The Bankrobber I Knew - Part Two

For the entire story, click the Bankrobber topic at the end of this post, in the sidebar to your right, or just click here.

When things had finally deteriorated to the point that I had to leave home for a while, my wife decided I needed to take a box of china dishes with me.  She drove right up to the front door of Southern Transformer and threw the box out the window of her car, they crashed with movie-quality sound and then she squealed the tires as she pulled away.  She'd timed it to occur during my morning break, so there was an audience of a dozen guys sitting on the loading dock to watch the event.  Being Oklahoma Rednecks none of them moved or talked until she drove away, then Terry, the largest by eight belt notches slowly said, “I think Westley is looking for someone to room with.”

And that's how Westley and I ended up in a two bedroom apartment overlooking the courtyard. 

Becoming Westley's roommate wasn't as easy as all that, of course.  First I moved in with Terry for a week while we found a place and I scheduled interviews.  When you move in with an ex-con on parole there are several important things that have to be taken care of.  I don't know if this is true of all ex-cons, but it's certainly true of bankrobbers on parole.

First I went to the Federal Building (in Oklahoma City, this was the Murrah Building, which is no longer there thanks to Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols), and had a morning appointment with Westley's parole officer.  Rhonda was extremely curvy, the kind of black girl that balances a large chest with a round butt and isn't chubby around the waist at all.  She  had me sit down and fill out a couple of forms while she explained that there'd be a background check on me and gave me the rules for living with Westley:

No firearms in the house at all, even if being transported between locations.  No firearms in any vehicle in which Westley was a passenger.  No narcotics whatsoever.  No illegal activities. 

On top of the rules she explained the federal and state penalties for aiding and abetting as well as the penalties for obstruction of justice.  She told me that the information on the forms was going to be used by the FBI to do a complete background investigation on me. Then, out of place and seemingly out of the blue, she told me that she loved Westley to death and that he was the best client she'd ever had under her care.

A day after the interview with Rhonda two men from the Department of the Treasury arrived at work and asked if I had time to talk with them.  We went outside while most of the shop stared at us through the windows.  The two agents looked just like we're conditioned to expect them to look, black suits, dark ties, sunglasses, shined shoes.  It was through them that I learned things about Westley that no one else in the shop knew.

Westley had been charged with 32 counts of bank robbery in 17 different states but he'd only been convicted on five counts.  For those five counts he'd been ordered to pay back all the stolen funds and had been on a no-interest payment plan, but the Treasury believed that he'd committed the other robberies, had the money stashed, and they wanted to know where.  They wanted me to be their spy of sorts.  They told me that it was my obligation to tell them anything Westley said that would implicate him in those crimes, anything he said about having money hidden somewhere, and anything he said about any other crimes.  If I didn't tell them any of these things as soon as I found them out, I'd be obstructing an ongoing investigation I was told.

That settled, we moved into our apartment.  Westley and I were roommates, splitting the rent and carpooling to work.  I told him about the interview with Rhonda and the visit from the Treasury officials. 

He said, “Tell them anything that you find out that will help them.”

"Really?” I asked.

"Really. I'm really good at not saying anything that will get me in trouble.”

“It sounds like they might have good reason to suspect that you've got some money stashed away.”

“Not at all, I'm broke as a bum,” he said smiling.

- rick, still wondering.

Comments

[a rose is a rose]

so far from this and the previous posting on him, i like westley.

i really didn't know one had to go through all of that crap to room with an ex-con though.

whose idea was it to tell his parole officer? his?

i find it odd is all

[mark]

...you forgot to add "like a Cheshire cat"

[CV Rick]

Rose, it was his idea . . . he couldn't risk violating his parole and he was instructed on roommates.

[Cherise]

I love this series! ;)

[Cele]

Jeez the things you have to go through just to have a roomy. But I've got to agree with the growing sentiment, Wesley sounds very likable.

[Sideon]

"If I didn't tell them any of these things as soon as I found them out, I'd be obstructing an ongoing investigation I was told."

Westley rocks. The Federal goons pushed my "go underdog!" buttons.

Great story, CV Rick!

[Jane]

Great story... thanks! I don't get why you went through all the gubment stuff just to find an apt. with this guy. What was the draw? Was he that great? I guess it'd be interesting... still, I'm dubious somehow because you seem so no-nonsense and as if apt. hunting isn't a bother enough, you add in meeting the parole officer, et. al.? Anyway, makes for a good story.

[CV Rick]

Well, Westley'd already found an apartment and needed a roommate. He was a pretty cool guy and the location was good. I didn't know up front what kind of grilling there'd be, but compared to living with my ex-wife, the Treasury Department and Corrections Office were pieces of cake.

[The Angry Young Man]

32 counts of bank robbery....hrmmm...how much would a typical bank robber get away with in 32 separate robberies? Is it worth the cost of the time he spent in prison?

[SML]

Very interesting story so far, CVR. I'm thinking that your comment about after living with your ex-wife, the Treasury Dept and the Corrections Office was a piece of cake was brilliantly funny!

Can't wait to read more.