“He can try,” Rachel said, tapping a fresh stack of intake forms into line.

“That’s why we’re locking down your physical records before five o’clock today.”

By one o’clock the rain had stopped, leaving pale brown puddles across the First National Bank parking lot.

The lobby was quiet and smelled of floor wax and cold air conditioning.

Arthur stepped out from behind his glass partition near the customer counter.

He took a yellow microfiber cloth from his suit jacket and cleaned his reading glasses as he walked toward me.

“Good afternoon, Mrs.