The Grey Man (quick reads)

by Andy McNab

  'You've got until this fax goes through or until we have a customer.'

  'I wondered if I could take this Friday off.' Symington's eyebrows rose an inch. 'You see, it's my wedding anniversary on Saturday and—'

  Symington's hand went to his moustache and started to twirl. He enjoyed having Kevin on a hook. 'A bit late to ask for a day off, isn't it? I always demand five working days' notice if this bank is to function properly. You should have asked me before the weekend.'

  'I know, but it's still four days' notice and it's been so quiet lately.'

  'Ah, that's the nature of banking, Kevin. One moment it's quiet, and the next it's all hands on deck. You just never know what's going to happen.' He waved his arm across the silent room.

  'Well, Margaret said she'd be back on Friday. I've checked with Gary and Alice and they're happy to cover for me, but I really don't think it will be that busy.'

  As soon as he said it, he knew he'd made a mistake. 'You don't think it'll be busy. And who are you? The Mystic Meg of banking? You're not paid to think, Kevin. You're paid to do. I'll do the thinking around here, and I think it may be busy. Sorry, Kevin, but rules are rules. Give me five days' notice in future, and I'll see what I can do.'

  'But—'

  'No buts, Kevin. I'm sorry, we'll need you here on Friday.'

  Kevin wanted to say more, but he couldn't think of anything. He couldn't ask for next Monday off as Linda was on a training day. Fed up, he plodded back to his stool and sat down. A wave of misery washed through him. Why couldn't he stand up to Symington for once in his life?

  The next two and a half hours dragged. Three people came in. Two to make deposits and an old lady who thought she was in the Halifax next door. He filled in the time by double-checking the safe-deposit records on the computer. He stopped for a sandwich. Then there were another two and a half hours of boredom to get through. Dull. Dull. Dull.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Monday, 6 February, 4.30 p.m.

  Kevin, who had been clock-watching all day, knew the exact time when the two women burst into the bank. 'You were supposed to have fixed this yesterday!' the taller one yelled. 'I sometimes wonder what I'm paying you for! Never mind. As usual, I'll do it myself.'

  Kevin recognized her from the TV straight away. She was tall, slim, with glossy blonde hair and very high cheekbones. As soon as she saw him watching her, her frown was replaced with a smile. She took a deep breath, and came slowly up to the counter, as if she was on a catwalk. She was wearing a black fur coat with high heels, and her hips swayed as she moved. Her assistant remained five paces behind.

  Jessica stopped at Kevin's window and peeled off her black leather gloves. 'Hello.' Her voice was rich and low. 'My name is Jessica Drake.'

  Kevin's eyes were glued to her collarbone. She was wearing the Augusta necklace. 'Good afternoon, madam.' He sounded a bit stiff, like Symington.

  'Darling, you probably know that I'm performing at the Theatre Royal, just down the road from you. Well, I can't leave my necklace in the wings while I'm on stage, or some wicked little chorus girl will steal it. I thought I'd better deposit it in your bank for the week. My assistant will pick it up on Monday morning. Would that be possible, darling?'

  As she talked, Kevin stared at the necklace. He was trying to fix all of the details in his head so he could remember them for Linda later. Jessica Drake was just as beautiful in real life as she was on TV. She had pale, clear skin and bright blue eyes with the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen. But there was something odd about her face. It was so smooth, it didn't seem to move as she spoke. It was as if someone was pulling the skin at the back of her head. And when you looked closely, the lashes at the outer corners of her eyes went a bit too far beyond each eye. And her lips seemed too big and a bit sore…

  'Darling, are you listening? I want to deposit my Augusta. I assume your bank offers a safe-deposit service?'

  'Of course, madam. If you'd like to walk over to the door on your right, I'll buzz you straight through. There's just a little paperwork.'

  'OK, but hurry up, darling, I'm in rather a rush.'

  Jessica headed towards the door. Kevin felt a stab of nerves as he went to meet her. He was doing business with a Hollywood movie star. Well, sort of. Linda had told him Jessica hadn't been in a film since her divorce, but that didn't matter. His wife would still be dead impressed.

  By the look of it, so were his workmates. They had stopped what they were doing and their mouths hung open.

  Jessica was every inch the movie star, but the necklace was what drew your eye. The two strands of pearls glowed, and the sapphire and diamonds twinkled. Kevin's present for Linda looked just like the real thing!

  He pressed the security switch and the door unlocked.

  'My driver is waiting outside,' snapped Jessica. 'I can't be long. Must I really sign some silly form? After all, you do know who I am?'

  Kevin held open the door for her as she glided in with her assistant. 'Yes, of course I do. I saw you on TV last Friday. But I'm afraid we can't take a deposit without filling in a form. Sorry.'

  'You saw me on TV, did you? You'd think the media would have had enough of me by now, but they always seem to want more. Oh, well.' She stroked her fur coat. 'I guess that's just the downside of being famous.'

  'Madam, please.' He took her into his office where he kept the forms. 'Do sit down. Can I take your coat?'

  This was turning into an exciting day. Kevin couldn't wait to tell Linda about it. He wondered if he could ask Jessica for an autograph. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do. But what was the harm? He'd ask her when the necklace was safely in the basement.

  'Forget my coat. Just get on with it!' She sat down and slowly crossed one long leg over the other. The other woman stood beside her. 'Quickly! Give me the forms.' Jessica pointed to her assistant. Clearly, you didn't pass anything to royalty in person.

  Kevin handed them to the assistant with his pen, and the two women signed their names.

  'Don't just stand there, sweetheart. Fetch me the key.' Her voice wasn't quite so rich and low now that she had only him to watch her. It was more of a screech.

  Kevin unlocked the safe fixed to the wall behind him.

  In it, there was a row of small hooks with numbers underneath. Some had a key hanging from them, but many didn't as the client kept their key at home. At the top of the safe, there was a small shelf with just one key. This was the guard key for all the boxes.

  Each deposit box had two locks, which had to be unlocked before the box would open. The guard key was kept in the safe, and used by Kevin to open the first lock. Then Kevin would leave the guard key in the lock and the client used their own key to open the second. Kevin had to leave the guard key in the lock because the client's key would only work if the guard was in place. It was extra security so that the two locks couldn't be picked.

  The safe in Kevin's office also had two locks to open and close it. Symington held the guard key and Kevin had the second. Each morning Symington would open his lock, then Kevin opened his. At the end of the day, they both locked the safe for the night.

  'Come on, then.' Jessica snatched the little key out of his hand. 'Show me my box.'

  'It's downstairs, if you'd like to follow me. Oh, I should have introduced myself. I'm Kevin Dodds, deputy manager.'

  Jessica looked put out. 'Deputy manager? I thought you were the manager. I can't hand over my necklace to any Tom, Dick or Harry. I insist on dealing with the manager.'

  'I look after deposits, madam, and you don't need to hand your necklace to me. You can lock it into the safe yourself and keep the key, so that you can be sure it's all in order.'

  'I know that.' She looked Kevin up and down. 'I've had more safe-deposit boxes than you've had hot dinners, but I will not be taken care of by a deputy. It's like going to the theatre and getting the understudy, you silly little man.'

  She slapped the top of his desk. 'Fetch me the manager. Now!'

  Kevin smiled and we
nt to look for Symington in his office.

  Symington dropped his newspaper when Kevin told him who wanted to see him and scuttled out to meet the star.

  'Oh, there you are, darling. I told him I could only deal with the manager.' Jessica looked out of Kevin's office window to check that the other staff were watching. There was nothing she liked more than making a scene. 'Now, let's go and put away my Augusta. Perhaps you'd be kind enough to take it off me.'

  Symington's eyes were very wide. He could only nod. Then, as if she were on stage, Jessica pulled off her coat and flung it at Kevin. 'Make yourself useful.'

  She turned the clasp to the back of her neck and lifted her hair for Symington to undo the catch. Even from where he was standing, Kevin could hear his boss breathing heavily. Kevin was seriously pissed off. Deposits were his job. He had really wanted to undo the clasp of a two-million-pound necklace.

  Symington handed the necklace to Jessica, who placed it in a black box that her assistant pulled out from her bag. 'Madam, if you'd like to follow me, I'll show you to your deposit box downstairs. Dodds, look after Ms Drake's coat.'

  Jessica took the box from her assistant and headed for the stairs with the bank manager. Kevin heard Symington's voice as they went down to the basement. 'I do apologize for my deputy. He's not very bright, and tends to get a bit star-struck.'

  'Darling, he was no problem. I'm used to it. It's just nice to have the manager in charge of such an important deposit. Besides, that deputy of yours has his hands full now. He looks like a yeti all covered with fur.'

  He heard them chuckle as they trotted down the stairs. Jessica's assistant took the coat from him and Kevin made his way back to the counter. He felt pleased that the great Jessica Drake hadn't been in any films for a long time. He was glad she had to travel up and down the country just to get a small part in a small town. She was a bitch.

  CHAPTER TEN

  It hadn't been a great start to the week for Kevin. By the end of the day, all he wanted was to get home and spend a relaxing evening with Linda. In the car he put on their favourite Billy Joel tape, the one with their song on it, hoping she wouldn't ask him if he had managed to get Friday off. He knew she'd ask, but he wanted a few minutes' peace before the storm.

  When they were sitting on the sofa drinking tea and watching EastEnders, she still hadn't asked. Kevin realized he was going to have to tell her, and ruin the evening. He waited until the end of the programme.

  'I'm sorry, Linda. I asked Symington for the day off, but he said no.'

  Linda's face flushed. He could see she was trying to control her anger. 'But he can't do that. He's no right. You're entitled to a day off. It's just not fair.'

  'He said we're just too busy.'

  'Busy? When's that place ever busy?'

  'I know, but I gave four days' notice and the rules say I have to give five.'

  He could see that her annoyance had transferred from Symington to him.

  'I told you you should have done it last week. I was really looking forward to this weekend. It's our anniversary.'

  'I know. I'm so sorry. I was waiting for the right time to ask him.' He put a hand on her knee. 'I'm really sorry. At least we've still got the weekend.'

  Linda could see he was upset too and knew it was pointless to go on at him. Kevin was almost too gentle, too nice. She'd tried to encourage him to stand up for himself a bit more, push himself forward a bit, but he never seemed able to do it. It meant people walked all over him. She needed to help him build his self-confidence. She knew he had it in him to be more forceful. Maybe one day the penny would finally drop.

  'Something else happened today, though.' Kevin changed the subject. 'Guess who came into the bank.' He had saved the good news to tell her after the bad.

  'Who?'

  'Jessica Drake.'

  'No! You're kidding me! Was she wearing it?'

  'Yep — and a big fur coat.'

  'What's it like? What's she like? What else was she wearing?' Now she was caught up in a real-life gossip mag. 'I can't believe you've met Jessica Drake! Wait till I tell the girls at work. How big was the sapphire?'

  Kevin made a rock-sized circle with his thumb and index finger. 'She had the world's most stunning necklace, but she wasn't the world's most stunning woman. My wife is.'

  Linda grinned and shuffled up next to him on the sofa. 'Of course,' she said, pleased. 'Come here.'

  As they kissed, he realized it was true. Linda was more beautiful than Jessica. She was natural, and lovely, and kind. Far better than that fake, second-rate actress. He hugged her closer.

  And then it happened. Today became the day that Kevin Dodds got angry. Really angry. He didn't know if it was because Symington wouldn't give him the day off, or because Jessica Drake had thrown her coat at him, or even because he'd seen his wife's disappointment in him. But while he was sitting on the sofa and Linda was waffling on about the Augusta, the dam burst. He felt pure anger twist and spread through his body until he was filled with rage. He clenched his fists, his breathing came fast and the blood rushed to his head. He didn't have to live like this. He didn't have to take it all lying down. He could fight back. It was time to stop being the grey man.

  Slowly a plan began to hatch.

  Linda glanced at him. 'What are you grinning at?'

  'Just thinking about Saturday night, that's all. I'm going to make it the most wonderful night you've ever had. I'll make up for not getting Friday off, I promise.'

  And for the first time Kevin's life got interesting.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Tuesday, 7 February, 11.28 a.m.

  For Gary and Alice, today was like any other day at the bank. There was the usual lack of customers and Symington shouting at them every now and again. But for Kevin today wasn't an ordinary day. He was in his office, with his paperwork in front of him, and his mug of coffee in his hand, but today was the day that would change his life for ever.

  He paused for a moment, his finger hovering over the mouse. Google's search engine was on screen and he had already typed in 'homemade explosives'. If he clicked, Kevin knew there would be no turning back. He was terrified, but he'd had enough of people walking all over him. He'd had enough of smiling. It was now or never. He was going to do something that Robert de Niro, and Clint Eastwood had done loads of times. He was going to rob a bank. He took a long, deep breath, and then the grey man struck back. He clicked the mouse.

  The first page of home-made explosives was on the screen but before Kevin had a chance to start reading, Symington burst into his office. 'Dodds! Why aren't you out there making sure those two are doing their work?'

  Kevin stood behind his desk hoping that Symington wouldn't walk round it and see what was on the screen. He peered out through his door and saw Alice at the counter doing paperwork. Gary was making a phone call.

  'Well, er… Alice can handle the counter. And Gary's making business calls. It's not busy so I thought I'd start this month's report early.'

  Symington wasn't too sure how to react to that one. 'Good.' He left Kevin's office and stormed back to his own. Kevin closed the door and got back to his PC.

  He checked out a number of websites that showed him how to make explosives before it dawned on him. Why was he looking at all this stuff? He didn't know the first thing about blowing up safe-deposit boxes. He'd probably blow himself up instead. As Clint had said to him one Saturday night, 'A man's got to know his limitations.'

  Kevin sat back in his chair and thought about his. He didn't have a clue about what he was doing. He had no experience in such matters. Except that he'd watched a hundred and one bank-robbery movies, the good ones at least twice. He wasn't fit, so the chance of him swinging above motion detectors by his fingernails, wasn't good. And he wasn't a genius, so he was unlikely to come up with a plan no one else had ever thought of. No, his plan would depend on two things. First, it should need no brains and no fitness, and second, it used the one advantage he did have. He was already in the ban
k and knew how the systems worked.

  He closed down Google and rested his elbows on the desk, dropping his head into his hands. He knew the exact safe-deposit box he was going to break into, but how to do it without anyone knowing he had? That was the problem. After all, it wasn't as if he was going to run away with Linda to a tropical island. If a theft was obvious, the police would soon have him as a suspect. After all, Kevin had keys to the bank and dealt with the deposit boxes every day. He didn't know how he would stand up to their questions. Would he confess out of fear? Would guilt be written all over his face? He never had been a good liar. No, this had to be a crime that no one ever knew had been committed. So, no alarms, no noisy explosives, no bits of broken deposit-box strewn across the floor. It had to be a clean, silent crime that no one ever knew about.

  Kevin had a sip of coffee to wake himself up. Even if he could get to the safe-deposit box with the guard key, he would still need the client key to open it. How was he going to get his hands on it?

  Symington was outside his door again, moaning at Gary, who had offered to cover for Kevin on Friday. 'This is a place of work, not a charity.'

  Kevin felt the anger twist in his belly. He was going to put his plan into action this Friday evening. He was looking forward to coming into work on Monday morning. Symington and everyone else would be none the wiser as to what had taken place. But he'd go back to his plan later. Now he had to start on that report. After all, he'd said he would.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  After work, Kevin met Linda at Specsavers as usual, and they drove home together. Instead of their usual banter, they were silent. Linda was worried about Kevin. He seemed distant, as if he was in another world. Maybe he was tired.

  The rest of the evening should have felt normal but it didn't. Kevin sat and watched TV with Linda as usual and cuddled her as usual. But Linda could feel that something wasn't right. Kevin's thoughts were elsewhere. He replied to anything she asked him with a one-word answer. Otherwise he didn't speak at all.