Liam shrugged at that.

She put her glasses on. ‘OK, so, my name is Miss Emily Lassiter. You’re my brother.’

‘Do I get a name too?’

She sighed. ‘Yes… uhh… here it is, Leonard Lassiter. All right?’

He nodded.

She scanned the notes further, digesting the information for a few moments before tucking them back in her bag and removing her glasses. ‘All right, I think I’ve got it all.’ She looked at him. ‘You don’t have to say anything, OK? Just go along with whatever I say.’

‘Will do.’

She took a deep breath, then pushed the double door to the bank inwards. They stepped on to a tiled floor that echoed their footsteps around a hall, dark with oak panels. Ahead of them were half a dozen ornate mahogany desks, each with softly glowing green ceramic desk lamps. Behind each one sat a bank teller, all but one busy dealing in hushed, respectful tones with customers.

Maddy led the way towards the unoccupied teller, a young man with hair slicked down in a rigid centre parting and a carefully clipped and waxed moustache.

‘Uhh… ’scuse me?’ she said.

The young man looked up at her and smiled charmingly. ‘Good morning, ma’am. How can I help you?

‘I’d like to speak with a Mr… uh… Mr Leighton. He works here, I think.’

‘Oh, I’m certain he works here, ma’am,’ said the young man. He tapped a wooden name-holder on the desk. ‘I’m Harold Leighton, you see? Please, will you take a seat?’

Maddy smiled and slumped down in the seat a little too casually then did her best to quickly recover her lady-like demeanour. ‘Much… uh… much obliged,’ she said as demurely as she could manage.

‘Now, ma’am, how could I assist you?’

She took a breath, hoping she was going to get this right and not sound half as nervous as she felt. ‘My family has a safe deposit box with your bank and I wish to make a withdrawal.’