Saturday Excerpt, "Quest"

“According to your father’s will, all of your company’s and family’s assets are the property of you and your mother.  So for all practical purposes, you control the money.  I was a friend to Dirk, but I do not know you.   Our bank and your family have been through good times and bad times together, but always we remained together.  So I must ask you, Mr. Grithinshield, what are your plans for your company and your fortune?”

Linvin casually flipped to the final balance line on the ledger and tried hard not to look impressed.  “Let me start by saying that I do not recall any bad times you had to endure with my family, but no matter.  When I was a young lad, your bank was rather small, was it not?”

Gredly reluctantly nodded.  “We were not as big as we are today, that is true.”

Linvin looked through some papers on the desk.  “Yes, I believe you were the fifth largest bank in Fraylic out of the six in town when my father began this business.  Times certainly have changed.”

Again Gredly nodded.  “We have done well over the years.”

“You are being modest,” Linvin chided.  “Your bank is the foremost lending house in the world.  I know for a fact that Valia obtains loans from you.  I imagine many other countries do as well.  You have become enormously wealthy by lending my family’s money.”

“Such is the nature of banking,” Gredly interjected.  He squirmed as though his seat had become slippery.

Linvin smiled in a wicked fashion.  “Look at you.  You are terrified that tomorrow morningI will come to your bank and wish to withdraw all of my assets, are you not?  The greatest bank in the world would collapse in one day.  That is why you are here right now.”

“Is that your intent?  Is that why you brought me over here?” fumed Gredly.

“Well, that depends,” Linvin said while putting his pipe down.

“On what?” asked Gredly cautiously.

Linvin turned in one quick motion and swept every paper from his desk onto Gredly.  “That depends on how you explain this mountain of unpaid invoices from vendors.  My store and warehouse are half empty and it is because venders were not being paid in a timely fashion, if at all!  We have lost precious suppliers that we may not get back so that you could hold onto the money due them.  Your shortsighted greed would have my company bankrupt within three years.  Where would your precious deposits be then?”

Gredly had a look of astonishment as he heard the knowledge Linvin possessed.  “Mr. Grithinshield, it was your father who paid your venders and it is not our responsibility if those who managed your finances in his stead did so irresponsibly.”

“Do not take me for a fool, Mr. Gredly.  Such large payments to venders go from bank to bank.  You sit covered in papers saying the proper authorization signature is not present to pay this invoice.  Please resubmit.  You sat on money due to my company’s vendors, my company’s friends!  Then you have the gall to blame our bookkeeping?  Do you take me for a fool?”