The 'Cousins'

Part Sixty-One Gamma: Greg Concludes His Business at the Bank

A/N: Greg's meeting at the Bank concludes. Now read on:-

Timeline: 10:47, Friday 20th April, Commercial and Farmer’s Bank, Bamptonville.

 Greg sat writing notes into a small pocketbook while Courtley was out of the room. 

The manager had not returned by the time Greg put his notebook back into his pocket and he took the chance to look around the office more closely to admire the luxury of its appointments and furnishings. An array of framed photographs on the nearest wall caught and held his eye. Greg could see they were taken at various local events and activities in recent years.  Bill Courtley appeared in them all and seemed to have aged little during the time spread of the photographs. Greg stood to study them more closely.  A single common factor among them stood out for him immediately; the group of people with whom Bill stood was always the same five persons, standing in roughly the same juxtaposition with each other, as if it was a standard photographic pose for them when taken as a group. 

Greg recognised them all except the man in the centre, who stood erect, projecting an aura of aristocratic authority; next to him, on his right stood Judge Denman with Sheriff Flik Donovan to his right. To the left of the central figure mayor Harvey Denton stood slightly back from the man in the middle, with his thumbs in his waistcoat and a frown on his face, then, next to him, and with eyes elsewhere than the camera lens, stood Bill Courtley. Greg chuckled to himself. ‘No prizes for guessing who is the kingpin in the middle?’

He would be meeting Ross Noble on Monday, the only one of this clique he had not yet met. ‘And here they all are in order of prominence flanking Ross Noble in the same positions with him in every photograph.’  Greg noted with some surprise that according to the order of precedence he had detected, the one apparently ranking least amongst them was Bill Courtley; and that stood in the man’s favour as far as Greg was concerned.

The door opened and Courtley returned, smiling and rubbing his hands together to disturb Greg’s musings.

“That’s all underway for you Greg, Janie is calling Cyrus later, he’ll not be home yet. … I see you were looking at some of our annual events. We hold a number of Civic functions throughout the year and I hope you’ll join with us in our various celebrations. They all fit in around the main activities of the farming year.”

He sat down at the coffee table and Greg joined him. Courtley scratched his head.

“Now where were we, we seem to have sorted out the potato business with Cyrus as far as we can. I will call you as soon as I hear back from him, and likewise if you can keep me informed how things are developing. On a daily basis if you don’t mind because Cyrus will be calling me each day when he comes home for his midday meal.”

Greg laughed politely. “Sure thing, I’ll let you know how I’m getting on from day to day.”

“Excellent,” Courtley brushed his hands together, “Now then, Bill Elbury has told me some exciting things and what I am likely to expect arriving here for you in the immediate future. May I congratulate you on not only your good fortune, but your business acumen to make that happen, it’s wonderful news. I hope that don’t sound patronising.”

Greg relaxed and crossed his legs to sit more comfortably.

“Not at all Bill. I feel a bit of a fraud really Bill, all this happened because of the burgeoning state of the economy. I had very little to do with any of it.”

Courtley held up his hands. “Be that as it may, it seems you are a rich man as a result of your courage if nothing else. I have set up the account and prepared the documents in accordance with Bill Elbury’s instructions and they are ready for your signature on your way out. To run through it all briefly, they are to open a new commercial account for the US Operations of Ghost Enterprises Ltd., complete with a Corporate debit card and into which account, I am told, to expect substantial funds to arrive quite soon” Courtley’s raised eyebrow with his neck pressed back into the collar of his shirt confirmed to Greg that this statement was in reality a question.