Storm over the Caribbean

37. The Name

"The man we're looking for, is named..."

Silence.

A long, long moment of silence. Too bloody long!

"Yes?" I demanded. "Is named what?"

Mr Ambrose raised his eyes from the paper. "John Doe."

Yes! Finally!

Clenching my fists, I couldn't suppress the vicious smile that spread across my face. Finally, I had a name! I knew who to go after and...and...

Wait just a minute.

Eyes narrowing, I stared at Mr Rikkard Ambrose.

"Did you say John Doe?"

"Indeed."

"As in stiff-on-a-slab John Doe?"

A moment of silence.

"Indeed."

"As in an alias? A bloody bastard who didn't give his real name?"

"Indeed."

"Blast!" A snarl ripped from my throat, and I kicked the wall of a nearby building, ignoring the sharp jolt of pain that shot through my foot. "Blast, blast, blast! All of that...all of that for bloody nothing?"

"No."

The single word made me freeze in place. Slowly, hesitantly, I turned towards him. "What was that?"

"I said no. It wasn't for nothing." Lifting the paper to my face, he tapped a spot below that infernal, useless name. a spot where I saw, in crisp, fresh handwriting...

"A...meaningless string of numbers and letters?"

Mr Rikkard Ambrose sent me a look that somehow, while he didn't move a single facial muscle, managed to convey severe disappointment.

"Now, really, Mr Linton. After all the time in my employ, haven't you learned yet? Numbers are never meaningless. Especially not when it comes to money." Suddenly, any hint of disappointment vanished from his eyes, replaced by an ice-cold intent to kill. "And money is my domain."

Whirling around, he snapped his fingers. "Come!"

That tone... I snapped to attention, moving forward before I could even think about not obeying. Blasted secretary instincts honed through years of overtime!

Though I had to admit, I was kind of curious what he was planning. Because I was certain of one thing: he was planning something. I knew that icy sparkle I could see in his eyes all too well. So I followed without hesitation till we reached...the building right next to the bank we'd just left?

Now that was underwhelming. Squinting against the sunlight, I glanced up at the sign above the door.

Nectar Bank Inc.

I frowned. Another bank? Why the heck would he...?

Wait a minute. Nectar Bank? Nectar? As in "nectar and ambrosia"?

That sneaky son of a...!

Before I could say a single word, Mr Rikkard Ambrose had swept open the double doors before us and stepped into the lobby, which, I couldn't help noticing, was twice as massive and impressive as that of the bank next door, with three busy clerks working at their counters.

"Oh my." I glanced around. "Seems like you really didn't like it when the Prime Minister informed you that you couldn't buy the Bank of England."

"Indeed."

"Almost as much as when the Queen informed you that you couldn't buy England."

"Indeed."