TWENTY FIVE
Dec. 3rd: 0800 hours
The next morning, Captain MacAllister was waiting for his sister and Major Winchester outside the military bank. "All right, sister mine, what do I have to do?"
"Absolutely nothing, brother mine," she replied innocently. "All you have to do is listen to the wonderful conversation I'm going to have. By the way, you do have your pocketknife and whetstone, don't you?"
"You know I always carry them with me."
"Just checking. Have them handy. But, Fannin, don't you dare even think about using that knife! You hear me?"
"I hear you," her sibling promised. "This is getting more interesting by the moment."
"Oh, it's going to get better, I assure you."
Inside the bank, the three were finally ushered into Captain Cartier's office. He greeted the major warmly, nodded to the captain and didn't acknowledge the lieutenant, at all. "Well, Major, I'm glad to see you this morning. You are, no doubt, returning McAllen's money that you so foolishly withdrew."
"Not exactly," Charles Winchester replied.
"No? Then why are you here?"
"Actually, Captain," the redheaded lieutenant answered sweetly, "the name is MacAllister. And I'm here to make another withdrawal."
"Another withdrawal?" The banker questioned in disbelief. "This is preposterous! Major Winchester, the only reason I allowed you to withdraw any funds for this woman was because you guaranteed that she would not spend it frivolously."
"I assure you, Captain, the lieutenant did not spend it frivolously. And, now, since I am due at the hospital in thirty minutes, I want you to prepare the necessary paperwork for my signature. Thereby enabling the lieutenant to have the amount she wants withdrawn from her account."
"Whoa up a minute," Fannin MacAllister interrupted. His accent had suddenly become more pronounced. "Am I to understand that y'all are talking about Sarabeth's money? And that someone else has to take responsibility of it for her?"
"That's right," the younger MacAllister informed him. "It seems that the captain here doesn't think women are capable of handling large amounts of money."
"Fancy that." Fannin reached into a pant pocket and pulled out his knife and whetstone. Seeing the banker staring at him, he grinned, "Don't mind me. I'm just sharpening my knife."
Eyeing the pocket knife nervously, Cartier spoke to Winchester, "I really do not advise removing any additional funds."
"Hey, Major," the older MacAllister interrupted again, "have I ever mentioned that Sarabeth takes care of the books for the Rocking Double A Ranch?"
"No, Captain. I don't believe you have," the medical officer remarked.
"She takes care of all our financial accounts: the cattle sales, the oil wells, all of the market investments, our shares in that gold mine in the Alaskan territory." As he talked, Fannin was running the blade down the whetstone, continuously, "She's right smart with money, my sister."
"Gold mine? Oil wells?" The bank officer questioned, "You have oil wells?"
"Of course, sir. Don't you know that every Texan has several oil wells in his back yard?" Sarabeth asked.
"And we have a large family with some very big back yards," Fannin added. "By the way, Captain, do you have a piece of paper?"
"A piece of paper?" Cartier asked in confusion.
"Yes, just a sheet of paper. One of those papers where a man has to sign for the woman to get her money will do nicely."
With trepidation, Captain Cartier handed the paper to the major. Solemnly, Winchester walked over to Sarabeth's brother and handed it to him.
"Thank you kindly," the man drawled. With extreme care, he tested the sharpness of the blade. It cut through the paper with ease. But he shook his head in disgust. "It still doesn't have an edge to it. You know, once a knife catches on a rib---it's never quite the same, after that."
"It...it seems to be sharp enough, already," Cartier stuttered nervously.
"Nope. I like it real sharp when I'm skinning polecats." The sound of the blade sliding against the whetstone filled the small room again.
"Polecats?" The accountant asked.
"Skunks, Captain," Sarabeth MacAllister explained in a honeyed, helpful tone of voice. "They are small, smelly critters whose hides get nailed to the barn wall."
Charles Winchester had to turn his head away. He was having difficulty maintaining a straight face. The two Texans were experiencing no such difficulty, however.
"But-t-t, there aren't any skunks in here."
"I'm not so sure about that," Fannin slit the knife blade through the paper a second time. He had a predator's smile on his face. "Perfect! This is how I like my knives. Sharp enough to cut through the bone." He returned his whetstone to his pocket. His knife was folded but remained in his hand. "Now, I believe y'all were discussing the release of my sister's money to my sister."
"Well, as I told the major, Captain McAllen, I just..."
"MacAllister," two drawls quickly corrected him.
"Oh. Yes; of course. It is the bank policy to not authorize the release of large sums of money to any woman."
Sniffing the air, Fannin asked, "Do y'all smell a polecat?"
"However," Captain Cartier quickly amended his words, "with two men who are willing to be responsible for her financial interests, I see no problem with allowing...say $25 more...to be withdrawn."
"Oh, that won't do, sir," the woman spoke. "I want more than that."
"How much more?" The man asked in increased exasperation.
The youngest MacAllister smiled at the banker. Seeing the dangerous glint in her eyes, Winchester flinched. He never wanted her to get that angry at him.
"I want to withdraw all of the money in my account."
"ALL OF IT!" Cartier squeaked in protest.
"Yes. All of it," Fannin remarked as he took a step toward the financier. The banker's eyes bulged and his face paled. Stopping beside his sibling, MacAllister put his hand on her shoulder. "Back home in Texas, we give our women what they want. It makes our lives easier. So, why don't you make your life easier, here in Tokyo, by giving my sister her money? NOW!"
"But...but...that's a large amount of money!"
"Now, Captain," Fannin MacAllister insisted.
"I do hope you haven't squandered it, Captain Cartier," Major Winchester cut in. He couldn't resist participating in this drama.
"No, it is quite safe," they were assured.
"I'm glad to hear that, sir. Now, I want $225 in cash and I want the rest of my money in a bank draft made out to me...Sarabeth MacAllister. MacAllister. Got that? And I want it marked for deposit at the military bank in Seoul. And I want it here within the next five minutes."
"I can't possibly get it ready..."
The woman looked up at her older brother and inquired, "Are you sure that knife is sharp enough?"
"Well, sister mine, I reckon it won't hurt to sharpen it a bit more."
"Five minutes," Cartier asserted. Watching the three apprehensively, he scurried out of his office.
Once the three officers stepped outside the bank, Sarabeth MacAllister, her eyes dancing with merriment, glanced at her brother. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, too. The corners of their mouths began to quiver. Snickering, as they gazed at each other, the Texans gave up trying to contain their laughter. Charles Winchester's shoulders were also shaking in amusement.
"Bravo," he applauded. "That was a virtuoso performance from both of you."
"Yes, we were good, weren't we?" She grinned at him. "And you gave a great supporting performance, yourself: I do hope you haven't squandered it," the woman repeated and laughed again. "Thank you!"
She turned to her brother and hugged him, tightly. "Fannin, you were wonderful! Thanks, big brother."
"Any time, little sister. Any time. That was fun."
"I hate to break this up," Major Winchester looked at his watch, "however, speaking of time..."
"Right. Fannin, you'll be leaving before we will. During your stop-over in Seoul, will you deposit this for me? Set it up like Crockett had this one---so that y'all can draw from it, too---if y'all ever need some cash. But also make sure that, when I want money, I won't have to have anyone's signature on it except mine."
"Consider it done," the Texan swept his sister up in a strong embrace. "Please be careful out there! I need you around to keep me out of trouble."
"I'll do my best," the woman kissed her brother and hugged him again. "You best be careful, too. You never know when I'll have another skunk I need skinning."
Fannin laughed some more. "If you ever need me, you just holler. I'll come running." Reluctantly, he turned her loose. And held out his hand to the other officer, "Major, you're all right...for a Yankee. I reckon I'm leaving my sister in good hands."
Winchester shook his hand. Before he could speak, Sarabeth answered for him, "Of course, I'm in good hands; he is an excellent surgeon, you know."
