Lizzie felt her BlackBerry vibrate. She knew it was Maggie, she didn’t have to look. “I’d like to see Mr. Sooner and, no, unfortunately, I do not have an appointment. I represent Harry Wong.”

La Blanc suddenly had a limited-edition Visconti pen in his hand and was twirling it between his fingers. He’s either terribly overpaid or has a rich girlfriend, Lizzie thought.

“And Harry Wong would be…?”

Lizzie wagged her finger back and forth. “That’s all I’m comfortable saying at the moment, Mr. La Blanc. I really don’t have much time, so if you’ll show me to Mr. Sooner’s office, we can perhaps…take care of Mr. Wong’s business.”

La Blanc looked around again, and saw that six new customers had entered the bank since Lizzie Fox had walked to his desk. Everyone was looking at them. “Let me check with Mr. Sooner’s secretary. He was in a meeting a short while ago. I’ll just be a moment.”

Lizzie nodded but remained standing. The moment the young man’s back was turned, she whipped out her BlackBerry and read Maggie’s text message, which said simply, “Annie says okay.” A series of numbers followed the message. Lizzie smiled as she meandered around the small alcove. She was admiring a Jackson Pollock on the wall when La Blanc returned and motioned for her to follow him.

La Blanc opened a mahogany door and stepped aside. A pleasant-looking middle-aged woman rose and extended her hand. “Miss Fox, I’m Annette Bloom, Mr. Sooner’s secretary. I understand you’re here about Mr. Wong. That was such a terrible thing that happened to him.”

“Yes, it was a terrible thing. That’s why I’m here. I appreciate Mr. Sooner’s agreeing to see me without an appointment.”

“Just follow me,” Sooner’s secretary said.

The door closed discreetly behind Annette Bloom. Douglas Sooner rose and walked around his desk to shake Lizzie’s hand. He motioned for her to take a seat. This time she did. She knew what would follow. Sooner would walk back to his desk, grab the crease in his trousers, sit, then he’d shoot his cuffs, lean forward, and clasp his hands. He’d make eye contact, and say, “Mr. La Blanc said you wanted to talk about one of the bank’s clients. How can I be of service to you today, Miss Fox?”

The Google profile of Douglas Sooner was on the money, Lizzie decided as she held the banker’s gaze. “I represent Harry Wong. This bank holds the mortgage on a building he owns. Unfortunately for Mr. Wong, his identity was stolen while he banked with you. His original mortgage is paid ahead by five months. Several days ago you foreclosed on Mr. Wong’s residence and evicted him from the premises. The way I see it, Mr. Wong is not responsible for your bank’s approving a fraudulent equity loan and second mortgage on said property. As far as Mr. Wong and I are concerned, Mr. Wong is current in his payments. I would like the keys to the property and all the paperwork completed to reinstate ownership.”