shoulder before leaning closer to David. “Are you on a job?” His question came out in a whisper.
“Didn’t you know?” David winked at the man and flashed his badge. “We never sleep.”
The telegraph officer guffawed.
After his message was sent, David turned to leave. Several people watched him as he made his way through the lobby. Some even stepped aside to open a path to the front door. David’s shoulders itched, and he wondered whether any of the men here were connected to the bank robberies. He hoped not, or his mission would be over before he even got started.
He walked down Canal Street toward the river until he reached Royal Street. Turning right, he left the busyness behind. At the next corner, he found his destination—Citizen’s Bank of Louisiana.
The interior of the bank was posh, quiet, designed to invest prospective customers with the assurance that their money would be safe inside. A shiny marble floor gleamed in filtered sunlight. Two counters were strategically placed in the center of the room for customers who wished to fill out paperwork.
David noticed all the details as he strode to the teller window. “I need to speak with your manager, please.”
The young man gulped, his Adam’s apple moving up and down in his throat. His nose and ears seemed too large for his narrow face. “D—do you have an appointment?”
“No.” David pulled his badge out once again and showed it to the boy. “But I think he’s expecting me.”
Another gulp. “Yes, sir.” He closed his cash drawer and disappeared from view.
While he was waiting, David studied what he could see of the area behind the teller windows. The vault looked sturdy enough. The steel door stood open at the moment, but he could see it was at least a foot thick. A large handle and a round dial would lock it closed. Steel bars provided an extra measure of security, essentially enclosing the safe in a jail cell.
“Good morning, sir.” A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed mustache approached the counter, the teller a step behind him. “May I help you?”
“I’ve come from Chicago to investigate your robbery.”
Surprise widened the man’s eyes. “You’re too late. Didn’t you know they caught the man?”
David took a step back. “What?”
“That’s right. He’s moldering in jail right now. I went down there a couple of days ago to identify him.” The manager tapped his temple with one finger. “I don’t forget a face once I’ve seen it.”
Had he come all this way for nothing? Disappointment was David’s first reaction. He shoved it away. Better to focus on the success of the local law enforcement officers. He should be glad for them. But it was a letdown all the same.
“He was arrested for disturbing the peace. When they brought him in, he had one of our bags on him. He denied being involved, but I recognized the scoundrel the moment I saw him.”
“He acted alone?”
The manager’s chest deflated a little. “No.”
David felt a stirring of interest. Perhaps he could still do something here.
The other man thrust his chin out. “He was the ringleader, though. Now that he’s in custody, the others will run for the hills.”
Wanting to point out to the fellow that Louisiana—especially southern Louisiana—was short on hills, David held his lips together with effort. Citizen’s Bank was the customer. He had no right to express his disdain for their manager’s shortsightedness. Besides, it would only be his irritation speaking. This was serious business. He needed to keep his emotions at bay and do his job. People he didn’t even know were counting on him to follow through.
“Thank you, Mr …”
“Hebert. Émile Hebert.”
David dipped his head. “Mr. Hebert, I’m very happy the robber was caught. If you don’t mind, I’d like to meet with him before I make my report.”
Hebert shrugged. “I suppose it will be okay. As long as there’s no charge.”
“Don’t
“Didn’t you know?” David winked at the man and flashed his badge. “We never sleep.”
The telegraph officer guffawed.
After his message was sent, David turned to leave. Several people watched him as he made his way through the lobby. Some even stepped aside to open a path to the front door. David’s shoulders itched, and he wondered whether any of the men here were connected to the bank robberies. He hoped not, or his mission would be over before he even got started.
He walked down Canal Street toward the river until he reached Royal Street. Turning right, he left the busyness behind. At the next corner, he found his destination—Citizen’s Bank of Louisiana.
The interior of the bank was posh, quiet, designed to invest prospective customers with the assurance that their money would be safe inside. A shiny marble floor gleamed in filtered sunlight. Two counters were strategically placed in the center of the room for customers who wished to fill out paperwork.
David noticed all the details as he strode to the teller window. “I need to speak with your manager, please.”
The young man gulped, his Adam’s apple moving up and down in his throat. His nose and ears seemed too large for his narrow face. “D—do you have an appointment?”
“No.” David pulled his badge out once again and showed it to the boy. “But I think he’s expecting me.”
Another gulp. “Yes, sir.” He closed his cash drawer and disappeared from view.
While he was waiting, David studied what he could see of the area behind the teller windows. The vault looked sturdy enough. The steel door stood open at the moment, but he could see it was at least a foot thick. A large handle and a round dial would lock it closed. Steel bars provided an extra measure of security, essentially enclosing the safe in a jail cell.
“Good morning, sir.” A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed mustache approached the counter, the teller a step behind him. “May I help you?”
“I’ve come from Chicago to investigate your robbery.”
Surprise widened the man’s eyes. “You’re too late. Didn’t you know they caught the man?”
David took a step back. “What?”
“That’s right. He’s moldering in jail right now. I went down there a couple of days ago to identify him.” The manager tapped his temple with one finger. “I don’t forget a face once I’ve seen it.”
Had he come all this way for nothing? Disappointment was David’s first reaction. He shoved it away. Better to focus on the success of the local law enforcement officers. He should be glad for them. But it was a letdown all the same.
“He was arrested for disturbing the peace. When they brought him in, he had one of our bags on him. He denied being involved, but I recognized the scoundrel the moment I saw him.”
“He acted alone?”
The manager’s chest deflated a little. “No.”
David felt a stirring of interest. Perhaps he could still do something here.
The other man thrust his chin out. “He was the ringleader, though. Now that he’s in custody, the others will run for the hills.”
Wanting to point out to the fellow that Louisiana—especially southern Louisiana—was short on hills, David held his lips together with effort. Citizen’s Bank was the customer. He had no right to express his disdain for their manager’s shortsightedness. Besides, it would only be his irritation speaking. This was serious business. He needed to keep his emotions at bay and do his job. People he didn’t even know were counting on him to follow through.
“Thank you, Mr …”
“Hebert. Émile Hebert.”
David dipped his head. “Mr. Hebert, I’m very happy the robber was caught. If you don’t mind, I’d like to meet with him before I make my report.”
Hebert shrugged. “I suppose it will be okay. As long as there’s no charge.”
“Don’t
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