Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4) novel Chapter 113

The building was a flurry of activity. Someone had found folding chairs and tables. People kept coming through the door. Natalia took it all in, feeling overwhelmed. She paced a few steps, thinking about what she should do next when the door opened behind her. She stepped aside only to do a double take.

“Ravi.”

‘Nattie.”

She suddenly felt guilty. Here she was working at a new business when she should have been at work.

"We should talk,” he said.

"Yes. Yes. There’s a room over here.”

The room was clean, but totally empty. There was nowhere to sit.

"Uri already called me,” Ravi said. "He wants to resign. He told me all that is happening: the attacks, the false accusations on you. He believes they are all tied to the Bank.”

He paused.

"This is really coming together quickly,” he said, looking out the door.

"Uri is in the hospital. I have no place to live. My daughter is living with friends. Our life is a mess.”

"I stopped at your house and saw. A woman there directed me here.”

He continued to gaze out the doorway.

"You know, I’m not really ready to retire. I’ve been talking to Sittel about what I would do. Aside from golf, my retirement would be pretty boring. But… but… running a smaller bank might be nice.”

Natalia stared at him, taking in what he just said. She read between the lines.

"I’ve always liked dealing with people directly,” he said.

"You could do that here,” she said.

“Yes, I could do that here.”

“Who would be your replacement at the Bank?”

“Uri was the most logical person. He’s very good at what he does. My plans were to nominate him even though that wasn’t the popular vote on the board. However, I do have the last say.”

He smiled.

“Uri might be better as a board member. Or you,” he said.

“I pretty much doubt that the board will elect a woman. They seemed to be a tight good old boy group.”

“They might be more receptive if I nominate a woman as my replacement.”

“Who?”

“Sophie Pastel.”

Natalia had to think a moment before she realized that Pastel was Sophie’s last name. The Sophie she knew. Mirren’s Sophie.

“Sophie would be an excellent choice,” Natalia said.

She also knew Sophie wasn’t too keen on the Council and their controlling nature.

“May I fill out an application?” he said.

Natalia smiled, then she frowned.

“I don’t even have all the paperwork started for the business. We’re hardly open despite what you see. These are all people willing to invest in a local business.”

“I thought you knew the Mayor?”

She knew he was joking, despite she knew that was an ace up her sleeve.

“I do, but I hardly think he can magically get the paperwork signed.”

Natalia looked out at the people lining up. The last time she had asked, they had over two million dollars in checks.

“And no, you don’t need to fill out an application. You’re welcome here any time. In fact, I’m sorry to say, without even asking, I’ve stolen a few bank employees.”

Ravi shrugged.

“We have too many of them,” he said. “May I invest in your company?”

“We don’t really need money. We have a small problem. A good problem, but a banking problem. We’re flush with cash because… because someone sent out the hat so to speak to help us. Donations to get the house back to livable. Donations for getting all the properties in shape. And donations are hard to explain to a bank.”

She was stretching her lies to sound as truthful as she could.

Ravi nodded.

“I get the idea. So people are writing checks and getting cash.”

“Yes,” she said, glad he understood. “Plus Uri’s other businesses are flushed with cash. We keep getting audited by someone. His businesses are squeaky clean. We just need to get rid of the cash.”

“How big of checks are you accepting?”

“Twenty thousand is the limit.”

“May I write you one?”

“Be my guest,” she said, gesturing toward the door.

Ravi stepped out and joined the line.

A golf cart stopped in front. Grazie was driving. His passenger was a man in a suit. He was Undent, and he came into the building with purpose.

“Can I help you?” she said.

“I’m looking for Natalia Osrisca.”

“That’s me.”

“I have papers for you to sign.”

“What papers?”

“Mayor Arnes said that these were supposed to be a rush, but got last in the shuffle last week. Your permits for your businesses.”

“Yes. Yes,’ she said, pretending she knew all about it.

She led him to a counter.

There were two sets of papers. One was for the Neighborhood’s Savings and Loan. The other was for A Stitch By Design. She wondered who told Moralis the name. Uri?

“You’ll need these to open bank accounts for the businesses.”

She noted they were all back dated two weeks ago.

“Yes, I wondered what happened to them,” she said, continuing the ruse.

She signed the necessary pages. He gave her copies and left.

Ravi had just received his cash. She waved him over.

“I have my permits. Someone has helped me with paperwork.”

She showed him.

“Where are you planning on banking?” he said.

“Federal.”

“Excellent choice. I’d get there today if I were you and get an account open. Take some of those checks.”

“I’m on my way.”

Ravi left to chat with Pete and Fenni.

Natalia was amazed that she was looking at what could only be an illegal laundering operation, with Ravi, the President of the A’ppollo Bank, getting into the action.

“Unbelievable,” she said.

Grrrrr.

She looked down to see Tail who was focused on a man who just walked into the building. Her phone rang.

“Yes?”

‘Someone just broke through the gate with a car. Watch yourself. Brown four door sedan full of men. They don’t look nice.’

It was the front gate guard. She had learned his name was Smilen.

‘There might be a fifth. One just walked in the door that I don’t like the look of.’

‘Undents.’

‘Yep. But who sent them?’ she said.

‘Don’t know.’

The call ended.

‘Attention,’ she said, knowing she would only get the Viperians in the crowd.

Most of the people turned toward her, then they followed her eyes to watch the man.

‘We have Undents in a brown sedan who have crashed the gates. Please be careful,’ she said. “Can I help you, sir?”

She gave him a smile.

“Is this a bank?”

“No, this is the Neighborhood’s Savings and Loan. Do you want to invest?”

She was very glad that she had her knives with her this morning. Her fingers tapped one.

He looked around. She felt as if he was waiting for something. She noted that Fenni, who was standing by the vault, closed the door and spun the dial. However, there was still a lot of money out.

The brown sedan pulled up front.

She noted there were only two people in it.

‘Sedan is up front. Two people missing.’

All the Viperians dispersed. In almost a choreographed dance, the man was pinned to the wall and held. The men outside got out of their car, but were surrounded by the people exiting the building. They were soon drug in and pinned to the wall like the other man.

“Where are your other two buddies?” she said.

Three guns were laid out that had been taken from the three.

They weren’t talking.

There was a gunshot at the back of the building.

“We just redid the doors,” she said to the men. “You can’t blast through them.”

Everyone froze and waited. All she could hear was the three men breathing.

‘All clear.’

The call came from outside the front door.

Anpu appeared. He was dragging one man and holding two guns. The man was bleeding, but still alive.

“You expecting these guys?” he said.

“No, where is the other one? And keep him outside. We just cleaned the place,” she said.

“He decided to wear a knife.”

Natalia nodded.

“Can someone dial the police? I need to go to the bank.”

“Already on it,” someone called.

Natalia was amazed that no one panicked.

Everyone went back to writing their checks and getting their money.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind.

‘How do we know the checks are good?’

‘We’re checking IDs,’ Pete said. ‘Checks have to have their name and address on it. If the check is bad, we’ll go visit them.’

Natalia left for the bank to open accounts. Considering she walked into the Federal Bank without an appointment, she was helped quickly. A commercial banker made himself available once she made it clear she had a few million to deposit. Even thought Fenni had organized the checks and added them all up, it took the Federal banker over forty minutes to verify. She was glad for the paperwork from the city. It was exactly what they asked for.

“Here are your account numbers. You’re all set.”

“Thank you.”

Natalia was thinking it was lunch time when she stepped out. Bonnie pulled up to pick her up.

‘To the shop and lunch,’ she said.

Tail settled in her lap.

She dialed Uri.