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conceded Jake. “But you’re going to stay home and keep out of it.”
    â€œSimply because you work for my father doesn’t mean you can order me around like a—”
    â€œConsider this,” cut in Jake. “Somebody killed your wife. Then two thugs broke in here to work you over.”
    â€œI’m not afraid of getting hurt, if that’s what you mean,” he said, his voice climbing. “I’m capable of going over to Larry Seagrove’s and asking him what the hell he knows.”
    Jake took two steps back. “Capable of asking him maybe,” he said. “But not necessarily capable of getting the right answers. I know what you’re feeling, but you’re going to have to let us work this case our way.”
    â€œTo you it’s a case, nothing but a job. But my wife was murdered,” shouted Richard. “I mean to find out why Seagrove phoned me last night.”
    â€œ Momentito ,” cut in Gomez, who was sprawled on the bright sofa. “I’d like to suggest that both you hombres calm down. You want to find out what happened to your wife and so do we.” He planted his feet on the rug and rested his palms on his knees. “Jake and I, however, know more about doing this sort of work. If you mess up, you’ll not only lose us valuable information, but you may very well end up defunct.” He lifted his hands and clapped them together once. “This is a purely selfish motive, Ricardo, but I don’t want to have to go home to GLA and report to Walt Bascom that I allowed his favorite hijo to do something stupid.”
    â€œI can see that, yes, but still—”
    â€œThe Continental Agency is sending over a fresh batch of operatives,” continued Gomez. “Stalwart lads and, I am assured, smarter than the last crew and able to do a crackerjack job of looking after you. Stay here and as soon as we find out anything, you’ll be filled in and totally informed.”
    â€œIt’s just that I feel I should do something.”
    â€œAnger always gets in the way of an investigation.”
    Sighing, Richard shrugged and turned away from them. “Allright, okay,” he said. “I’ll sit it out—for now.”
    Jake moved to the doorway. “We’ll track Seagrove down and talk to the guy.”
    Gomez said, “ Amigo , I’m going to leave that chore to you,” he announced. “I have a few contacts of my own in this bustling metropolis that I want to drop in on.”
    T HE MIDMORNING SUN warmed the small Level 13 pedramp park. Gomez was sitting on a bench amid the holographic projections of oaks and maples, his portable vidphone resting on his lap.
    Something was wrong with the simulated grass surrounding his neowood bench and it kept changing color, flickering from green to blue to purple and then to green again.
    â€œYou know what you need, sir?”
    â€œPrivacy,” answered Gomez.
    A heavyset young black man had stopped in front of him. He’d been pushing a wheeled vending cart that had BOOX — CLASSICS WHILE U WAIT ! labeled on its side. “Something to read is what you need,” he amplified. “My name is Enery.”
    â€œEnery, begone.”
    â€œHow about trying our popular Boox version of Oliver Twist? Specially condensed for modern readers by our expert staff of university-trained experts for your reading pleasure,” recited Enery, smiling broadly down at the seated detective. “And here comes the best part—it only takes fourteen minutes to read.”
    â€œI can read your entire version of Oliver Twist in fourteen minutes?”
    â€œBright fellow like you might knock it off in eleven,” answered the book vendor. “I can see the idea excites you.”
    â€œExcitement isn’t exactly what your product inspires in me, Enery old man,” he said. “But you should’ve hit me earlier. I already went and read the damn