Marcus continued.
“Victor Salazar.”
“Yes.”
“Did you instruct your staff to delay my transaction?”
Victor hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor leaned back.
“I believed the transaction required additional review.”
Marcus looked at him.
“What review?”
“Fraud prevention.”
“Based on what?”
Victor looked toward the window.
Marcus waited.
No answer came.
“Based on what?”
Victor finally spoke.
“My experience.”
Marcus nodded.
“Your experience.”
He repeated the words slowly.
“That is interesting.”
Victor frowned.
“Why?”
“Because experience can help someone recognize problems.”
Marcus paused.
“But experience can also create assumptions.”
Victor shifted in his chair.
“Mr. Reed, every branch manager has to make judgment calls.”
“Correct.”
Marcus placed both hands on the table.
“That is why banks create procedures.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
“And did the procedures indicate my account was suspicious?”
“No.”
“Did the system show any warning?”
“No.”
“Did my identification fail verification?”
“No.”
Marcus looked directly at him.
“Then what exactly created suspicion?”
Silence.
Nobody answered.
The room felt heavier.
Finally Victor said:
“Your appearance.”
The words came out quietly.
Almost accidentally.
But once spoken, they could not be taken back.
Marcus looked at him.
“Say that again.”
Victor immediately tried to correct himself.
“I mean, the situation.”
“No.”
Marcus's voice remained calm.
“You said appearance.”
Victor looked uncomfortable.
Marcus turned toward Monica.
“Were there any system concerns?”
She hesitated.
Then shook her head.
“No.”
“Any account restrictions?”
“No.”
“Any unusual activity?”
“No.”
Marcus looked back at Victor.
“So the only unusual thing was me.”
Victor did not answer.
That was enough.
Marcus leaned back.
The first piece of the puzzle had appeared.
But he needed more.
He opened a folder.
Inside were printed documents.
Customer complaints.
Victor recognized them immediately.
His expression changed.
Marcus noticed.
“You know these?”
Victor looked away.
“No.”
Marcus placed the first page on the table.
“Gloria Watkins.”
Victor remained silent.
“Seventy-four years old. Retired teacher. Customer for sixteen years.”
Another page.
“Daniel Ortega. Small business owner. Nine years with the bank.”
Another.
“Evelyn Carter. Retired nurse.”
Marcus looked at Victor.
“Do you know what these three people have in common?”
Victor said nothing.
“They all said the same thing.”
Marcus tapped the pages.
“They were treated differently after you decided what kind of customers they appeared to be.”
Victor immediately responded.
“That is not true.”
Marcus watched him carefully.
“How do you know?”
Victor froze.
Because he had answered too quickly.
Marcus noticed.
“You did not even ask which complaints I meant.”
Victor looked down.
The room became silent again.
Marcus continued.
“You already knew.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
But his voice lacked confidence.
Marcus turned toward Monica.
“Were these complaints reviewed?”
She looked nervous.
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Victor answered quickly.
“The normal process.”
Marcus looked at Monica.
She did not speak.
That told him something.
“Monica.”
She took a breath.
“The complaints were reviewed internally.”
“Meaning?”
She looked toward Victor.
Marcus followed her eyes.
“Meaning they stayed inside the branch.”
Victor's expression hardened.
“That is standard.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
He opened another document.