to get in my safe deposit box. I have two and one wasn’t robbed. I need to look in it to help make out the claim as to what might be missing in the one that was robbed. Could one of you kind ladies help me? Charlie, nice to see you moving around better. Hope you continue to improve.” With that Mrs. Thompson turned her back on the group and headed toward the vault.
We were all still slightly in shock. Judy recovered first and took off after Mrs. Thompson to help with the safe deposit box. She looked over her shoulder and gave us a big smile. She was enjoying this. By helping Mrs. Thompson she might find out something before the rest of us.
Sheriff Rawlins said, “She does look like her picture.”
Deputy Buckmire said, “Should I go arrest her Sheriff? It would be real easy right here in the bank.”
Rawlins was actually considering it. Charlie piped in, “We still don’t know if she has anything to do with the robbery. I don’t want her arrested here. She will sue the bank along with the sheriff’s department if you are wrong. Now let’s move into my office so we can discuss this in private.”
Rawlins and Charlie visited about the possible evidence and information available to legally confront Mrs. Thompson. The door to Charlie’s office burst open and Judy busted in. “I know something you don’t know.” The nanner nanner attitude was a mile wide. “I have a different theory on the need for two large boxes. I think the stolen goods are still here in the bank right in those boxes.”
Everyone looked at her like she was deranged. “Think about it. If you were involved in the robbery would you trust Nancy and especially Slick to divvy up with you later? Not me. If Slick took off with the goods you would never see them or him again. I think they transferred the stolen goods right into Mrs. Thompson’s safe deposit boxes and kept them safe right here in the bank. That is why she opened up the second one. I helped Mrs. Thompson with her safe deposit boxes. The one I helped her haul into the viewing room was really heavy. Mrs. Thompson brought in a purse the size of a small suitcase. I think she is going to transfer the stolen goods from the safe deposit box and into the purse.”
I turned to Mary Beth. “You said she just opened up the new safe deposit box a few weeks ago. That’s why she needed it.” I was over the Sue Kerry mistake and back on my horse of conviction. Only this time my conviction was sighted on Mrs. Thompson. Charlie was looking at Judy and Mary Beth and thinking. He was ready to buy in if they were convinced.
Judy added, “Think about it. When is the last time Mrs. Thompson came in without the three terrors?” No one had an answer. “Never right? So what’s with coming in today with no dogs and a huge purse? I’m telling you she is here to empty the goods out of her box. We got her!”
Sheriff Rawlins butted in, “Do we? Can I arrest her or search her purse? Do I have probable cause? I don’t think so. If those goods are in here I don’t have any evidence to indicate that. ”
I was back on solid footing now. “We can’t just let her walk out of here with all that loot. We have to stop her. She leaves the bank and we’ll never see her or that stuff again.”
Mary Beth chimed in with, “Maybe we know where she is going. I bet her dogs are home and she won’t leave town without them. She is sure to go home when she leaves here.” That made sense.
“Mrs. Thompson isn’t going to leave her dogs, they’re her babies. I wonder who is babysitting them.” Judy had a go
od point. “Do you suppose Nancy or Slick is in town and holding the dogs as hostage for the stolen items?”
Charlie cut off all the speculation, “We don’t know that she is involved. Other than her previous record we have nothing tying her into the bank robbery. Rawlins will put a tail on her and we’ll know soon enough if she meets up with Nancy and Slick.”
I was a lot more inclined to immediate action. “You mean you are going to let her walk out of here without checking that purse? We can’t let her do that. What if she has all the stolen items? We may never get them back. Are you going to keep following her if she just decides to get in her car and drive to Florida?”
Rawlins said, “We can’t keep a tail on her out of state. But we still don’t have probable cause. Now if she were to leave here and jay walk or something similar we might be able to drum up some probable cause. Or if she was leaving the bank and someone just bumped into her and caused her to drop that purse and it spilled something. Why then we would have some reason to detain her.” As he said this he gave a meaningful smile to Judy and Mary Beth.
Before Charlie could object Judy was heading out the door smiling and talking over her shoulder again, “I helped her getting her box out. I suppose I should help her put it back.” Judy was enjoying this way too much.
Mary Beth was right behind her. “She might need help with the box.”
Charlie was spluttering but stopped. He knew when he was out gunned. If it was me he would have barked and taken control. But when Mary Beth and Judy had the bit between their teeth there was no stopping them. Being a wise man he accepted the situation. “We may as well sit back and watch the entertainment.”
Sheriff Rawlins made good use of the time. He turned to Bucky, “I want you to go out the back door and go over to the office. Then get one other unit outside the bank in unmarked cars ready to follow Thompson. Take a mobile radio with each of you. Absolutely no uniforms! Get one more unit up to Thompson’s neighborhood and make a drive by of her apartment. Tell them not to stop, just do a look see and report back.” Bucky was standing there like he was expecting more orders. “What are you waiting for? Get moving but act normal.”
Two could make use of time. I used mine to text John and Greta.
Chapter 44
Some Clumsy Help
Rawlins was Mr. Cool. He was thinking things through wondering if he should call in more help. But he was confident in his staff and knew they were out there jumping through hoops. Charlie was looking forward to the coming action like Judy. I was keyed up and nervous. This wasn’t a game; this was a chance to get back at people that had done a personal insult to the bank and me personally. I was revved up like pre game for football - ready for action with nothing to do.
Looking out Charlie’s office window I could see Judy and Mary Beth play acting nonchalance while they pretended to do something near the safe deposit viewing room. Mrs. Thompson was taking a good bit of time in there. That was probably a good thing so Bucky could get in position. Sitting in Charlie’s office I tried to face slightly away from a direct line to the tellers. I scanned the rest of the bank. It was close to our normal four o’clock closing time. The lobby was empty of customers. That was a good thing.
The door to the safe deposit viewing room swung open and Mrs. Thompson popped her head out. Whenever I saw her before I had seen a helpless dithering old social biddy. It was a different Mrs. Thompson that I was seeing now. This was a thief, an actress, a schemer, a planner of a major robbery. It was still hard to reconcile the difference. How many times was she in the lobby over the past year? Was she casing the bank from the very first time she came in? How many damn doggy treats did the bank give those stupid dogs?
As Mrs. Thompson came out and before Judy could jump to help, Steve Blake stepped in. As usual he was out to make brownie points with the more prestigious customers. The suck up was going to ruin the whole thing. He was so preppy in his sport coat and tie. His gung ho attitude was just downright sickening. It was everything I could do to keep from shouting at him. To top it off the Ice Princess made her appearance to butter up the customer. I could just scream.
Charlie showed why he is the bank president. He stepped to his office door and called across the lobby, “Deb and Steve could you please come over and help me with something.” Deb hesitated. It was unusual for Charlie to call her away from a customer interaction. Charlie noticed and said a little louder and with a little more bite, “Right now would be good.” Then to Thompson, “Sorry Mrs. Thompson I need them for a small project.”
Judy was all over it now. “I can help you with your box if you’re ready.” I was waiting to see what Judy had planned. How was she accidentally going to make Thompson spill the purse? “Why don’t you grab the box and I’ll grab the purse?” Thompson almost fell for it until Mary Beth acted too quickly to help lift the purse. Mrs. Thompson dropped the box she was carrying to grab at her purse. The box rang hollow as it hit the tiled floor. Whatever was making the box heavy on the way out of the vault wasn’t in the box anymore.
There was a brief tug of war over the purse with Mary Beth doing everything she could to try and fumble it to the ground. Thompson gave out with a rather sharp, “That’s all right. I’ll take care of the purse myself.” With that she gave one final tug and took back full possession. “I’ll let you and Judy take care of the box. I won’t be needing it again – er for a while.” With that Thompson tried to head for the exit door.
Mary Beth reminded her they needed Mrs. Thompson’s key to lock the box back into the vault. Mrs. Thompson gave a longing look at the door and reluctantly followed Mary Beth and Judy back into the vault. Charlie’s office window did not allow us to watch inside the vault so the real story of what happened was only witnessed by Judy, Mary Beth and Mrs. Thompson.
Charlie moved to open his office door. He wanted to know what was going on as badly as I did. There hadn’t been time to tell Steve and Deb what was going down. They were just told to stay in the office and out of the way. “Out of the way of what?” Deb wanted to know.
About then there was a sharp cry of despair from the vault. Charlie jerked back from talking to Deb and waved a hand behind him to motion Deb and Steve back. Charlie grabbed his cane and hobbled almost as fast as I scrambled around to the door of the vault. I was a step ahead of Charlie.
Later Judy and Mary Beth never admitted to what I think I saw. It looked like Mary Beth was holding Mrs. Thompson while Judy upended the purse on the vault floor. All the time formerly sweet Mrs. Thompson was swearing like a Marine Top Sergeant. When the rest of the staff made the corner and looked in all they saw was Mrs. Thompson scrambling on the floor trying to push jewelry and cash back into her huge purse. Mary Beth and Judy were on either side of Mrs. Thompson pretending innocence and offering apologies while they ‘accidentally’ pushed the purse’s contents away from her.
Rawlins made the corner right behind Charlie. “Well what do we have here? Is all that yours?” Mrs. Thompson stopped frantically scooping spilled loot and looked up too startled to put on an act.
As she took in the large audience she settled back on her butt and said, “Oh shit!”
Chapter 45
Rawlins’ Plan
Rawlins took over. “I asked a question Mrs. Thompson. Is all that cash and jewelry yours? Is there something you want to tell us?” She sat on the floor defeat settling in and hope flying away. “Would you care to tell us how you came by all that jewelry? Like maybe you were in on the bank robbery.” Still no answer but her eyes were changing. You could see hope coming back in the form of a scheme. Once a scam artist always a scam artist.
“What’s in it for me? If I help you how are you going to help me?” The glint from her eyes was as bright as the glint of the diamonds littering the floor.
“Holy crap!” Deb Miller arrived from Charlie’s office. “Where did all that come from? I mean I know you have a lot of jewelry Mrs. Thompson but that is a lot of stones.” The oddity of the scene started
to settle in on Deb. “What are you doing on the floor? Mary Beth why aren’t you helping her up?” Turning to the rest of us she said, “Why aren’t any of you helping?”
Charlie turned to Deb, “Right now Deb you can help us most by calming the rest of the staff and making sure the drive up operates as normal.” When Deb didn’t move he said, “Right now. I’ll explain in a little bit.” Deb tried to protest but Charlie used the end of his cane to gently shove her out of the vault.
Rawlins started to question Mrs. Thompson again but I cut in, “We don’t have any time Sheriff. The bank just closed. If Slick and Nancy are out there waiting they are going to start wondering why she isn’t coming back out.” I turned to Mrs. Thompson and asked, “They are out there waiting aren’t they?” She wasn’t quite ready to admit to being an accomplice. “Slick and Nancy are out there waiting.”
Thompson glared at me with ice dagger eyes. Then she swung towards Rawlins and nodded at him. She was still intent on making a deal. “I still haven’t heard from the badge there if he is going to cut me a deal. What do you say law man?”
Every one of us including Rawlins was taken aback by her obvious toughness. Here was this old lady who you expect to be grandmotherly and she was tough as nails. She was caught in the act of grand theft and her recovery was quicker than a basketball point guard accidentally making a basket when he really wanted to do an allyoop pass.
Her attitude struck a bad chord with Rawlins. You could watch him come to a decision as he straightened his spine and pulled back his shoulders. He seemed to grow four inches. “We can catch them without your help; it just may take a little longer. They’re out there somewhere close by waiting to get their hands on this loot. I may make a deal now and then but you obviously have no remorse. If you want to help yourself speak up now or take what’s coming to you. If you do cough up now, I’ll let the court know that you helped.” Rawlins stared unblinking at Thompson. He waited for an answer for two seconds and when she made no response he moved on.