Rollover by Susan Slater

Elaine pull away from the curb. He’d made an appointment to see Doc Zimmerman in the morning. A couple days early, but the doc seemed to be on his side. Dan couldn’t wait to pick up the Cherokee—hopefully in the morning on the way back to Wagon Mound. They’d had to order a part but now it was ready to go. Just sitting there waiting on him.
    He gave Stephanie a quick call to double-check her sandwich preference and make sure she was still planning on company. Stephanie had agreed to meet on her lunch hour but had forgotten that she’d also promised to watch phones while Alice Nedderman kept a dentist appointment in Las Vegas. So Dan jogged the half mile or so to the convenience store, bought two soft drinks, two ham and cheese sandwiches wrapped in cellophane plus barbecue chips, and pulled a chair up next to Stephanie’s desk at twelve sharp, hoping the sandwiches wouldn’t turn out to be some kind of trichinosis fix.
    â€œI’m so sorry about this. It’s nice to get away. There’s a park…well, sort of a park about two blocks over. I’d hoped we could walk over there.”
    Parentheses reads “get out of here” and maybe out of earshot, Dan thought. But he didn’t see Lawrence, just the guard and a teller. They would pretty much be alone, but that didn’t stop Stephanie from whispering.
    â€œI want you to know that I’ll help any way that I can. I can’t stand to think of Mrs. Kennedy’s loss. She is such a dear. And, oh my goodness, what a beautiful heirloom…with all those memories.” Stephanie leaned forward, thin hands folded in front of her on the desk. After a couple bites, the ham sandwich had been pushed to the side.
    â€œThank you, Stephanie. Let’s start with some basics…” Dan looked at his notes. “How long have you worked for First Community?”
    â€œOh dear, forever, I guess…since high school. Well, to be exact, twenty-four years.”
    Age, early forties, Dan noted. And time hadn’t been particularly kind if the lined skin and prematurely gray hair were any indications.
    â€œYou must have started at about the same time as your boss.”
    Stephanie looked confused, “My boss? Actually, I’ve had five over the years. I inherited each one as the bank changed names. First it was Farmers and Stockmen’s Bank, then Citizens Bank, Western Bank, Bank of New Mexico, Norwest, and now First Community—I guess that’s six bosses, isn’t it? ”
    â€œLawrence, Mr. Woods, hasn’t been here that long?”
    â€œOh no, less than a year. He was a part of First Community—came with the new name. And I don’t think I’ll ever forgive him for these.” She poked a leg out from under the desk and pointed at her nylons. “I could spend a small fortune keeping myself in these. I guess I’m just not cut out for panty hose.”
    Dan looked up from his notes and couldn’t think of one thing to say…one appropriate thing, that is. So, he tried to put on a sympathetic face and nod knowingly. Stephanie didn’t seem to notice and went right on.
    â€œI’m going to tell you this and you absolutely cannot tell anyone where you heard it.…”
    She paused and Dan couldn’t help himself but tensed as she lowered her voice almost below a whisper and leaned closer, “The bank’s in trouble.”
    Then she quickly sat back and looked around.
    â€œWhat kind of trouble?” He leaned closer and mouthed the words.
    â€œNot enough assets and after this last debacle…” she paused to point in the general direction of the vault, “he’s…” again a look around, “under investigation.”
    â€œBy?”
    â€œFeds.” He was now having to read lips.
    â€œThey don’t think he had anything to do with…?” He followed suit and silently made a circle with his index finger that