looked directly into her face. “I don’t think you took the money. Unfortunately it seems to have disappeared and as a business owner, I have to ask the questions. I’m sure this is just a bank mix up.”
Sasha bit her bottom lip. “I knew this was too good to be true.”
“What are you talking about?” Now I was scared. “Did you see the check?”
She shook her head quickly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stood as a group of women entered the shop, chatting as they came in. “I’ll handle this, unless there’s something else you need to ask me?”
“No, that’s all.” I heard the challenge in her voice, but I had known going in that there was no way to get through this conversation without offending her.
I glanced at the clock. I still had to stop by the bank and Amy had set up a practice session at the gym for us on her lunch hour. It wasn’t a regular class, but the instructor would be there to help us work through the routine he’d given us the first day. My whole body still ached from Tuesday’s workout. Maybe I could call in sick. I sighed. Amy would just come and get me.
“We’ll talk more later. I’ve got to make a bank deposit then go torture myself at the gym.” I walked around the counter and slipped off my apron into the dirty clothes hamper. Sasha didn’t respond or look at me.
Arriving at the bank, Claire waved me over to her office as soon as I walked in the door. She closed the door behind us and gave me a quick hug before returning to her desk. “I know you’re probably here to see if we’ve heard anything about the check. Let me scan my email. I’ve been dealing with teller issues all morning. Seriously, don’t they teach math in high school anymore?”
“Someone’s till not adding up?” I sat in one of the chair and took the bank deposit envelope out of my tote.
“The girl can’t count. Her till’s fine, but she was all in a tizzy last night when she closed up and she couldn’t get it to balance. The computer does all the hard work, why she’s having problems is beyond me.” Claire typed on her keyboard, then looked over at me. “Preaching to the choir here, I bet. Or are all your employee’s college graduates?”
“That or attending.” I grinned as I leaned forward. “But I’m going to have to hire replacements as soon as they get a good job or decide to leave for bigger pastures. You’re working with people who want a career. I’m just providing second incomes for most of my guys.”
My thoughts went back to the less-than-successful conversation with Sasha that morning. If the one with Toby went as well, I might be hiring new staff sooner rather than later as I didn’t seem to be winning any friends.
“I’ll give you one piece of advice then. Never hire someone who’s related to your district manager.” The computer dinged and she turned back to her screen. After scanning a few seconds, she clicked open an email. “Here we go.”
I waited in silence as she read the email. When she turned back toward me she shook her head. “Sorry, false alarm. They’re implementing a new scanning system in the records department and they’re having some problems. They hope to have an answer Friday. They tried to trace it through your account, but came up blank, so they’re working backwards from the check clearing the city’s account, and that’s where the scanning problem occurred.”
“I really just came in to make a deposit. I appreciate you keeping me in the loop.” I stood and she followed me out to the lobby area. She took the envelope and walked it over to an older teller.
“Margie will help you with this.” She paused before leaving. “I didn’t realize you were doing deposits again. I thought you had delegated the task?”
Dodging the question, I went with a mostly true answer. “I’m heading over to the rec center to work out so I thought I’d handle it. Besides, the shop’s busy with the festival going on.”
Sasha bit her bottom lip. “I knew this was too good to be true.”
“What are you talking about?” Now I was scared. “Did you see the check?”
She shook her head quickly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stood as a group of women entered the shop, chatting as they came in. “I’ll handle this, unless there’s something else you need to ask me?”
“No, that’s all.” I heard the challenge in her voice, but I had known going in that there was no way to get through this conversation without offending her.
I glanced at the clock. I still had to stop by the bank and Amy had set up a practice session at the gym for us on her lunch hour. It wasn’t a regular class, but the instructor would be there to help us work through the routine he’d given us the first day. My whole body still ached from Tuesday’s workout. Maybe I could call in sick. I sighed. Amy would just come and get me.
“We’ll talk more later. I’ve got to make a bank deposit then go torture myself at the gym.” I walked around the counter and slipped off my apron into the dirty clothes hamper. Sasha didn’t respond or look at me.
Arriving at the bank, Claire waved me over to her office as soon as I walked in the door. She closed the door behind us and gave me a quick hug before returning to her desk. “I know you’re probably here to see if we’ve heard anything about the check. Let me scan my email. I’ve been dealing with teller issues all morning. Seriously, don’t they teach math in high school anymore?”
“Someone’s till not adding up?” I sat in one of the chair and took the bank deposit envelope out of my tote.
“The girl can’t count. Her till’s fine, but she was all in a tizzy last night when she closed up and she couldn’t get it to balance. The computer does all the hard work, why she’s having problems is beyond me.” Claire typed on her keyboard, then looked over at me. “Preaching to the choir here, I bet. Or are all your employee’s college graduates?”
“That or attending.” I grinned as I leaned forward. “But I’m going to have to hire replacements as soon as they get a good job or decide to leave for bigger pastures. You’re working with people who want a career. I’m just providing second incomes for most of my guys.”
My thoughts went back to the less-than-successful conversation with Sasha that morning. If the one with Toby went as well, I might be hiring new staff sooner rather than later as I didn’t seem to be winning any friends.
“I’ll give you one piece of advice then. Never hire someone who’s related to your district manager.” The computer dinged and she turned back to her screen. After scanning a few seconds, she clicked open an email. “Here we go.”
I waited in silence as she read the email. When she turned back toward me she shook her head. “Sorry, false alarm. They’re implementing a new scanning system in the records department and they’re having some problems. They hope to have an answer Friday. They tried to trace it through your account, but came up blank, so they’re working backwards from the check clearing the city’s account, and that’s where the scanning problem occurred.”
“I really just came in to make a deposit. I appreciate you keeping me in the loop.” I stood and she followed me out to the lobby area. She took the envelope and walked it over to an older teller.
“Margie will help you with this.” She paused before leaving. “I didn’t realize you were doing deposits again. I thought you had delegated the task?”
Dodging the question, I went with a mostly true answer. “I’m heading over to the rec center to work out so I thought I’d handle it. Besides, the shop’s busy with the festival going on.”
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