The bell above the door rang clearly. A fellow in a designer Armani suit, a Rolex on his wrist and crocodile leather shoes on his feet, leaned against the counter, looking every inch the respectable gentleman. He was doing his best to flaunt the allure of money and flirt with the beautiful shopkeeper.
The moment she saw Henry enter, Wanda's polite business smile blossomed into genuine delight. "You're here."
The man, who had been radiating masculine charm and considered himself a brilliant conversationalist, was decidedly displeased. He turned and approached Henry, his hostility plain. He was only six feet tall, but he swaggered as though he were eight and a half. He imagined his sinister gaze made him an apex predator capable of scaring off every rival.
But after only a few steps, his expression suddenly changed, as though he had forgotten what he had been about to do. He turned back and winked. "I just remembered some unfinished business. There are tens of millions riding on it. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Of course. Please never come back," Wanda said with a smile, delivering a rather ruthless reply. The man seemed not to hear it. He blew her a kiss, walked past Henry, and left the shop.
Dressed in a brown floral blouse and looking like a Gypsy girl, Wanda gave her head a gentle shake. The silver strands on her veil clinked together, producing a sound no less pleasant than the bell above the door.
"What a troublesome customer. Sometimes I run into these determined types. Chase them away once, and they come back a second and third time all on their own. Are there especially many people like that on Wall Street?"
Henry shrugged, looking entirely unconcerned. "To persuade a client to buy a worthless stock,