Progress

"Thank you for your assistance. Please take care of yourself, goodbye." After parting ways with the schoolteacher, the two men hailed a streetcar to return to the bank to change out of their uniforms. Watching from the bell tower above, a figure smirked at their departure—a man Elyon would have identified as the supposedly deceased bank manager, David, if he were present.

"What do you make of Miss Lorenda?" Captain Kappa asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Seems normal enough to me."

"No, everything about her was abnormal. If she were of Lukan descent, her behavior would be understandable. But a Dunlander losing composure in front of strangers, emphasizing her non-cohabitation status while easily dispensing her partner's parents' address?"

"That's it?"

"The state of David's finances is suspicious too. How could an engaged woman not know that a mere bank clerk couldn't afford the luxury of dining out and attending concerts every week?"

"So, we keep an eye on her?"

"We'll leave that to little Cor. We're short-staffed as it is and can't spare an officer for surveillance. Those cunning enough to plot a bank heist with inside help would be paranoid, but the last thing they'd expect is a child tailing them."

Back at the port branch, they found the entrance temporarily boarded up where glass had shattered, and two armed guards stood sentry with long-barreled shotguns. Bullet marks on the columns from Monday's shootout were stark reminders of the recent heist.

A notice by the door announced the temporary suspension of deposit and withdrawal services, though safe deposit boxes remained accessible. Despite this, not a single customer approached the bank to deposit valuables; instead, people periodically emerged clutching briefcases, a testament to the hit the branch's reputation had taken.

Thanks to their bank uniforms, the guards let them pass without question, and they entered the bank with ease.

"We'll visit the branch manager's office. If we're playing a part, we've got to see it through. We need Edward to draft a letter to David's parents."

The manager's office was on the second floor, the most well-lit area. The furnishings within were more opulent than Elyon's police station—carved chairs, velvet-cushioned sofas. Edward, the branch manager, sat disheveled and haggard.

"You're back. How did it go? I've been swamped with VIPs since last night, all desperate to ensure their private safety deposit boxes were intact. You wouldn't believe how quickly a gentleman or lady can turn savage when their wealth is at stake."

"We came about that. David's fiancée likely knows he's alive; this heist must have been long premeditated by David in collusion with the robbers. For our next steps, Mr. Edward, you'll need to continue playing unaware of David's feigned death. Draft another letter for his parents."

"Of course, restoring the bank's reputation by recovering the money is paramount. I'd much prefer that to dealing with these panicked patrons daily."

"Here's the address." Captain Kappa handed over the note.

"I don't have time for pleasantries, I must tally the losses and secure the emergency funds," Edward said, taking the note and quickly drafting a letter.

"While you're doing that, do you have David's resume or his work records? We'd like to get a better understanding of him."

"Sure, give me a moment," Edward replied, exiting the room. In a few minutes, a female clerk placed a stack of documents on the coffee table in the reception area.

"Everything you requested. If you need anything else, let me know." She gave Elyon a knowing wink—she was the teller who'd helped him deposit money before.

"That'll be all, thank you," said Captain Kappa, promptly dismissing her.

"This pile is yours—mostly daily business and annual performance reviews. I'll take the resume and other documents."

Sifting through half the pile handed to him by Kappa, Elyon noted David's rapid promotions, credited to successful, high-value loans without defaults. Oddly, most of his clients were import-export businesses, with the largest, Bice Import-Export, accounting for loans upwards of half a million pounds over a few years.

After David was moved from loan services in July to handle personal property accounts, Bice had ceased taking loans and repaid its debts early.

"What have you found? Let's compare notes," said Kappa.

"Look at this. David was a loan genius, focusing on one corporate client. After he stopped handling loans in July, this company ceased its borrowing, and then, less than a month later, the robbery happens."

Elyon handed over his findings to Kappa.

"And guess what I found? David is also a Dunlander descendant, with a residence near North Suburb Road."

"So, this heist was a Dunlander gang affair?"

"It certainly looks connected. Let's leave the gang's background to Chief Orion. This afternoon we'll visit this Bice company. Most import-export businesses are near the port, but I can't recall this one. The bank should have the address on file. Wait here while I return these documents and get it."

Returning after a brief moment with the address, Kappa suggested they move on to their next lead.

"Shall we find this Bice company now?"

"First, let's change back into our uniforms and update the chief. How about a big lunch today?"

"Chief Orion treating?"

"That tightwad? Hardly. Today we have every right to dine at the district station's mess hall."

"There's an underhanded way to do it?"

"There is, but you can't do it too often. I'll teach you later."

"Alright."

Lured by the promise of a hearty meal, they hurried back to change. Donning their uniforms, they hired a private carriage, arriving at the Gonia Police Station by half-past eleven.

Today, the reception wasn't the sleepy Susan but a serious, balding gentleman who, seeing their uniforms, let them ascend the stairs unhindered.