My first impulse is to confront the guy with righteous indignation - how dare he assume to make decisions for this woman, even if she's his sister? But then I remember, well, she's his sister, and he's just being protective. And I'd probably be just as protective, were I in his shoes.

"Any information you can give me would be a great help," I say carefully. I pull out one of those cards that Akiko had done up for the agency and scribble my cell number on the back. "But if now isn't a good time, you could give me a call on your own terms."

I'm not sure who to hold the card out to, as far as etiquette goes, but for the sake of giving my number to a pretty lady, I hold it out to her.