Bank Redemption

Unaware of how narrowly he had dodged disaster, Old Tom pulled Henry in front of a white wall, snapped a few photos with a click-clack, and then safely delivered the man to the bank.

First National Bank Alaska was the most common bank in the state and one of America's top-rated banks, having long held a five-star rating.

Founded in 1922 by Old Winfield Erwin, it had built a solid foundation during Alaska's railway construction boom in the 1920s.

A bank like this naturally offered a wide range of services, and the branch manager knew how to handle every type of customer.

At least, when Tom walked in with his guest, the manager sitting in his office came out to greet them immediately.

"Hey, Mr. Tom, you're looking as sharp as ever today." The bank manager extended his hand in greeting.

Old Tom wasn't one to spare anyone's feelings. "You might as well say Franklin is still Franklin—won't change in a hundred years. Right?"

"Haha, Franklin's been around as long as this bank's history, so of course he won't change." The manager chuckled at his own joke, then asked, "And this guest is?"

"Henry, one of Old George's crew. He's here to cash a check."

"Welcome, welcome to our bank. We have the best reputation in the country and the most convenient service. Would you like to deposit into another bank's account, or open a new account with us?"

Tom answered for Henry. "Cash. He wants to take it in cash."

"For cash withdrawal, the fee is six-tenths of a percent. The standard check-cashing fee is four-tenths. If you open an account here, I can lower the check-cashing fee to two-tenths. Won't you consider it?"

"He's missing some documents. If you could be flexible, other options might be possible." Tom hinted at the situation, then turned to ask, "Henry, what do you want to do?"

Some people cared about the difference in fees, so Tom didn't plan to decide for Henry. Of course, he tipped his hand to let the manager know there would be some irregular 'difficulty' involved, so he should be prepared.

"No, I'll just take the cash." Henry didn't overthink it and answered directly.

Catching Tom's hint, the manager naturally didn't press Henry further on his decision. After all, bending the rules came with some risk.

Even though doing so might earn him a private commission on the side, since the customer had made his choice, everyone could keep things simple and follow the rules—no extra headaches for anyone.

The manager's smile didn't waver as he placed a fine wooden tray in front of Henry. "Please place the check you wish to cash here, and I'll process it immediately."

The speed caught Henry off guard. He'd expected the bank to drag its feet or make excuses when it came to withdrawing a large sum of cash.

Seeing Henry's slight surprise, Tom didn't need to ask to know what the newbie was thinking. He explained:

"Crab season. A lot of Greenies take their cash and never come back. So the bank stocks up on extra bills this time of year. Nothing to be surprised about."

That also explained why, despite the small-town bank's modest size, Henry had noticed quite a few armed security guards on duty.

Sticking to the principle that legitimate money wasn't worth the trouble of finding it the wrong way, robbing the bank wasn't even a consideration. Henry placed the check Old George had signed onto the tray.

The manager picked up the tray, glanced at the number on the check, and confirmed, "You'd like to cash this check for eighty thousand dollars, correct?"

"Yes."

"Alright, please wait a moment." Tray in hand, the manager went to process the transaction.

At the same time, a long-legged young woman in black stockings walked into the office and asked politely, "Would you two like coffee or tea?"

No third option, huh. Henry noted with regret. Aloud, he said, "Coffee, thanks."

Tom declined anything, letting the receptionist leave. Instead, he walked over to the manager's liquor cabinet and poured himself a whiskey. "Hey, kid, you of legal age?"

"Mm, what's the legal drinking age?" Henry asked. He wasn't sure if this world's rules matched the ones he remembered, so he checked.

"Twenty-one."

"Too bad. I'll stick with coffee. Shame there's no milk."

"Tch. Then you're missing out on half the fun of life."

Whiskey glass in hand, Tom settled back onto the sofa comfortably. "Alright, spill. How'd you end up on George's boat?"

"I didn't know you did background checks. Who are you, a CIA plant?"

"Ha, we've got time to kill. If we don't chat, are we just gonna stare at each other? Or admire this tasteless office together? I can tell you right now, none of the paintings or decorations in here cost over a hundred dollars."

Not bothering to comment on the office's cheapness or lack of taste, Henry answered Tom's question.

"A Pole got me on the boat. I met the Pole at Old John's bar. You know the little town up north?"

"Ah, that stubborn old holdout from World War II, right? I know him. Whole family of patriots, and now he's the last one left."

Henry didn't feel like arguing with the slightly rude jab.

Old Tom pressed on. "There's more to it than that, kid. George doesn't usually take an interest in a Greenie. What else did you do?"

"Well, there was a little accident on the boat. I helped handle it. And I think I learn fast and work hard. For the rest, you'll have to ask George. I don't know what he's thinking."

"Oh, a little accident, huh." Tom said casually, but didn't dig deeper.

Their chat was cut short as the bank manager walked back in. This time, he carried a larger tray stacked with bundles of cash, which he set down in front of Henry.

"After deducting our cash withdrawal fee of four hundred eighty dollars, the total here is seventy-nine thousand five hundred twenty dollars. Each bundle of hundred-dollar bills contains one hundred notes, for a total of seven bundles. For the remainder, I took the liberty of exchanging it into smaller bills. It's all here. Please count."

At the same time, the bank teller who had brought the coffee reappeared. This time, she wheeled in a bank-grade bill counter, efficiently ran through all the cash in front of Henry, and tallied the total on a calculator to confirm it was correct.

By the time she finished, Henry had also finished counting. He didn't bother recounting by hand, just held a few bundles of cash, looking a bit dazed.

Seeing this, the manager had someone bring a small bag and loaded all the money inside. He smiled. "The bag is complimentary."

New book, requesting follow-up reads, collections, and recommendations. Thank you~~