BXBX NOVEL Chapter 298 - Gregory Light (7)
Greg was sitting in the car in front of Jeff\'s apartment building, the sun was rising, and every minute there were more people on the street. Greg checked his phone and realized that it\'s off since previous day. He powered it on and saw several missed international calls. It looked important, and he called back.
It was a number for National Bank from Cayman Islands. It is one of three banks where Greg has his hidden offshore accounts. He gave his information to confirm his identity before bank employee decided that it\'s safe to discuss details of the account. "Mr. Light, we contacted you to see what we should do, since your account has zero balance."
Greg frowned. "I don\'t understand. Please explain."
The bank employee talked in a professional manner. "Conditions for your type of account state that if balance is below ten thousand US dollars, there will be a $95 monthly fee for maintaining the account. Your current balance is $0, so we are not able to charge you monthly fee which is due on first of every month. Please advise if you will be making a deposit, or should we close this account."
Greg felt that his head is spinning. "That account should have more than one million US dollars."
There was a second of silence before bank employee responded: "It is not my place to say how much money should be there. I can tell you that four days ago you made a withdrawal, and balance is now zero."
Greg had trouble finding his voice. "What do you mean, I made a withdrawal?"
"It was an electronic transfer. Who besides you can authorize it?", bank employee\'s voice was showing that he is getting irritated.
In next moment, Greg was raging. How can that person say he authorized money transfer when he didn\'t? Someone took his money! Robbery!
The bank employee stood firm and didn\'t want to acknowledge that it was a mistake from the bank\'s side. "Mr. Light, we have account protection in case of a fraud. But this was an electronic transfer between accounts. During this transfer, you need to provide number of passwords, personal data as well as to answer many security questions. No one other than you can have this information. And you are complaining days after this occurred. It all points to the situation where you moved your money elsewhere. Do you expect us to replenish your account? Are you trying to scam our bank? If you are so confident, you are welcome to notify the police. Our bank will be happy to cooperate with law enforcement. But don\'t try to push this as a fault from our side."
The only thing bank employee agreed to give him is the information where his money went. It was transferred to a bank in Switzerland. Greg called that other bank, but without personal data or security questions related to the account, that bank didn\'t want to tell him anything. He felt that he is going to implode. So much money... gone!
And to whom is he going to complain? He can\'t call the police... it\'s a hidden account where he kept his dirty money, earned by overcharging desperate people who could afford to pay to get first in line for organ transplants. This account was not reported when filing taxes, so if he acknowledges it, he will be in trouble not only for taking bribe, but for avoiding paying taxes as well. Notifying police is out of the question.
Greg was doing his best not to go into a full-blown rage, and comforted himself that one offshore account is gone, but he still has two other ones. At that moment, a chilling thought passed through his mind. He decided to call those other two banks and confirm the balance.
...
Upstairs, in the penthouse, JoAnna is sitting in Jeff\'s lap on the sofa. Her head is resting on his shoulder while his arms are wrapped around her.
Jeff struggled to talk. "It\'s safest… if you leave LA." He does not want her to leave. If she leaves, he will come with her... he decided.
JoAnna shook her head. "If he followed me here, he will follow me elsewhere. I\'m not leaving."
Jeff tightened his embrace. "It\'s safest..."
JoAnna interrupted him. "You don\'t understand. For months I\'m avoiding him, modifying my habits, and double thinking my every action, all because of him. I\'m done running."
Jeff understood that JoAnna wants to stand up for herself. "I can stay with you." He offered.
Without hesitation, she rejected it. "No. You have work to do. You can\'t modify your life because of him."
"It\'s not because of him... it\'s because of you.", he explained. Because of her, he will do anything.
"I don\'t want it. You go to work." JoAnna persisted.
"Then you come with me."
JoAnna thought for some time before dismissing the idea. "I will die of boredom while you work and attend meetings. Anyway, I have things to do... I already scheduled to meet with doctors in charge of residenship from LA Medical Center on Thursday. In order to be ready for that, I need to start transfer process today. I will spend most of my day online and on the phone with my University, getting the paperwork ready, as well as permissions needed." She paused for few seconds before continuing. "You heard Sarah, she offered to come and work from here. With her here, and four bodyguards in front I will be safe. Right?" She looked at him with clear eyes which he found difficult to refuse.
"You don\'t want to go anywhere?" Part of him was happy if she stays inside, but other part was feeling bad for her being stuck inside because of that man.
"Not today." She assured him with a smile.
He reluctantly agreed. "We need to take him off the streets…"
JoAnna interrupted him, "Sarah and Aiden are working on locating him. Until they find him, there is not much we can do."
She saw him nod and kissed him. "Go and get ready, CEO White. I will call Sarah."
...
Shortly later, Greg was in the car having an agonizing meltdown. \'All three accounts... Empty!!!... What?... How?\'
The only thing he got was that all three transfers had as a destination the same account in Switzerland. So, it was done by the same person. But who could do such a thing? Who could know that those three accounts belong to him? Three accounts, all with last name Light, but first name was different. How did someone make a connection? And how did that someone manage to get the money out of his accounts? He used different security questions and different passwords for each account. He was not able to comprehend how is that possible. \'It\'s a joke... a prank... I will check later again, and all my money will be there...\' He convinced himself.
While he thought about that, he saw a familiar face come out of Red BMW Convertible. A young man was behind the driving wheel, and a young woman stepped out. They kissed few times, and she walked into Jeff\'s apartment building while young man drove off. Greg remembered, \'That is JoAnna\'s younger sister! So that means that JoAnna is inside!\' He forgot about the money and focused on the thought that JoAnna is in the building in front of him. \'So close.... If I could remove walls, I would be able to see her!\' He was getting excited.