The doomsday conspiracy

chapter 33: I am being robbed

At eleven o’clock that evening William Mann’s doorbell rang. He was not expecting anyone, and he disliked unannounced callers. His housekeeper had retired, and his wife was in her room upstairs, asleep. Annoyed, Mann opened the front door. Two men dressed in black suits stood in the doorway.

“William Mann?”

“Yes.

One of the men pulled out an identification card. “We’re from the Bank of Canada. May we come in?”

Mann frowned. “What’s this about?”

“We would prefer to discuss that inside if you don’t mind.”

“Very well.” He led the men into the living room.

“You were recently in Switzerland, were you not?”

The question threw him off guard. “What? Yes, but what on earth …?”

“While you were gone we had your books audited, Mr Mann. Are you aware that there is a shortage in your bank of one million dollars?”

William Mann looked at the two men, aghast. “What are you talking about? I check those books every week myself. There has never been one penny missing!”

“One million dollars, Mr Mann. We t