Husband With Benefits

The invoice indeed belongs to us, but it will take us some time to determine its origin and other details—at least a day. Additionally, it is against our company policy to disclose information. Our clients are very particular about maintaining their privacy. An invoice alone is not sufficient for us to release the details. Even if you had the locker with you, we would still need more information.

Gabe nodded but leaned in and tried to persuade the woman, "Of course, I understand. But the person who commissioned this has passed away, and we have no idea what the locker or the key looks like. How are we supposed to proceed if we cannot even know what the locker looks like? You must have some way of finding out..."

The woman behind the counter hesitated, glancing around nervously as if weighing her options. Finally, she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I understand your predicament, and I want to help, but our hands are tied by strict policies. Let me check with my manager to see if there’s anything we can do given the circumstances. The thing is that this is one of the initial commissions so there was not much details as they are now. Maybe the manager will be able to help you."

Gabe smiled gratefully and looked at the woman expectantly while she stared at his face before shaking her head and going back. "Thank you, miss. I really appreciate any help you can provide."

Autumn, who had been watching everything rolled her eyes. She had never imagined she would see something like this. Gabe Frost knew how to dole out the charm. And his voice had even falled an octave. The man was like a siren attracting unwary sailors. She could practically see the dazed look on the poor receptionist’s face when she went back.

The woman disappeared through a door behind the counter, while they left to wait anxiously.

"Good afternoon," the manager greeted Gabe. "I’ve been informed of your situation. While we are limited in what we can disclose, we do have protocols for dealing with cases involving deceased clients. If you can provide proof of the commissioner’s death and any documentation linking you to them, we may be able to assist you further.

This time Autumn walked forward and nodded eagerly. "I can get those documents. What exactly do you need?"

"The death certificate and any legal documents, such as a will or a letter of administration, proving your connection to the deceased," the manager replied. "Once we have those, we can proceed within the bounds of our policy. Can you show me the invoice for the time being?"

Immediately, Autumn showed the invoice and the manager took it with a smile. However, the smile immediately vanished and he looked at the two people with a slightly hostile expression. "I’m sorry. There might be a problem with this. I don’t think we can help you. We’re sorry for the inconvenience."

Gabe and Autumn exchanged a glance. Already guessing that something was wrong. However, before the manager could retreat, Gabe stepped forward and leaned in, his expression shifting from friendly to serious. "Can you please clarify what the problem is?" he asked, keeping his voice calm but firm.

The manager’s eyes darted between Gabe and Autumn, his earlier friendliness now replaced with a guarded demeanor. Before he could say something, Gabe spoke up," Mr Cook. I’m sure, we can have a discussion about this... inside with a modicum of privacy..."