The First Savings and Loans of Dollyville was the smallest bank Fr. O'Kenney had ever seen.  With it's French door and floral print paper, it appeared as if it had started life as a bakery or cafe, and then had aspired to bigger and better things.  Shaking the water off his dripping umbrella, he walked through the multi-paned door, and gave a quick look around.  The office boasted of approximately two teller stations, one of which was empty at the moment, and an imposing door marked "Bank President".  Kevin wasn't quite sure who he was supposed to see about Cassie's withdrawal.  She had mentioned talking to the bank president, but he didn't feel as if he could go barging into the person's office without any type of introduction.  He decided he'd wait in line to see the teller first, and then perhaps, she would direct him to the right place.

       He placed himself at the end of the line, his mind going over the conversation he planned on having with the Sheriff.  Because it was raining, and he was on foot, he didn't bring the original photos of the crime scene.  Instead, he had taken shots of the sticky residue on Marco's t-shirt from the original picture, and his own photos of the same adhesive on the grotto wall, with his cell phone.  The clarity wasn't the best, but it would serve the purpose of explaining his solid theory to the unbelieving Beckett.

       Because he was lost in thought, he failed to notice the other customers in line ahead of him.  But as the woman uttered her first few words to the teller, there was no mistaking the body standing in front of him was none other than the volatile Tessa Peppers.  Cursing under his breath, and feeling a lot less compassionate towards Cassie McKreedy, Fr. O'Kenney silently prayed that he'd remain unnoticed behind her.  He thought about slipping out without the withdrawal, but chided himself for being afraid of a harmless old lady forty years his senior, and remained where he stood.

     As it was, Tessa was so imbued in an argument with the teller, she payed little attention to any of the people waiting their turn in line.  Because the volume of her words was so loud, it was impossible for Fr. Kevin, or any of the other customers, not to hear the conversation going on at the counter.

     "Check again, young lady!  You must have hit a wrong key, or something.  There should be $80,000 in that account.  I deposited it myself  last October, and it's been sitting there since, untouched!
What's wrong with you people?  I've been a customer of this bank for twenty years, you twit!  Don't you think I'd know what's in my own account."

      The young teller blushed a bright pink, and taped away on the keyword.  "I'm sorry, mam, but the statement says the account has  a $2.00 balance."

     "That's utterly ridiculous!  I'm the only name on that account.  I set that memorial fund up right after my Thomas died.  That money is there to build a beautiful park in his loving memory, and damn it, I want my money now!"

      "There's no need for that type of language, Mrs. Peppers.  I can give you the $2.00, but that's all the money that is in this account.  I'm terribly sorry, but I can't give you what's not here."

       Tessa's face had turned a bright purple color, and sweat beaded on her forehead.  "I want to see the Bank President right away.  You tell Gus Mooney I wanna talk to him this very minute.  You thieving bastards have stolen my ..." The old woman suddenly stopped speaking, and clutching her chest, slid to the floor with a loud thump, landing at the feet of a very shocked Fr. O'Kenney.

Copyright 2012 Victoria Rocus