Chapter 16

HOPE ANALYZED HERreflection in the jewelry shop window, pulling the wig down slightly at the front and straightening her skirt-suit jacket. She’d kept only one of Jenny Spelling’s suits in a hideous mustard yellow, the closest fit and the most modern piece she could find. It looked as though Jenny hadn’t updated her wardrobe in decades. That irritated Hope. She couldn’t stand people who’d been lucky enough to grow up in the lap of luxury who then refused to use the money they’d squirreled away. She didn’t know much about Jenny, but she couldn’t understand how anyone respected her, dressed like this. She felt awkward in the slightly too-big heels, like a child playing dress-up.

Her first stop when she got the money was going to be shopping, for herself and for the boat. The galley needed new curtains, and the bridge needed a lamp. Hope tried to contain the excitement bubbling up inside her, taking a deep breath before she walked into the bank.

She went directly to the manager’s desk and sat down on the chair there. A young man with a big Adam’s apple came wandering out, his face spreading into a smile.

“How can I help you?”

“Oh, hi.” Hope extended a hand. “I’m Jenny Spelling. I’d like to make a transaction from my savings account, please.”

“Of course.” The young man glanced toward the queue waiting at the counters. “Is this a large transaction?”

“I’d like to empty the account and close it, actually,” Hope said. “Nothing to do with your bank. You’ve been wonderful to my husband and I, but we’re moving overseas and we’ll be starting a local account there.”

“Well, congratulations!” the young man said. “What an exciting time. Let me just get your identification, Mrs. Spelling, and we’ll have a look for you.”

Hope opened Jenny Spelling’s clunky leather wallet and extracted her driver’s license and credit card. She kept a hand up near her eyes, playing with the edge of her low, heavy bangs, as the young man looked over the cards.

It worked. He went to the computer beside him and started tapping. Hope could feel sweat running down the backs of her calves. She squirmed in the older woman’s shoes, trying to keep a straight face.

“So it’s your main savings account that you’d like to close? Or would you like to close your everyday account as well?”

“Oh, all of it,” she said. “I’ll take all of it, please.”