“May I help you. Miss?” the twitty-looking fellow seated there said with a notable lack of sincerity.
“Yes. I’d like to see Mr. Hoos.”
That got us a long, slow once-over with the weak eyes, his gaze lingering on me for several extra beats. I did my best to look innocent . . . which is not that easy to do for a troll.
“I’m afraid that’s quite impossible,” he said at last, returning his attention to the work on his desk.
I could sense Tananda fighting with her temper and mentally crossed my fingers.
“It’s extremely urgent.”
The eyes flicked our way again, and he set his pencil down with a visible sigh.
“Then perhaps you’d better deal with me.”
“I have some information for Mr. Hoos, but I think he’d want to hear it personally.”
“That’s your opinion. If, after hearing it, I agree, then you might be allowed to repeat it to Mr. Hoos.”
Stalemate.
Tananda seemed to recognize this as well.
“Well, I don’t want to start a panic, but I have it on good authority that this bank is going to be robbed.”
I was a little surprised by this, though I did my best not to show it. The bank manager, however, seemed to take it in stride.
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken, young lady,” he said with a tight smile.
“My sources are seldom wrong,” she insisted.
“You’re new to Arcadia, aren’t you?”
“Well . . .”
“Once you’ve learned your way around, you’ll realize that there isn’t a criminal in the dimension who would steal from Mr. Hoos, much less try to rob his bank.”
This Hoos chap was starting to sound like quite a fellow. Little sister, however, was not so easily deterred.