The branch manager at Cedar Lane kept a little putting green on his windowsill and straightened its paper flag while he read through our draft.

“These accounts are joint, Major.

I can’t freeze a joint account on a draft.”

“You can put a hold on them until a judge signs,” Douglas said.

“This branch does it every week for less reason than this.”

The manager turned one page, then another.

He knew Derek.

Everyone at that branch knew Derek.