The Other Sister

CHAPTER 1

On a wet Thursday Simone Fletcher and the bank's IT manager Jackson Mitchell spent four hours at one of the bank's branches where discrepancies had been discovered by internal audit. Simone was the vice-president responsible for auditing and she and her team had been unable to discover who had taken the missing $85,000.

Simone knew the board and the president would be angry with her if she failed to uncover who'd milked the branch holdings. In desperation she turned to Jackson, knowing it could have only occurred by electronic transfer.

She told the thirty-one year old she wanted him to look around the branch to see if he could come up with ideas and asked, "Do you have software that can detect repetitive withdrawals?"

"Yes but you of all people must understand all automatic transfers are made between accounts each day but the hundreds, if not thousands."

"Damn, of course. I'm losing my way on this."

"Just relax. Panicking won't solve anything."

They toured the bank with its manager.

Back in the manager's office Jackson did an electronic sweep for concealed cameras or microphones, making the manager greatly relieved when Jackson announced, "It's clean. The only readings I got were the two security cameras that we already knew about plus your two panic alarms. So we can take it no one is listening to us. Have you gone through the records to double check the initial report that only one person has left this branch during the past three months?"

"Yes we checked three times and I am positive only one person left our employ and that person was a receptionist. In the three months prior to that one teller left to have a baby and has since returned, and a mortgage loan originator another receptionist and my predecessor left and we have had head office re-run security checks on all those personnel and nothing untoward turned up."

"So the person you replaced as manager. How many months ago did he leave?"

"Five months but he's solid."

"One can never be sure..."

"Leave it Jackson," smiled Simone. "He's Clive Ellis, operations manager at HQ. Why would he steal from here and remain at the bank, taking such a risk for just eighty-five grand?"

"Is there any evidence he gambles?"

"Christ Jackson, I said leave it. I know you studied forensics but for your information Clive is a lay preacher and like all of our people with hands on the till we practically know even their favorite color of underwear."

"Okay okay. You asked me to help. Someone with a clear head and a fresh way of thinking you said."

"Well don't disappoint me."

"God you can be such a bitch at times."

"Now look here young man Mrs Fletcher is one of our most senior executives and I simply won't..."

"Leave it Charles and thanks for your support but my young guy here is more intelligent than he looks and hugely qualified as a troubleshooter. I'm backing his brain ahead of good manners and don't expect to be disappointed."

But her confidence took a tumble.

"Well I'm stumped."

Simone looked away from Jackson and sighed, "Oh crap."

"Except for one last think. Call security Charles and..."

"I'm Mr Noble to you young man."

"Call security. I wish to make a supervised search of the staff locker room."

"Permission to do that has to come from HQ."

Jackson grinned. "Simone?"

"Permission granted Jackson. What the hell is this for?"

"Dunno. The last man standing must have asked a question like that when holding a gun and seeing there was no one else to shoot."

"What the hell is your Jackson talking about?"

"Cool it Charles. Please get head of security here at once."

There was a quick search of the seventy-three lockers and the only thing that interested Jackson was a laptop plus a second bag of electronic accessories.

"Charles please ensure security doesn't allow the guy who has this locker, Paul Fenton, leave the bank until I have completed my examination of this computer."

"Are you on to something Jackson?"

"Alarm bells are ringing in my head Charles. Why would a guy who uses a laptop to catch up with sports results, porn and newspaper headlines, and check his personal emails during breaks also want with these accessories?"

"Jesus," said Simone.

"Charles I suggest you keep our Mrs Fenton under surveillance at a distance, with a security guy at your side. What department does he work in?"

Charles practically whispered, "Internal audit."

"Oh how convenient," Jackson sighed and turning to Simone said, "There may have been a fuck-up with our security checks."

With tension building even Charles didn't react to use of the F-word. Simone had snapped into action.

"I get on to that while you run your interrogation program. May we use your office Charles?"

"Please do Simone."

Almost an hour later Jackson called Charles, conscious that Simone had a congratulatory hand still on his shoulder. "Please find for me urgently the identify of the guy who opened an account, presumably an alias account, with the name Steven Raymond Ash."

"Please hold, I'm with reach of an appropriate secure computer."

Within two minutes Jackson said, sounding almost out of breath, "Paul James Fenton."

"Have him detained and call the police fraud squad. I have electronically discovered links in his deleted computer files that establish without doubt he has made withdrawals from almost non-active accounts and transferred all of them to the account of Steven Raymond Ash totaling $85,525 which is $525 more than the internal audit uncovered."

* * *

As Simone headed the white Lexus towards the bank's head office she said, "I owe you big on this Jackson. Had we failed I would have received a rocket."

"Well that's very honest of you to say that Simone. Let me say the bank was only saved by internal audit. Many others in senior management with shared responsibility will be shaken over this and security checking will be in question if that guy has done something like this in his past. Well what about rewarding me with late lunch. I'm hungry."

"Oh god, of course you will be, being young and male. I know this area as my daughter Riley works nearby. Here's a parking spot."

They sat and while Simone ordered Jackson scanned the café and noticed a young woman looking at them with a hostile expression. He avoided staring at her. He couldn't remember having dated her.

He asked for a beer and a beef burger lightly done.

They were eating when that young woman in white was beside him looking across at Simone and saying, "So does daddy know you do this?"

"Oh hi Riley. This is Jackson who works for our bank in management."

"Oh yeah, that's a good one mom. Your youngest manager is fifty or almost there."

"Well you are being updated. Jackson has been with us three months. Show Riley your business card."

"Why should I bother? I can't believe she won't accept her mother's word or Simone do you usually take the men you lunch with to a room you rent by the hour?"

Simone laughed but Miss Hot Tits snapped, "How dare you cast aspersions on my mother like that."

Jackson stood and said calmly, listen to me Miss Hot Tits. Do you think your mother would be stupid enough to bring any lover to this café right near where she told me you worked? Do you trust your mother or not, that is the question?"

"Hot tts? Why are you making that disgusting comment?"

"Answer my question first."

"Yes," she flared. "I believe my mother if she says this is a business lunch with a business colleague."

"Good and I suggest be more polite to your mother and avoid publicly embarrassing her. I called you Miss Hot Tits because your face had turned red, your neck is red and guess what?"

"What? Oh don't answer. I've worked that out. I was angry with mom because she lectured me harshly this morning over breakfast."

"Without good reason?"

Riley looked away.

"I see."

"What do you see?"

"You lurched home drugged up at 4 a.m. on a working morning."

Riley tried to hold his gaze but wilted.

"All right, I'm in the wrong and you were quite accurate except it was 3:15 and although I'd been drinking I wasn't drunk. I'd attended my best girlfriend's 28th birthday party at a restaurant and we were evicted when they restaurant people decided they should be leaving for home."

"Well at least you admit your mom must have had some reason for berating you. Good girl. Now please apologize to your mother."

"Sorry mom. I really messed up. I almost got fired for turning up smelling of liquor."

"Thank you dear. Please sit with us."

"No I must go. Will I see you again Jackson?"

"I thought you would prefer to boot my ass and never see me again?"

"If you must know I find you rather interesting and good looking. Most guys around me teeter close to being jerks. Enough said. Miss Cooling Tits is off."

Simone looked around and there were only a four people sitting close enough who could have heard the confrontation. They looked away.

"Now I think I've seen and heard everything. No one and I mean no one can really handle my darling redhead Riley, not even Ralph my husband and yet you had her almost acting submissively. Normally someone daring to call her hot tits would have been nursing a swelling eye and possibly a very painful crotch."

"Don't over-state the situation Simone. Your daughter was wishing to hit back and seeing me with you made her see red. I find that exciting."

"Exciting? For goodness sake Jackson my daughter needs more counseling."

"Not unless she thinks so otherwise counseling would be futile."

"Damn you, are you always right?"

"Nah even you know males have their limitations. Do you have sex on the side?"

"No," Simone said stiffly, looking ready to pull down the blinds on young Mr Mitchell. "Why do you ask? I'd be too old for you?"

"You know Simone, you're the only person in top management at the bank I really like. I asked the question to remind you that if you did play round you could pose a security risk."

Turning slightly pale, Simone said coldly, "Don't you think I'm aware of the risks in every direction?"

"Passion does amazing things to people Simone and we both know that."

She said calmly, "You appear to be a misfit on our team."

"Oh I'm delighted you noticed. You see my clients are fellow employees so I'm not really required to interface with a big smile and be overly pleasant. My own team and I interface with machines, not people. People on our peripheral are more often than not blaming, quote the 'dumb machine' unquote, and feeling their vulnerability thinking perhaps we'll discover the fault is due to operator inadequacy. We are recruited for our expertise, not our winning smiles, and during my final interview I was told I had the position provided my security clearance was bulletproof and I fitted perfectly the new generation profile of senior managers that the bank's consultants recently produced and it was adopted by the board chairman, president and vice-president of staffing.

Simone looked at him wide-eyed. "The fiends, keeping this a secret. We other VPs ought to have been advised. You are absolutely sure of this?"

"Ah, very good Simone. You are top quality. No I lied to wind you up. Sorry. As mom reminds me, at times I act like a grown up kid."

"Jesus Jackson, never do that to me again or I'll maim you, er temporarily. I could have gone back to the bank and made a complete fool of myself."

"I'm sorry Simone."

"You better be. Let's go, it's time we were back and reporting our finding, er your finding."

"Our finding is fine Simone. You were beside me every step of the way."

As Simone unbuckled in her reserved parking space she said, "Come here you provocative asshole." She pulled him onto her bosom and kissed him soundly.

"You saved my butt today my hero. I do hope Riley chooses to spend some time with you. It might be beneficial for her."

"No show. She'll be back at her desk plotting a foolproof assassination."

"Wrong, she works standing at benches. She's a lab technician engaged in medical research. She has no desk. My daughter is over-sexed; she'll be thinking about you that will give you a red face, red neck and you know what else."

Walking into the elevator Jackson slapped Simone playfully on the butt.

"Thank you. Now that will be recorded on security camera."

"No Mrs Fletcher. There are cameras all through the basement and in the elevator but none actually scan this area immediately in front of the elevator. I timed my affectionate assault perfectly."

"Good heavens, I must report that breach in security. Good boy."

"You have a firm ass for an old woman."

"Thank you assshole. You really are a misfit. You have no respect for seniority or for your superiors but at least you are good at your job. Complaints about computer faults and standard of servicing have reduced over the past two months according to what I read in our last management reports but costs have risen."

"Yeah well if the assholes want improved servicing they pay more for preventative maintenance. It's as simple as that."

"Jackson do you understand I'd prefer you not using disgusting language in my presence?"

"Yes madam vice-president."

* * *

During an authorized work break Riley said to her best-friend Angela, "How was it you didn't get bawled out for having liquor on your breath this morning?"

"Because unlike you I didn't breathe all over our unlovable boss when he said good morning watching us arrive. God he was so rude to you."

"Yeah will I hope he catches a STD to give him something to really worry about. Oh I met a really guy at lunchtime and spoke briefly to him."

"He'll be married."

"Perhaps not. He appeared too light-hearted to be married."

"God I could never be that perceptive. Did you snaffle a date?"

"No."

"Or his business card?"

"No."

"Then what is he, a truck driver?"

"He's an IT manager who just happens to work at mom's bank."

"Oooh, then you'll be able to get her to give you interesting info on him."

"Why bore myself? He actually mentioned my breasts."

Angela sucked in breath, "Jesus, at a first meeting. He'd hot."

"With a physique to die for plus good looks."

"Oooh, when do you hope to try him out for sex?"

"As soon as I can get my hands on him."

Guy the head technician came along and said, "Back to work you two. I sincerely hope that's coffee in the mug Riley and not booze."

"I regard that as harassment Guy."

He looked shocked and said, "I do apologize Riley. Th-that was meant as a joke without any malice at all."

"Thanks for that apology Guy. I can assure you except for birthdays and weddings I attend, I drink very moderately."

"Um I'll remove this morning notation from your work record."

"Oh Guy, you are a darling. Come on Angela, back to work."

When Simone arrived home Riley rushed out to greet her in the garage and kissed her and apologized for being such a bitch over being bawled out. She took two of the supermarket bags from her mom.

As they sat with coffee, Simone asked, "What do you think of our young Mr Mitchell?"

"Oh all right I suppose. Is he any good at his job?"

Not mentioning names and the branch, Simone outlined her investigation with Riley that morning.

Riley listened agog.

"We have nailed the offender. The fraud squad has advised he will appear in court in the morning. Darling I'm totally convince Jackson succeeded where we all had failed because as a final resort he fell back to something as simple as a hunch. He probably asked himself if he were siphoning off cash how would he have done it and somehow that led to him thinking that perhaps the offender did not use one of the bank's computers to avoid direct detection but used a personal computer and had it stored while waiting for the fuss to die before resuming his nefarious activity."

"Gee mom, he sounds a good guy. He'd make a good date for someone," Riley said, pretending not to be watching for reaction.

"I'm sure he will. Actually I was thinking of inviting him to lunch on Saturday."

"Oh that will be fine. I'll probably be out with the girls."

"What if I asked you to be present?" I rather think he liked the look of you?

"Okay, if it's on tell me and I'll cancel anything else I'd arranged."

Simone smiled at the slyness of her younger daughter. Riley was almost shedding her skin in concealed excitement. She had suspected Riley had already been hooked.

After dinner Riley sat in her bedroom lounge chair with her earphones on listening to music her parents didn't like while they sat together watching crap TV on the big screen.

She'd not asked her mom about Jackson because her mom would only ask why the interest. She'd have to find out herself if he had a regular girlfriend and lived alone. On his big salary as head of a vital department of a large bank he could afford to live in his own apartment so they would have somewhere to go for sex. Young females who still live at home shared that same problem: where to go for sex. It was like living in a cage.

Riley felt excited about Jackson because he appeared to be anything but drone-like. He'd risen to defend her mom and had shown absolutely no fear of her and she knew she scared some guys when she was riled. Yes riled Riley could scare the crap out of women as well. That meant Jackson was a little like her, not afraid to be himself and to challenge and to deal with challenges. She drifted off to sleep in the chair thinking of Jackson's hands on her breasts and squeezing...

* * *

Simone called into Jackson's office and was surprised to find it immaculate. The last guy worked in a mess, almost buried in stacks of electronic equipment and cables.

Jackson had come in and had the pick of anyone in the general office to be his PA or to have one recruited and had picked one of the most pleasant clerical assistants imaginable, Mrs Ferris, who was in her fifties. Simone thought Mrs Ferris was very likely to adore her boss.

Mrs Ferris looked astonished when Simone had called her Mrs Ferris, knowing who she was, and had politely asked to see Jackson. Yes she'd called him Jackson rather than Mr Mitchell. She jumped to her feet and said quite grandly, "It is a pleasure to have you call Mrs Fletcher. Mr Mitchell has no one with him at the moment so I'll tell him you're here."

"Don't allow me to take you from your work Mrs Ferris. He knows me so won't take this visit as an intrusion."

Jackson looked up from the manual he was reading and sprang to greet Simone and appeared to almost kiss her.

"Go on," she smiled, raising her lips, and was kissed.

"I wish to invite you to lunch on Saturday."

"That's very nice but I have booked to spend the afternoon at the gym."

"Actually it was my daughter's idea although I shouldn't have said that. Some other time them?"

"Um lunch Saturday would be fine. I was rude to almost reject such a tempting invitation."

"Arrive any time after noon. Our address..."

"I know where you live. My parents live near you."

"Is Doug Mitchell your father?"

"Yes."

"Well I never. Now that I have a connection I'll wave next time I see them."

"Dad will reciprocate. Why don't you invite mom and dad down for a drink some time?"

"Good heavens Jackson, he's the City Attorney."

Jackson laughed. "No wonder dad complains about people being snobbish in your neighborhood. No one ever invites him over for a drink or waves when he passes."

"I-I haven't thought about it like that. He's a really big VIP."

"Well call mom with the invitation. Her name is Kyna and she's your age and possibly short of non-legally connected friends. Don't forget to ask her about her potting shed; she's mad keen on plant propagation."

"Well so am I. Damn there goes my pager; I have to go."

"Call mom next week. I'll tell her on Sunday to expect a call from you."