How I Rob Banks

Chapter 36The Staircase

Doing the walkaround with the head of security after one test, I mentioned that I would next show him the underground parking tunnel. He looked at me, genuinely puzzled, and said, “But we don't have underground parking.” I knew that the next 10 minutes were going to be pretty fun.

The building was only two floors high and nestled between other buildings in a large business complex. I led him up to the CEO's office. We said hello to the personal assistant (PA), who was sitting at her desk, guarding the three directors’ offices behind her. We passed her desk and veered into a small alcove to the left. I headed toward a thin, short door that looked more like a cleaner's cupboard. It was situated so that someone could walk from the directors’ offices to the door without the PA seeing. I opened the small cupboard door and disappeared in.

I can only imagine what the security head was thinking when he saw me step into the cupboard and vanish like Lucy stepping into Narnia. Eventually, he worked up the courage to stick his head over the threshold, and his eyes popped. I stood several feet below him, perched on the bottom of a large spiral staircase.

I beckoned to him to come down the stairs, and we passed through another small door similar to the one we had entered. On the other side was a tiny underground garage that held only three cars.

Most people become accustomed to their surroundings. They don't challenge what's around them or the version of reality they ...