Desperate Measures

15

The bank Jill used, Citibank, had a branch south of Central Park, at Fifty-first and Fifth Avenue. As usual on a Sunday afternoon, the avenue wasn’t busy. Making sure that passersby didn’t overhear him, Pittman explained how the police had arranged for his bank’s automated teller machine to seize his card. “But they haven’t had time to do anything about your card. What’s the maximum the bank allows you to take out?”

“I’m not sure. It could be as much as a thousand dollars.”

“That much?” Pittman shook his head. “Not that it does us any good. I doubt you’ve got it in your account.”

Jill assumed an odd expression. “I might have.”

“Well, I know it’s a lot, but this is an emergency. Please, get as much as you can.”

They entered the bank’s vestibule. Jill shoved her card into the machine and responded to the computer screen’s inquiries, pressing buttons. A minute and a half later, she was stuffing a wad of twenties and tens into her purse.

“Don’t forget your card,” Pittman said. “And here’s your transaction printout.”

He glanced down, wondering what information might be on it that someone could use if the printout had been left behind. The printout indicated the remaining funds in the account, and Pittman abruptly understood the odd expression on Jill’s face when he’d asked her about the size of her account.

“Eighty-seven thousand dollars and forty-three cents?”

Jill looked uncomfortable.

“You’ve got a fortune in this account.”

“That printout is confidential.” Her blue eyes flashed.

“I couldn’t help looking,” Pittman said.

“Surely it occurred to you that I couldn’t be living in a large Upper West Side apartment on a nurse’s salary.”

Pittman didn’t answer.

“You mean you had no idea I had money?”

“No. How did-?”

“My grandparents. A trust fund. Some bonds just came due. I’m deciding how to reinvest. That’s why there’s so much money in the account.”

Pittman studied her with wonder.

“Is this going to be a problem?”

“Hell no. If you’ve got that much money, how about treating a starving man to a decent meal?”