Recluse Protection

Chapter 29

Sitting in the car, I stare at the building in silence. This is the last place I can try, I have nowhere else to dig for. Not today anyway. I'm hitting a wall and this is pissing me off, I don't have the time to lose with any of this. The large brick building stands taunting me; the innocuous building is about as non threatening as it could be. It's what it could hold. Stepping from the SUV, I pull my jacket closer to my form before I walk towards the bank. My eyes scan the streets, looking for the past everywhere. Be on alert.

I knew they were close before, but now? My demons are nipping at my heels angrily, I can smell their wretched breath and feel their hot breaths ready to kill me. A grunt slips past my lips as I pull open the glass doors and look around the professional building. It's clean and sturdy appearance makes me feel out of place. It's not like I feel like I belong anywhere but my property. "Ma'am?" I'm broken out of my train of thought and look towards the counter, offering a tight smile to the woman behind the counter.

"I'm wondering if this key belongs to your lockboxes." I pull out the keys attached to mine and find the small golden key, with a number engraved in it. She grabs the keys and smiles with a slight nod.

"Yes, can I have your name? I can't let you back there unless you've been granted access to the lockbox." I swallow harshly and give my head a slight shake.

"The owner of the account would be Jackson Becks, I'm Casey Mikael." She types into the keyboard and stares at the screen.

"I'll need to see an ID, ma'am, it's procedure." I nod, pulling out my wallet to produce my Driver's license. She scans it and goes back to watching the screen. My eyes scan the surrounding, taking in the cameras and fake potted plants. Automatically counting the exits before noting the rooms and offices of the building. My paranoia is only going to get worse from here on out. "Here you go, are you looking to get into any of your accounts?" I look at her, shocked.

"Accounts?" The woman nods, offering a smile towards me.

"He has a few bank accounts, we have it noted that you would come and want to have access; he recently changed your name to the beneficiaries of the account." I nod slowly and my throat tightens before I shake my head with a weak smile.

"Not today, I just want to access the lockbox, thank you." I manage to force the words out, feeling my throat clog with emotions. He knew he was going to die. I don't know how long he knew this or something was going to happen.

"Alright, give me a moment and I'll lead you back to them." I give a silent nod, looking around more, keeping my silence. I'm missing more than I had thought. My lack of time paired with whatever bomb I'm about to uncover is only going to make this target larger. "You can follow me ma'am." The woman grabs a set of keys before she walks towards the back of the room, heading towards a closed in hallway. Great. Shaking my head I keep my mouth shut following her back into the lockbox room.

"Do you have a room I can use for privacy?" I have to clear my throat as I follow, passing two doors on either side, her heels click against the time floor making me unnerved. The dainty sound makes me grind my teeth in anger.

"Yes, ma'am." She answers over her shoulder with a curt nod before she unlocks a large vaulted door. The metal door locks, snick open before it glides open silently. The clean, bland room only offers a table in the center, the walls lined with small metal boxes hidden behind metal doors with a small keyhole on the right side. Golden metal plates rest at the bottom of each box, exposing the number of the box. What the hell did Gears leave me? The question is unnerving, completely and utterly so.

He knew he was going to die, they both did. Am I really worth that much to them? I clear my throat following her before she stops in the middle of the far wall, pointing towards a box. "This is your box ma'am." She unlocks the metal door and motions for me to grab the long metal box. Reaching in my hands quiver slightly as I grab one of the last things that could hold answers for this shit show. Cool metal chills my hands as she leads me back through the door and into one of the rooms along the side of the hallway.