She drew a sharp breath and started to put her pen back into its desktop holder—then paused, her face softening.

“That's...ah...quite a creative idea.”  She tilted her head slightly to the side.  “How have you...uh…I mean, have you actually tested it?”

“Just informally, up to this point.  But so far, it's worked every time.”

“Mmm-hmmm…”

“Every time.  I haven't met a person yet who it wouldn't work on.”
 
She bit her lip in silent discomfort—then let out a mischievous giggle.   “And now you think it's powerful enough to work on a loan officer?”

McGinty grinned.  “Well, there's a first time for everything.”

The young woman smiled and gestured vaguely with her hands.  “Actually, I'm a little out of my depth here.  How about if I introduce you to my manager?”