“Founded in 1892 in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, which, as you know, is located on the river Elbe rather than the Rhine. Currently the world’s fourth-largest bank, withapproximately twenty-seven billion in revenue and one-point-six trillion in assets.”
Arkady regarded her without expression. “Tell me about your work there.”
“I signed a nondisclosure agreement as part of my settlement package. I’m not at liberty to discuss anything I did for RhineBank.”
“Did you ever handle transactions related to a company called Omega Holdings?”
“Arkady, please.”
“Finally!” His smile appeared almost genuine.
“I didn’t know the identity ofanyof the clients,” explained Isabel. “I just signed off on the transactions.”
“Then why on earth were you fired?”
“I was part of the Laundromat. We all had to go.”
“Were you the person who leaked the documents to the newspapers?”
“Yes, Arkady. I was the one who did it.”
“I’m glad we cleared that up.” Another smile. “Now tell me how you ended up working for Martin Landesmann.”
“The usual way. He offered me a job.”
“Why you?”
“I suppose he wanted my expertise.”
“Expertise?”
“I know how to process funds without getting caught.”
“And when did you begin sleeping with him?”
Isabel deliberately allowed a false note to creep into her denial. “Martin is a happily married man.”
“As am I,” replied Arkady. “And it is quite obvious that the two of you are involved in a passionate affair. I only hope thatfor Martin’s sake it never becomes public. His sterling reputation would suffer.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“Does it?”
“What are you so worried about?” asked Isabel. “Martin and I are the ones who are required to abide by the rules of the Anti–Money Laundering Act. And we’re the ones who will be fined or even prosecuted for our actions if we’re caught. You, as the customer, face no such risk.”
“My concerns are geopolitical, not legal. But please continue.”
“You were the one who came to us, Arkady. Remember?”
“I remember that you performed one of my favorite compositions by my favorite composer at a reception that cost me twenty million Swiss francs to attend. And I remember that when I expressed interest in doing business with Martin, you both played hard to get.”
“We played hard to get because we didn’t think it was a good idea to go into business with Russians.” She slipped the prospectus into her bag and rose. “For reasons that are now all too obvious.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Back to Geneva.”
“Why?”
