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“Look, I know you’re in a hurry,” Patty spoke into her mobile, “but I have to make a quick stop at the bank. There’s never much of a queue this time of day, though, so I should be on my way again in only a couple of minutes.”

“Well, if you’re not here by 3 o’clock, the deal is off.” The phone call was abruptly ended.

“That’s what you think.” Patty slipped her phone into her bag and walked quickly towards the local branch of Holdings Bank. As she approached, she spotted a couple of men in security uniforms entering the bank. She stopped opposite a boutique, donned a bright yellow scarf over her black hair and slipped a pair of large lensed sunglasses onto her nose. Smiling at her reflection, Patty walked up into the bank and headed to the information rack, watching the two security guards, who were talking to a member of the bank staff.

“Can I help you, Miss?” One of the bank’s advisors came over. “My name is Laura Jenkinson and I’m here to help.”

“Hello Laura. I … well, it’s a rather discreet matter that need to attend to. I need access to a safety deposit box.”

“You want the Branch Manager then, Mona Sterling. Please follow me.”

Patty followed her guide over to the woman stood talking with the security guards, who turned towards her, raising an eyebrow at the intrusion.

“Miss Sterling, the customer requires access to her safety deposit box.” Laura explained.

“May I see your key and picture ID please?” Mona glanced at Patty’s driver’s licence and checked the key number. “Miss Jenkinson, please take the customer to the viewing room.”

---

Patty followed Laura down into the vault area. As soon as the door to the viewing room opened, Patty pushed Laura inside and closed the door. Whipping her scarf from her head, she quickly wrapped it around Laura’s head, muffling her cries and blindfolding her.

“Sorry Laura, I need to keep you secure. Just do as I say and you’ll be just fine. Now, I’m going to guide you into a chair. Sit down and keep still; I make you as comfortable as I can.”

Pulling a length of rope from her bag, Patty quickly bound Laura to the chair, wrists crossed behind the chair back. She pulled Laura’s uniform scarf free and rolled it into a band which she used to more effectively gag Laura. Pulling the yellow scarf free, Patty used it to blindfold Laura properly.

“There we go. Now, you won’t be left like this for long.” Patty patted the girl’s shoulder as left the room. “Just stay calm, you’re quite safe.”

“There she is, the thief! Get her!” The shrill cry of Mona Sterling echoed around the vault as the two security men rushed forward, grabbing Patty’s arms and pulling her away from the viewing room. “Did you really think you’d get away with this?”

“Get away with what?” Patty smiled innocently.

“That key belongs to Major Alfred Dartnell. You are not on the list of authorised signatories for this box.”

“Really? Dear Uncle Alfie must have forgotten to update the information.” Patty simpered.

“I don’t think so. Even if he’d given you the key, which I doubt, if you were here legally, you wouldn’t have tied up Miss Jenkinson.” Mona sneered. “It’s all on the security cameras. You’re a thief and the police are on their way.”

Patty shrugged. “Oh well, I guess you got me.”

“She’s been down here a while with Miss Jenkinson.” Mona went over to a vault door and punched in a code. “I’d better make certain she hasn’t actually stolen anything from Major Dartnell.”

“Oh, I haven’t touched anything, Miss Stirling, I didn’t have the code for the door and I wouldn’t have forced it out of young Laura either. Thank you for opening the door for us.”

“What are you saying …. hey!” Mona turned to find the two security guards advancing on her. “What’s going on?”

“Dear me, Miss Stirling. How did you get to be Branch Manager when your idea of security is laughable?” Patty laughed as the two guards marched her into the viewing room and pushed her into the chair opposite Laura. “Company for you, Laura.”

“Mpfff?”

“How dare you. Release me this instant!” Mona snarled.

“No, I can’t do that, Miss Stirling. I’m going to have to restrain you. Sorry about that.”

Patty pulled more rope from her bag and bound Mona comfortable, but securely, the same as she’d done for Laura. Scarves became a gag and blindfold, leaving Mona helpless to stop the entering the vault.

“Okay boys, let’s do this. Quickly now.”

Patty entered the vault while the guards changed into casual gear, out of sight of the cameras. It was the work of a moment to find the correct box and insert the key. The box opened to reveal a fat, brown envelope, which she removed.

“Okay, that’s it. Let’s go.”

The trio went back upstairs, activating the fire alarm which overrode the security doors. They slipped out of the side door, hearing sirens approaching. Second later, they slipped into the shopping mall next door and vanished.

---

“Well, hello Major Dartnell! I’m sorry I missed you at the office. But the bank was busier than expected.”

Alfred Dartnell looked up at the woman who’d spoken and grunted.

“I told you that the offer expired at three o’clock; it’s now three-thirty you’re so too late, Patricia.” The Major smiled unpleasantly. “My offer to settle has expired. If you’d turned up on time, you’d be holding twenty thousand by now.”

“Oh, I think you’ll make an exception for me, Uncle Alfie.” Patty dropped a brown envelope on the table. “You recognise this, I think?” Patty smiled, though her eyes were narrowed. “I want to renegotiate our settlement, now!”

“How did you get that?” Alfred paled.

“Told you I needed to call in at the bank.” Patty grinned.

“Clever girl; didn’t think you’d try it. Right, out with it; what do you want?” Alfred growled.

“You repay all the money you stole from our family. By my calculations, that would be seven and a half million pounds. I also want the interest we would have earned on the money, plus some compensation for what you did. So, let’s call it a straight ten million. When that money is in the bank account, you get this evidence of your theft, insider trading information and money laundering and we never meet again. If you don’t pay up, immediately, the evidence goes to the police and the press.”

Alfred considered for a moment, then grabbed the envelope from the table and waved it in front of Patty.

“What will you do now, I wonder. Without the evidence, you have nothing to bargain with, my dear. Honestly, girl, didn’t your parents teach you properly? They were as immoral as I am, they knew the game well. I was just better at it.”

“Oh, they taught me well. Check the envelope.”

Alfred shook the envelope open, to find it was full of random receipts and newspaper cuttings. He looked up at Patty with something approaching the respect of an equal.

“The originals are in a safe place and I have copies. You’ll receive everything once I have the money. Deal?”

“It seems I don’t have a choice. Well played, Patricia; you’d have made your parents proud.” The Major signalled his secretary. “The money will be in your account within the hour. Now get out and don’t come back.”

---

Two weeks later

“Oh, this is perfect.” Laura Jenkinson trilled as she moved around the empty restaurant. “I can’t believe we did it.”

“Well, it was all thanks to Patty.” Joe Jenkinson hugged his little sister.

“It was a team effort!” Patty laughed. “Laura gave me the inside information of the bank’s lack of security and where the evidence was stored and you guys made for pretty convincing security guards.”

“I hope I make as convincing a chef.” Steve Jenkinson viewed the kitchen area. “It’s been a while since I did my training. Hey, they have an eight-burner turbo hob; this thing is great!”

“Looks like Steve is happy.” Laura laughed as she handed Patty a drink. “But what about you? Are you happy to be giving up the family ‘trade’ for something legit?”

“Too right, I am. All that wealth and power and our parents never got to enjoy any of it; too busy making deals and running from the crooks that beat them. Here we are, about to open our own bar in the Bahamas, the sun is shining and we’re safe. Time for a fresh start.”

“Cheers!”