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s on your discretion。 He had been a crime reporter long enough to have seen more than a few cases in which the victim had been targeted not because of anything he had done； not because of money or other possessions that his assailant desired； but merely because of what he had known。 A man with too much knowledge could be more dangerous than a man with a gun。
What knowledge Joe had about Flight 353 seemed； however； to be pathetically inadequate。 If he was a target merely because he knew that Rose Tucker existed and that she claimed to have survived the crash； then the secrets she possessed must be so explosive that the power of them could be measured only in megatonnage。
As he drove west toward Studio City； he thought of the red letters emblazoned on the black T…shirt worn by the attendant at the Post parking lot： FEAR NADA。 That was a philosophy Joe could never embrace。 He feared so much。
More than anything； he was tormented by the possibility that the crash had not been an accident； that Michelle and Chrissie and Nina died not at the whim of fate but by the hand of man。 Although the National Transportation Safety Board hadn't been able to settle on a probable cause； hydraulic control systems failure plicated by human error was one possible scenario…and one with which he had been able to live because it was so impersonal； as mechanical and cold as the universe itself。 He would find it intolerable； however； if they had perished from a cowardly act of terrorism or because of some more personal crime； their lives sacrificed to human greed or envy or hatred。
He feared what such a discovery would do to him。 He feared what he might bee； his potential for savagery； the hideous ease with which he might embrace vengeance and call it justice。
3
In the current atmosphere of fierce petitiveness that marked their industry； California bankers were keeping their offices open on Saturdays； some as late as five o'clock。 Joe arrived at the Studio City branch of his bank twenty minutes before the doors closed。
When he sold the house here； he had not bothered to switch his account to a branch nearer his one…room apartment in Laurel Canyon。 Convenience wasn't a consideration when time no longer mattered。
He went to a window where a woman named Heather was tending to paperwork as she waited for last…minute business。 She had worked at this bank since Joe had first opened an account a decade ago。
'I need to make a cash withdrawal；' he said； after the requisite small talk； 'but I don't have my chequebook with me。'
'That's no problem；' she assured him。
It became a small problem； however； when Joe asked for twenty thousand dollars in hundred…dollar bills。 Heather went to the other end of the bank and huddled in conversation with the head teller； who then consulted the assistant manager。 This was a young man no less handsome than the current hottest movie hero； perhaps he was one of the legion of would…be stars who laboured in the real world to survive while waiting for the fantasy of fame。 They glanced at Joe as if his identity was now in doubt。
Taking in money； banks were like industrial vacuum cleaners。 Giving it out； they were clogged faucets。
Heather returned with a guarded expression and the news that they were happy to acmodate him； though there were； of course； procedures that must be followed。
At the other end of the bank； the assistant manager was talking on his phone； and Joe suspected that he himself was the subject of the conversation。 He knew he was letting his paranoia get the better of him again； but his mouth went dry； and his heartbeat increased。
The money was his。 He needed it。
That Heather had known Joe for years…in fact； attended the same Lutheran church where Michelle had taken Chrissie and Nina to Sunday school and services…did not obviate her need to see his driver's license。 The days of mon trust and mon sense were so far in America's past that they seemed not merely to be ancient history but to be part of the history of another country altogether。
He remained patient。 Everything he owned was on deposit here； including nearly sixty thousand dollars in equity from the sale of the house； so he could not be denied the money； which he would need for living expenses。 With the same people seeking him who were searching for Rose Tucker； he could not go back to the apartment and would have to live out of motels for the duration。
The assistant manager had concluded his call。 He was staring at a note pad on his desk； tapping it with a pencil。
Joe had considered using his few credit cards to pay for things； supplemented by small sums withdrawn as needed from automated teller machines。 But authorities could track a suspect through credit…card use and ATM activity…and be ever on his heels。 They could even have his plastic seized by any merchant at the point of purchase。
A phone rang on the assistant manager's desk。 He snatched it up； glanced at Joe； and turned away in his swivel chair； as if he worried that his lips might be read。
After procedures were followed and everyone was satisfied that Joe was neither his own evil twin nor a bold impersonator in a clever rubber mask； the assistant manager； his phone conversation concluded； slowly gathered the hundred…dollar bills from other tellers' drawers and from the vault。 He brought the required sum to Heather and； with a fixed and uneasy smile； watched as she counted it for Joe。
Perhaps it was imagination； but Joe felt they disapproved of his carrying so much money； not because it put him in danger but because these days people who dealt in cash were stigmatised。 The government required banks to report cash transactions of five thousand dollars or more； ostensibly to hamper attempts by drug lords to launder funds through legitimate financial institutions。 in reality； no drug lord was ever inconvenienced by this law； but the financial activities of average citizens were now more easily monitored。
Throughout history； cash or the equivalent…diamonds； gold coins…had been the best guarantor of freedom and mobility。 Cash meant the same things to Joe and nothing more。 Yet from Heather and her bosses； he continued to endure a surreptitious scrutiny that seemed to be based on the assumption that he was engaged in some criminal enterprise or； at best； was on his way for a few days of unspeakable debauchery in Las Vegas。
As Heather put the twenty thousand in a manila envelope； the phone rang on the assistant manager's desk。 Murmuring into the mouthpiece； he continued to find Joe of interest。
By the time Joe left the bank； five minutes past closing time； the last customer to depart； he was weak…kneed with apprehension。
The heat remained oppressive； and the five…o'clock sky was still cloudless and blue； although not the profound blue that it had been earlier。 Now it was curiously depthless； a flat blue that reminded him of something he had seen before。 The reference remained elusive until he had gotten into the car and started the engine…and then he recalled the dead…blue eyes of the last corpse that he had seen on a morgue gurney； the night he walked away from crime r