Cold Blood by Alex Shaw Page A

asked.
    “Go out with me in the evening?” His heart pounded faster.
    “Go out?”
    “Yes, meet me for a drink or a meal.”
    Larissa closed her eyes momentarily and shook her head, a slight curl appearing on her lips. “OK. I am free tonight.”
    “Superb.” Arnaud’s smile became so wide that his face hurt.
    *
    Kyiv Oblast , Ukraine
     
    Heavy curtains hung at the doors to the club. The interior décor was dark and opulent. The several other clients that could be seen were partly hidden in their own secluded booths. Bull faced his guest. “It would be an electronic transfer?”
    The clerk nodded. “The money would be sent from one account to another through the ether. It takes milliseconds.”
    Bull refilled the clerk’s glass. “The client could then draw on it?”
    “In theory yes, but what usually happens is that the money is never seen at all, merely shifted from one account to the next. It is not like a personal or small business account; the client will not walk into the bank and demand cash.”
    “But he could?” Bull enquired.
    “Of course he could, but it would take several days for the bank to retrieve the funds.”
    Bull was shocked. “The bank has $100,000,000 in cash?”
    “It would have to get it. If the bank has accepted the transfer then through international agreement the money would be allocated to the bank by the clearance houses. But can you imagine how heavy that amount of cash would be?” The clerk laughed and emptied his glass. He drank the expensive whiskey like a toast, quickly, too quickly to savour.
    Bull smiled, refilled the tumbler and asked, “How heavy?”
    “I cannot estimate how heavy but it would fill ten vans at least, maybe more.” The clerk looked wistful. “Imagine what you could do with that much money…”
    Build a seven star hotel in Odessa, mused Bull. “So tell me, how much could a client, in general, demand in cash?”
    “It depends. At my bank perhaps $80,000, perhaps $280,000; it all depends. Some clients deposit funds regularly. I know of one who deposits large cash amounts monthly.”
    Bull’s eyes flickered. “How much?”
    The clerk shifted in his seat and looked around before answering in a conspiratorial stage whisper. “Between one and four million US dollars.”
    “So that amount could then be withdrawn?”
    “Yes that is correct. It is a fallacy that banks hold millions. They have a reserve and whatever cash has been deposited before it is shipped off to be securely stored. Remember Odessa Bank is quite small. Larger banks attract larger clients.”
    Bull signalled for another bottle of whiskey “So to clarify. If one knew when a deposit was to be made one could make a withdrawal of the same amount?”
    The clerk smiled at the waitress, who was scantily clad and extremely beautiful, as she poured a large measure from the new bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label into his glass.
    “Exactly.” His gaze followed her and her long legs back to the bar.
    “Perhaps I will need to make a large withdrawal in the future and would need your assistance.” Bull fixed the clerk square in the eyes and placed a thick brown envelope on the glass topped table.
    The clerk’s left eyebrow twitched as he picked up the inch thick package. “I am happy to help.”
    Bull nodded and abruptly stood. “I am sorry but I have to leave you. Please stay and enjoy my hospitality.”
    Bull took the clerk’s hand in a firm grip. The clerk was unnerved by the piercing green eyes but more than happy with the deal. Bull left and was replaced by the waitress, who sat close to the clerk and placed her manicured hand high on his fat thigh.
    *
    Khreshatik Street , Kyiv
     
    Arnaud waited impatiently outside the main entrance to Khreshatik metro station. He felt like a right plonker standing there. He checked his breath for the umpteenth time and then his watch. Unlike most young men Arnaud was never late. He always liked to be the first anywhere so he could get the best seat