Date With Destiny Read online

  “It’s a good thing the branch is going to be closed tomorrow.”

  In past years, the downtown branch opened for business until the parade started, closed when the festivities began, and reopened as soon as the last float made its way past Chippewa Square. The crowds had grown younger and more unruly over the years, however, forcing the branch’s doors to remain closed all day. Employees were given the option of taking a day off without pay or volunteering to work at another location. Most chose to join the citywide party.

  “If the smell is as bad as you describe, there’s no way we’ll be able to reopen the branch today,” Rashida said.

  “You needed me?”

  Dan stuck his head in her office. He had been sorting through boxes of promotional items all morning. Bits of cardboard and Styrofoam packing peanuts clung to his short black hair. Add in his rumpled clothes, and he looked far from camera ready. That needed to change ASAP.

  “One second, Jackie.” Rashida pressed the Hold button. “Dan, grab the spare shirt and tie you keep in your office. We have a shit storm downtown and you’re about to get some face time.”

  “Let me get changed. Then you can tell me what I’m in for.”

  She unmuted the phone. “Okay, Jackie, I’m back. Have Seaton coordinate with the other branch managers and send his employees to the other offices as needed so they can get their eight hours in. I need you to call our cleaning crew. Tell them to take as long as they need to get this sorted out. They have the rest of today, all day tomorrow, and the entire weekend to play with. Whatever it takes, I want the smell gone by the time we open the doors on Monday.”

  “I thought you might say that. Seaton has already printed a sign to affix to the front door.”

  “What does it say?”

  “This location closed until further notice.”

  “I don’t like the wording on that. The verbiage makes it sound like federal regulators have swooped in and slapped us with a cease and desist order. I’ll ask Dan to come up with something that won’t scare the shit out of our customers or give our competitors reason to think we’re vulnerable. He’ll be heading downtown soon to field any and all media inquiries. Ted’s off today and tomorrow so I’ll have to take the lead on this one. As soon as I free myself up here, I’ll come down and inspect the damage, get an update from emergency personnel, and call a team meeting to decide next steps. How many members of the executive team were in the office today?”

  “Try none. They all started celebrating St. Patrick’s a day early.”

  “Great. I have Dennis’s mobile number programmed in my cell. I’ll call him as soon as I get off the phone with you. He can update the directors as needed. I’ll send a company-wide e-mail letting everyone know there’s a situation downtown, we’re monitoring it, and will pass on more information as it becomes available. I almost forgot about IT. I need to get one of the tech geeks onsite, too, so they can see if any of the network wiring is fried. Have I forgotten anything else?”

  “No, I think you’ve covered all the bases. Have I mentioned I love you when you’re in crisis mode?”

  “No, but thanks.” Rashida enjoyed the last laugh she thought she’d have for several hours if not days. “I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

  She hung up her desk phone and immediately picked up her cell. She needed to call Destiny to make sure she was unharmed.

  The line rang once, twice, three times.

  “Pick up. Pick up. Pick up,” Rashida chanted like a mantra as she chewed on a manicured nail.

  “Hey, babe.” Destiny’s voice sounded strangely devoid of feeling. Was she in shock?

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Destiny said, but she didn’t sound very convincing. “I’m helping the cops with crowd control.”

  “How bad is it down there?”

  “It’s…bad.” Destiny’s voice broke as emotion finally crept into it.

  Rashida held a hand over her heart, which ached with concern for the woman who had quickly come to mean so much to her. “I hear it could have been much worse if not for you. Thank you for acting so quickly.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. Megan’s in pretty bad shape and several others don’t look so good, either.”

  Rashida closed her eyes as she tried to imagine the scene. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Stay safe. I love you.”

  “I…” Destiny hesitated. It was probably hard for her to be circumspect with so many people around, but the hesitation was only brief. “I love you, too.”

  After Destiny ended the call, Rashida took a moment to compose herself. How close had she come to losing someone she had just been fortunate enough to find?

  After she got her emotions in check, she drafted a company-wide e-mail and read it twice. Dan returned to her office shortly after she hit Send. He had kept his khakis but traded his polo shirt for a dress shirt, tie, and blazer. He had also combed the debris out of his hair. He looked like a presidential candidate playing the Everyman role on the campaign trail.

  “Don’t worry about calling Dennis,” he said after she’d shared all the information she had. “You need to concentrate on getting the branch back up and running. I’ll reach out to him and the rest of the executive management team while I’m driving downtown. Before I leave, I’ll create some signage that makes it clear the bank is still open despite the branch’s closure. Something along the lines of ‘The downtown branch of Low Country Savings Bank is closed temporarily due to a mechanical failure, but customers wishing to conduct business can visit any of our other locations. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.’”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Great. I’ll list the customer service phone number in case anyone has any questions.”

  “I’ll let the customer support team know they might experience an uptick in incoming calls. Make sure Seaton sends one of his employees here to provide the members of the call center with extra support.”

  Dan made a notation on the leather-bound Day Planner spread across his lap. “I can do that.”

  “I copied you on the e-mail I just sent. In case you haven’t read it yet, we’ll have an update call at nine tonight. Each member of the management team is invited to dial in to the conference line and hear the latest news.”

  “Got it. I’ll see you down there?”

  “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be right behind you.”

  She answered a few of the questions she had received in response to her e-mail then shut her computer down. She was inputting the codes to forward any calls to her desk phone to her cell when Harry knocked on her door, a large manila envelope in her hand.

  “This came for you via interoffice mail. Someone put it in my box by mistake. It looked important so I didn’t want to sit on it.”

  She tossed the envelope on Rashida’s desk. The front of it read, Hand-Deliver to Rashida Ivey.

  “The interns have been mixing up the mail a lot lately,” Rashida said. “This morning, I had four envelopes in my inbox and none of them were for me. Thanks for bringing me this. Whatever it is.”

  She slipped the envelope into her bag without opening it. Whatever was inside could wait. She headed for the door.

  “Do you have a minute?” Harry asked, blocking her path.

  “Barely. I have to put out a fire downtown. Literally.”

  “Yeah, I saw your e-mail. I’m still trying to figure out what happened.” Harry put her hands on her hips and stared at the floor as if the answers to her questions could be found on the tops of her dark gray stilettos. “The whole thing makes no sense. The elevator downtown is only a few years old. My father owns the company that provides the annual maintenance. This incident could be embarrassing if it blows back on him.”

  “Depending on what the fire inspector says, I might be giving your father’s maintenance team a call.”

  Rashida made sure to keep her voice neutral not judgmental. She didn’t want to alienate Harry when they’d only
recently become close.

  “I can see you’re in a hurry,” Harry said. “One quick thing before you go. I’ve been thinking about Martin’s offer.”

  Rashida grimaced. She and Harry hadn’t had a chance to talk since their conference call with Martin the day before. She wanted to get Harry’s take on Martin’s proposal, but she didn’t have the time to get into it now. She needed to get on the road. The discussion surrounding the subject Harry broached would be anything but quick.

  “I want you to know I’ve got your back.” Harry gripped her arm. Rashida could see the sincerity in her eyes. Feel it in her voice. “If I’m forced to choose sides, I’m on your team. My parents have guided the bank this far, but you’re the right person to take it the rest of the way. When they had a chance to join forces with a regional bank and stretch our footprint from Florida to North Carolina, they chose to listen to Dennis instead of me and spurned the offer. The deal could have made everyone millions. You and I see eye-to-eye. With you at the helm, forget regional. We could go national. Maybe even worldwide.”

  Rashida was flabbergasted. Harry was essentially handing her the keys to the family car and trusting her not to drive it over a cliff. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Harry grinned. “Don’t say anything. Go keep our headquarters from blowing up. We’ll talk later.” She turned to leave, but Rashida called her back.

  “Harry?” Rashida lowered her voice. “I know deposit compliance like the back of my hand, but I’m not nearly as well-versed on the lending side of things as you are. If we’re going make a move, I’ll need your help.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

  Rashida tried not to get mixed up in other people’s family drama, but her curiosity got the best of her. “What did your mother say when you told her about the investors?”

  “I haven’t told her yet. Should make for some interesting conversation around the dinner table at the next family get-together, don’t you think?” Harry’s grin grew wider, giving her a distinctly shark-like appearance. “Speaking of get-togethers, Jared and I are having a few friends over for a St. Pat’s party tomorrow night. Join us. And feel free to bring a friend. Preferably an attractive one. We might be getting into some seventies-style key-swapping before the end of the night.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it. I may still be babysitting the cleaning crew. I’m sure we’ll post a guard outside the building all night tonight, preferably a police officer in uniform, but I want to make sure nothing hinky happens inside. I feel an all-nighter coming on. Maybe two or three.”

  “If you need help monitoring the goings-on at the branch, give me a call. My babysitting skills are a bit rusty, but I’m willing to pull them out of mothballs for the greater good. I’m busy tonight, though. Cameron and I are having dinner at The Pink House.” Harry’s one-night stand had lasted several days longer than Rashida had expected. “How does tomorrow morning sound?”

  “It sounds perfect.” Rashida stuck out her hand. “Thanks, Harry. For everything.”

  Harry gave her hand a firm shake. “Don’t mention it. See you tomorrow night?”

  “Fingers crossed. After the week I’ve had, the thought of sitting on your boat dock watching the sun set holds great appeal.” Having a sexual partner chosen at random from a bowl of car keys, however, did not.

  Harry clapped her on the back. “I’ll be sure to save you a chair.”

  Rashida drove downtown, parked her car in the bank’s lot, and made her way on foot through a maze of emergency vehicles parked haphazardly in front of Low Country Savings’ headquarters. A powerful chemical smell assaulted her nose when she drew near. She held her hand over her face to filter the intense aroma.

  A cadre of firefighters wearing respirators and reflective suits streamed in and out of the bank’s open doors. Curious onlookers gathered behind bright yellow police tape listened attentively as Dan gave an on-camera interview with one of the local TV stations.

  “There was no structural damage to the building,” Rashida heard him say. “Both it and customers’ deposits are safe. We were forced to evacuate because of a malfunctioning elevator. The motor ran all night, heating the oil inside to temperatures in excess of five hundred degrees. Two customers and at least one employee were sickened by the fumes. The customers have already been treated and released; the employee is still being evaluated. If not for the actions of another bank employee, today’s outcome could have been much worse. As soon as the oil cools, it will be removed and safely disposed of. The branch will be professionally cleaned and open for business on Monday morning.”

  “And all those businesses needing money for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend?” the reporter asked.

  “They will be free to visit any of our other convenient locations.”

  Another thing for Rashida to worry about. If the vault doors were closed and the time lock set to remain secure until Monday morning, they wouldn’t be able to access the money inside. Where would they find the extra cash to replenish the other branches’ overtaxed supply? By Friday, the coffers downtown would be bulging, the others bare. If the bank was forced to buy money from another institution, they’d run the risk of buying bad PR as well. Hopefully, some of their commercial customers would be making cash deposits to offset the increase in withdrawals. Otherwise, they were screwed.

  Rashida scanned the growing crowd but didn’t see any of the branch’s employees. Her eyes finally settled on a triage area that had been set up on Jefferson Street. The employees, Destiny included, were crowded around the back of an ambulance. Megan Connelly, the head teller, lay on a stretcher. An oxygen mask covered her ashen face. Two burly EMTs lifted the stretcher into the back of the ambulance and closed the door.

  Rashida joined the crowd. “What’s going on?”

  “Megan had an asthma attack,” Seaton said. “The paramedics gave her a breathing treatment, but it didn’t work. Her airway’s still clogged. They’re going to take her to the hospital for further evaluation. Her husband said he’d meet us there. I want to go with her to make sure she’s all right, but the branch is my responsibility, too.”

  He ran his hands through his sandy blond hair, suddenly looking much older than his twenty-three years.

  “I’ll look out for the branch,” Rashida said. “Go take care of your employee.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. Go.”

  “Thanks, Miss Ivey.”

  Most of the other employees soon left to head to the branch on Mall Boulevard, where empty office spaces waited their arrival. One headed to the Operations Center in Richmond Hill to help man the phone lines. After Dan moved on to his next round of interviews, only Destiny and Jackie remained.

  “You two look none the worse for wear,” Rashida said gratefully.

  Jackie blew out a weary breath. “Looks can be deceiving.”

  “I feel like I’ve been fighting oil fires in the Gulf,” Destiny said. “I probably smell like it, too.”

  Rashida was just glad to see she was still in one piece. She gave her arm a quick squeeze. “Do you need a break?”

  Jackie answered for her. “We can sleep when we’re dead. Until then, duty calls.”

  “What happened?” Rashida asked as they crossed the blocked-off street.

  “I’ll defer to Destiny on that one.”

  “I was doing my job when I felt the temperature in the lobby begin to rise.” Destiny’s voice was calm. She seemed completely in her element. She wasn’t made for this job. She was born for it. “At first I thought the A/C unit was on the fritz. Then I smelled the oil heating up and saw smoke billowing out of the elevator. I pulled the fire alarm and began an orderly evacuation of the building. I only wish I’d acted faster. If I had, Megan wouldn’t be on her way to the hospital, and none of the customers would have been affected.”

  “You acted as quickly as you could,” Rashida said. “You couldn’t
have anticipated the situation would deteriorate so rapidly. If you could predict the future, I’d ask you to buy me a lottery ticket.” She ducked under the caution tape and showed her business card to the police officer guarding the bank’s front door. “The three of us are bank employees. We need to speak with someone about what happened here today.”

  “Inspector Kirby,” Jackie added. “Is he still on the scene?”

  “He’s inside. You can go in if you like, but you might need one of these.” The officer handed each of them a paper face mask.

  Rashida stretched the attached rubber band behind her head, positioned the mask over her face, and followed Jackie inside. The thin paper shield did little to filter the noxious odor permeating the bank’s lobby. The smell worsened the closer they got to the elevator, the doors of which were propped open. Wisps of bluish-gray smoke curled toward the ceiling, which already sported a telltale stain.

  “Have you called the cleaning crew?” Rashida asked.

  Jackie nodded. “They’re standing by waiting for the scene to be released.”

  She flagged down a fiftyish man with thinning salt-and-pepper hair. His position and last name were printed in large block letters on the back of his windbreaker. He held a walkie-talkie in one hand, a note-filled clipboard in the other. Jackie provided introductions.

  “Bert Kirby, Rashida Ivey. Rashida is in charge of the bank’s retail operations.”

  Bert tucked the clipboard under his left arm and stuck out his hand. “A pleasure, ma’am. I’ll get right to it. The building’s safe. There’s no risk of fire. The residual smoke you see in the elevator is from the oil, which is starting to cool but is still too hot to handle. By tomorrow morning, it should be safe to remove. Do you have someone to do that for you?”

  “We’ve outsourced maintenance on the elevator to a local company.” Rashida purposely avoided mentioning the company’s name so she could keep Harry’s father out of the news as long as possible. “I’ll arrange to have members of their team remove the oil and repair the motor.”