Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(32)

“If you will excuse me for a moment?”

“Yes, go ahead, but please don’t mention my name.”

“Of course not.” Weiss left the room.



* * *



—

WEISS DIALED THE private number of the Cyprus bank’s managing director.

“Yes?”

“Cicero, it’s Peter Weiss here.”

“Hello, Peter, how are you?”

“Very well, thanks. I want to clear a check with you before presenting it for payment.”

There was a brief silence. “Oh?”

“Yes, it’s made payable to the bearer, and it appears to be genuine.”

“What is the amount payable?”

“Ten million dollars.”

Another brief silence. “And who presented it to you?”

“Cicero, the gentleman is my client; you know better than that. Since the check seems to be in order, I presume you will pay when it is presented.”

“I, ah . . .”

“Cicero, you are a reputable banker; you have no alternative but to pay a bearer check when it is presented.”

“Thank you, Peter, I am quite familiar with the rules of banking.”

“Then why are you hesitating?”

“I have had a report that such a check was stolen from one of our clients.”

“Not that it would matter in the least, but the gentleman is a client of many years, and he is not a thief. I would like your assurance now that you will pay the check.”

The man sighed. “Of course, I will pay it, but I cannot be responsible for any consequences stemming from the transaction.”

“‘Consequences’? Why should there be any consequences?”

“Peter, you are a sophisticated man. Surely you are aware that in a business such as ours, sometimes we must deal with people who are . . . irregular, shall we say?”

“I do not view my clients as regular or irregular,” Weiss said, with some heat, “and I do not deal with thieves, drug dealers, or other persons of ill repute.”

“Then you are a very fortunate banker, Peter. Of course, I will pay the check upon presentation.”

“I will wire you the request immediately, and overnight the paper check. Thank you, Cicero.” He hung up and returned to his office, where Katrin and Barrington awaited.





25



WEISS SAT DOWN at his computer. “One moment, please. I must complete the transaction.” He wired his request and the check information to Cyprus.

“The Cyprus bank has assured me they will wire the funds,” Weiss said, “but I must say that the bank officer I spoke to was somewhat uncomfortable with the transaction. He intimated that the check might possibly be stolen.”

Kelly did not hesitate. “I assure you, Peter, the check is for services rendered.”

“Good enough for me,” he said. He entered several passwords and completed a form, pressed a final key, then typed in a number from a list presented. “Your account is now open,” he said. He took a printed pad from a drawer and wrote out a deposit receipt, then he returned to his chair and handed her the receipt. “I chose an account number for you that is easy to remember,” he said. “I suggest that we make a safety-deposit box available to you, and that you place the receipt there, since it is the only piece of paper containing that account number, and you would not wish to have it stolen.”

“A very good suggestion, Peter,” Kelly said.

He opened a safe behind a panel and extracted a bundle of keys on a ring, then detached two—one for her and one for himself. “Box number 101,” he said. “Also easy to remember. Now come with me.”

They followed him down a hallway, then took an elevator to a lower floor. He led them into a room filled with strongboxes and pointed out number 101. He inserted his own key into one of the two keyholes, and Kelly inserted hers into the other, then they both turned them. She dropped the deposit slip into the box, and they both locked it.

“There,” Weiss said. “Your account now has a balance of ten million dollars and the full security of our bank.”

“I feel much better,” she said.

They returned to Weiss’s office. “One more thing.” He picked up a phone. “This is Peter Weiss,” he said. “I wish a credit card and checks for the following number immediately.” He tapped the number into his phone, then hung up. “It will be a few moments,” he said. “Would you like some coffee?”

They both nodded. He buzzed his secretary, and a moment later she entered with a pot and three cups. Weiss handed the Cyprus check to her. “Please overnight this, early delivery, secure means, as the funds are now confirmed.” She left. He poured, then sat back in his chair. “Katrin, will you be in Zurich long enough for me to take you both to dinner?”

“I’m afraid not, Peter. We must leave as soon as we’re done here.”

“I’m sorry not to have the pleasure,” he said.

As they finished their coffee a young man knocked and entered and handed Weiss a large envelope. Weiss removed a black card and a slip of paper and handed them to Kelly. “This is an American Express Centurion card, no signature on the back required. You may use it to draw an unlimited amount from any ATM in the world, using the PIN on the slip. Please memorize it.” She did so. “Now, when I say ‘unlimited,’ I mean unlimited by our bank. Each bank sets its own limits for their ATMs. You may also use the card anywhere that American Express cards are accepted, with no prescribed limit. By the way, the card is made of titanium, very durable.”