Heists and Homicides

by Lily Webb

  “I will,” I said and left the shop for the bank and Victor’s office.

  Chapter Five

  From the outside, the Bank of Moon Grove was as impressive as ever, but the lobby told a much different story. A crew had combed through the place to clean up, but they hadn’t been able to clear away everything yet.

  Rubble from the ceiling and the various stone columns that held the building together littered the marble floor, mixed with shattered glass and torched paper. At first, I was amazed no one stopped me from entering, but I realized the skeleton staff on hand was probably far too busy to notice or care.

  Well, save for the gargoyles but that was their job, after all. Unfortunately for me, there were several more of them on duty today — not a surprise given the robbery — but if I played my cards right by telling them I was there out of concern for my loan, one of them might let me speak to Victor.

  “Zoe?” a voice called from behind, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to find Beau Duncan, my shifter boyfriend and lead anchor for Channel 666 News, standing in the entrance.

  “Hey, fancy meeting you here,” I said, beaming as I approached him. His blue eyes twinkled and he threw his arms around me.

  “I heard what happened, obviously. I'm so glad you're okay,” he said as he squeezed me so tightly it was difficult to breathe.

  “Me too. One of these days I'm gonna run through my nine lives,” I said and Beau frowned at the joke. “Anyway, I’m sorry I didn't call to tell you I was safe. I probably should've at least sent you a text. I'm the worst,” I sighed. By the time I'd dropped Grandma off at Raina’s and gotten home myself, the only thing I was concerned with was going to sleep.

  “No, you’re not. You were stressed and tired — who wouldn’t be after something like that? Like I said, I'm glad you're okay,” Beau said.

  “Thanks,” I said and Beau released me.

  “Are you here for work too?” I asked.

  “Sure am. It's all everyone's talking about at the station,” Beau said. “It's supposed to be impossible to break into the bank’s vaults and lots of people are worried about their money.”

  “Percy opened it like it was nothing, I watched him do it. But he didn’t really have a choice,” I said.

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “Unfortunately, yeah,” I said. “The thief forced him to do it.”

  “But how would they even know to do that?” Beau asked.

  “It makes sense. Who else would have access to the vaults besides the owners?”

  “It could’ve been someone else who knew the security weaknesses,” Beau said and my eyes widened.

  “Wait, are you saying you think this could’ve been an inside job?”

  “What else?” Beau asked. “I don't think the owners went around telling everyone they knew how to open the vaults, so whoever robbed it must’ve known somehow.”

  “But they didn't take any money,” I said. “Why would someone bother breaking into one of the most fortified places in Moon Grove if they didn't want the cash?”

  “Good question, but the robber must’ve taken something. If they hadn’t, there wouldn’t be all this extra security here today,” Beau said. “I know it’s a long shot, but hopefully one of the staff can confirm that something’s missing. Have you gotten anything useful so far?”

  “Sort of. I talked to Becker Bloodworth a bit ago,” I said.

  “Oh, yeah, I heard he was in here ranting and raving yesterday,” Beau said. “What did he say?”

  “I’m not sure he had anything to do with it, honestly. He told me that Victor and Percy have been at odds recently. He also said the bank holds things more valuable than money in its vaults — and that might’ve been part of the reason the Thornhearts weren't getting along.” I said. Beau’s eyes widened.

  “Could something like that have been what the robber was really after?” Beau asked.

  “Possibly, and that's why I'm here. I'm hoping Victor will spill the beans,” I said. “I overheard him talking about Percy yesterday before the robbery and it wasn’t particularly nice.”

  “Ah, nothing like a good sibling rivalry,” Beau said. “Well, I guess I'll let you get to it. I'm not trying to scoop your story.”

  “Now that's true love,” I said. Beau laughed and blushed.

  “Be careful, Zoe. Whoever robbed the bank killed Percy in that vault and they’re still out there. I wouldn't be surprised if they came back, especially if their first attempt wasn’t a success,” Beau said.

  “I will, you do the same,” I said and hugged Beau again.

  “I'll keep you posted on what I hear from the staff out here, though I’m not holding my breath for anything blockbuster,” he said.

  “Thanks, likewise,” I said as I released Beau.

  “But hey, if anyone can get into Victor’s head, it’s you. Pun intended,” Beau said and I smiled.

  “Fingers crossed.”

  “Good luck,” Beau said and left to go speak to one of the two warlocks still working in the bank. Oddly enough, Xander — the warlock I’d overheard Victor talking with before the robbery — wasn’t one of them. Maybe Victor and the rest of the leadership was afraid that too many loose lips had already gotten them in trouble.

  “Stop right there,” a gray-skinned gargoyle growled as I approached Victor’s office, its rock-grinding voice making me cringe. It flapped its wings to look more intimidating, not that it really needed the help, and its haunting yellow eyes pierced through me as it stared me down.

  “Hi, I’m here to talk to Victor Thornheart about a loan I tried to get yesterday,” I said.

  “That’s not going to happen,” the gargoyle said.

  “I’m sure Mr. Thornheart is very busy, but this will only take five minutes, tops,” I said, refusing to back down. At that moment, my investigation hinged on whatever Victor did — or didn’t — tell me.

  “Zoe?” a voice called from beyond the gargoyle. Victor’s head poked out from his office, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to talk to you, actually. It’s about my loan,” I said. The gargoyle growled, a low, spine-tingling rumble.

  “Relax, Thoraz. Zoe’s a customer, not a criminal,” Victor said. “Please, come on back. I was hoping I’d hear from you at some point today.”

  Thoraz the gargoyle stepped aside but his lamp-like eyes never left me as I passed him on my way to Victor’s office. Inside, Victor sat at his desk, his previously well-kept hair sticking out in all directions like he hadn’t had time to look in a mirror, much less brush it into place — but his bank had been robbed and his brother was dead, so he probably had bigger things on his mind.

  “Have a seat,” Victor said. I did, but didn’t fail to notice how the vibe in the room had changed since the last time I’d been there. All of Victor’s high-pressure sales tactics were gone, replaced by a rattled, nervous energy I wouldn’t have guessed he had.

  “I’m so sorry about what happened to Percy. How are you coping?” I asked, though I already had all the answers I needed from looking at him.

  “As well as I can, all things considered,” Victor said with a sad smile. “And I’m sorry you were caught up in all this, but I’m glad you and your grandmother weren’t injured. How’s she doing?”

  “She’s a tough one. In any case, I’d say the robbery was a pretty clear sign I wasn’t meant to take out a loan right now,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. Victor smirked and nodded.

  “Then I suppose we’re on the same page,” he said. “After all this, I don’t think we could afford to finance it right now anyway.”

  Even if he’d begged, I wouldn’t have taken the bank’s money now anyway. It was clearly on shaky ground and financial instability was the last thing I needed to deal with while trying to build a house. It would have to wait until things calmed, as much as Grandma would be disappointed to hear it.

  “Looks like things have been pretty crazy around here,” I said, ja
bbing a thumb over my shoulder at the lobby.

  “Yeah… I still can’t believe this happened,” Victor sighed as he ran his hands through his hair — maybe that’s what was what caused his crazy hairdo in the first place.

  “Nor can the rest of Moon Grove, evidently. Do you have any idea who might’ve been responsible?” I asked. “Maybe a disgruntled customer or something like that?”

  “So far we’ve got a whole lot of nothing,” Victor said.

  “Well, to be fair, it’s not like the burglar really give you a lot to go on,” I said.

  “No kidding.”

  “Look, I’ll cut to the chase. I’m here to talk to you about more than my loan,” I said and Victor laughed.

  “Of course you aren’t. I knew as soon as I registered your voice what you were really here for,” Victor said.

  “Guilty as charged. Since we're being honest, the real reason I wanted to talk to you was because I overheard you having a conversation with one of the other employees about your brother,” I said, eyeing him.

  “I remember. It was unfortunate that happened, but here we are,” Victor said. “For the record, since I know you’re probably already thinking about it, I had nothing to do with my brother’s death.”

  “It’s one of the bases I have to cover. I’m sure you understand,” I said and Victor nodded somberly.

  “I don’t know what he was thinking when he decided to try to be the hero. I knew right away how advanced magically the burglar was and I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near them. That’s security 101, you never try to stop the robber; you give them what they want,” Victor said.

  “Maybe because Percy knew the killer was after something in particular and he wanted to stop them,” I suggested, watching Victor’s face for any hint of a reaction.

  “Maybe. It’s hard to say what’s been going on inside his head lately,” Victor said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Percy has been, well, erratic for some time now,” Victor said.

  “I’ve heard that he’s had some trouble with gambling. Is that true?” I asked.

  “Trouble doesn’t begin to cover it, honestly,” Victor said. “I’m amazed that this didn’t happen sooner. I know he owes money to a lot of unsavory people. It was only a matter of time before they came calling for what they were owed.”

  “When did it start?” I asked.

  “Months ago. It’s hard to put my finger on when exactly, but it seems like it happened overnight when our father, Ignus, passed away. Ever since then, Percy hasn’t been himself,” Victor said.

  “Understandably. It’s not easy for anyone to lose a parent,” I said — I knew the feeling. Until recently, I was convinced my parents had died in a car crash, but now I wasn’t so sure.

  “True, but it’s worse than that. He seemed to lose himself. At first, I thought it was a way for him to take his mind off things for a while and that eventually he’d bounce back, but the gambling never stopped. In fact, it only got worse over time,” Victor said.

  “How much money did he owe?”

  “I couldn’t even guess,” Victor said, shaking his head. “If only our father could see us now.”

  “He founded the bank?”

  “No, far from it. The Bank of Moon Grove has been in my family for generations. I’m sure I could trace it back if I bothered, but the short version of the story is that the bank was started by one of my distant ancestors and it’s been passed down among us ever since,” Victor said.

  “So after your father died, you and Percy ran the bank together as equals?” I asked.

  “Yes, for better or worse,” Victor said. “Don’t get me wrong, I loved my brother, but he was difficult. We frequently butt heads over decisions and the general management of the bank. After he started getting in deep with the gambling, that only got worse.”

  “So I’ve heard, which brings me to my next question: I’ve been told there are things stored in this bank more valuable than money. Since the burglar doesn’t appear to have taken any cash, I have to wonder if there was something else they were after,” I said. Victor sighed and sat back in his chair.

  “While I obviously can’t discuss details, yes, there are things in this bank that are not currency but that are just as, if not more, valuable,” Victor said.

  “I see. Were these things recently deposited?”

  “Some were, yes, others have been here for as long as I’ve been alive,” Victor said evasively.

  “Was the decision to start housing objects like this a point of contention between you and your brother?” I asked.

  “It was. Honestly, I know it’s not wise to speak ill of the dead, but I knew from the second we brought some of those objects into the bank that they were an invitation for trouble. I tried to tell Percy that ahead of time, but like in every other area of his life, he wouldn’t be told what to do, least of all by his younger brother,” Victor said.

  “Is it possible that Percy might’ve been ordered to hold something for someone he owed money to?”

  “At this point, anything is possible. I have no idea what to think or what to believe. As a matter of fact, I had to fire most of the staff because I couldn’t be sure they weren’t sharing secrets,” Victor said.

  “I noticed. It’s a ghost town out in the lobby, minus the gargoyles,” I said.

  “They’re expensive, far more expensive than employees, but at this point they’re much more necessary. We’ve already had some of our wealthiest clients pull their assets this morning and I’m sure there will be more before the dust settles,” Victor said.

  “I hate to ask this, but I have to: do you think Percy might’ve been involved with the robbery?” I asked. Victor’s brow furrowed and he shook his head.

  “Why on earth would my brother conspire to rob his own bank?”

  “It seems odd to me that somebody would break into the bank only to leave without taking any cash. This is supposed to be one of the safest places in town, protected by more magical spells than the town as a whole, which is saying something, so how could someone who wasn’t an employee have known that Percy could unlock the vaults?” I asked.

  “That’s a great question, and one I’d like to know the answer to myself. But it still doesn’t make any sense. If my brother was trying to stage a robbery, he wouldn’t have risked his life to do it. He could as easily have slipped into the vault himself and taken whatever he pleased,” Victor said.

  “Maybe Percy didn’t know that was part of the plan,” I said and a chill rippled down my spine. It wasn’t inconceivable that Percy had cooked up some sort of scheme to rob the vaults to pay off his debtors only to be double crossed by his co-conspirators. Stranger things had definitely happened in this town.

  “That’s terrifying,” Victor said, the color drained from his face. “I hadn’t considered it, but it does fit together.”

  “Did Percy have any enemies? Anyone in particular that he owed money to that might’ve wanted to hurt him?” I asked. Victor laughed and shook his head.

  “That’s a tough question to answer because Percy had more enemies than any of us could count,” Victor said. “You saw a very different side of him as a customer than you would’ve as a business partner.”

  “Does anyone stand out in your mind?”

  “Not that I can think of, no. Percy has always been one to keep to himself, but he grew increasingly secretive once he started gambling,” Victor said. “It doesn’t take an investigative journalist to figure out why.”

  “Then why did you fire most of your staff? If it was Percy holding all the secrets, what risk did they pose?”

  “It was precautionary more than anything,” Victor said, avoiding my eyes.

  “To prevent what?”

  “Further leaks,” Victor said.

  “Does that mean you’ve already had one?”

  “I can’t say for sure, but I’m almost certain,” Victor said.

  “And you don’t know who it is?”
/>   “No, I have a very good idea,” Victor said. “I shouldn’t have been as open with Xander as I was. It’s a mistake I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting.”

  My breath caught in my throat.

  “What makes you think it was him?”

  “I told him things I haven’t told anyone other than my brother, things I should never have shared,” Victor said. “But he was an employee and, for all intents and purposes, he was my right hand man. I didn’t really think I had anything to worry about with him. He was so driven, so mature. Clearly, I was wrong to trust him.”

  “Does that include these valuable things that were deposited at the bank recently?” I asked. Victor drummed his fingers on the desk and stared at the ceiling.

  “It does.”

  I had to hand it to Victor, it couldn’t have been easy to admit a mistake like that. Still, Xander didn’t seem like the type to stab Victor in the back, so was that really all there was to it?

  “How long did he work here?” I asked.

  “Months. Believe it or not, Xander was one of the first people we hired after our father passed away,” Victor said.

  “Did he ever show any signs of untrustworthiness before now?”

  “If he had, I never would’ve told him some of the things I did, believe me,” Victor said.

  “What sort of things did he have access to around here as an employee?” I asked.

  “He was one of our senior partners, which means that he had access to pretty much everything outside of confidential records relating to the management of the bank and the contents of the vaults,” Victor said.

  “So it’s possible Xander knew that Percy could open the vaults?”

  “He knew, without a doubt,” Victor said, his face souring. “I can’t believe it, but it’s the only thing I can come up with. Xander was the model employee, always eager and capable, and now I know why.”

  “And what about you? Can you open the vaults too?” I asked. Victor hesitated, calculating.

  “Yes,” Victor said. “Percy and I are the only ones in the bank who can. But I’ve never been inside them in all my life out of principle. I don’t even know what it looks like down there.”