Leaning over, he read the message: “These days, too many banks are DYING and unable to meet your needs or lessen your KILLING financial burdens.” The words “dying” and “killing” were not only in all capital letters but were highlighted in red. “No worries!” the text continued. “THE FIRST PEOPLE’S BANK is now in Montgomery and Open For Business! No longer will you need to pay $15 for a box of checks or make a $32.50 minimum payment on your Visa balance of $379.92. Our banking services are provided free of charge to all of our valuable customers. Most importantly, we’ll make sure that your Money is always SAFE!” The word “money” was in green, the all caps “safe” in red. Behind the message, instead of a white background, was a photo of the meadow where the bodies of the Bank of America employees had been found.

“They’re exploiting the murders to get customers,” Carol said. “That’s not right.”

Brad straightened. “No, it’s not right. But it is legal.”

“I know. That’s not what I brought you here to see.” She pointed at the sentence which referenced the Visa bill. “That’s the exact minimum amount I pay and my exact balance. How do they know that? That’s personal information. I don’t have an account with this bank, I’ve never even been there, yet somehow they were able to find out how much I owe on my credit card and how much I pay each month?”

The truth was, with all of the data mining and information sharing that went on between companies these days, he wasn’t sure what information was legally private and what wasn’t. It was the wild west out there in cyberspace, and he wasn’t in a position to enforce any rules or regulations that applied to such things. He was just a small-town sheriff. This was the purview of the feds, the responsibility of acronymed bureaus and agencies he knew nothing about. But he thought about that bank ad he’d received, that postcard with a photo of a younger skinnier him, and he felt a faint stirring of apprehension at how close to invasion of privacy these banks were skating.

Carol took a deep breath. “I know we’re all busy right now, but I was wondering, if I have some free time, if I could look into this and see if it’s legal. I’ve heard things about this new bank from friends of mine, and I’m not sure it’s all on the up and up.”