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about Rafael.
    Fuck. He’d forgotten all about it.

* * * * *
    The opening strains of Tosca filled the airy, light-filled room. The room was a treasure trove of beautiful, rare objects. The casual onlooker would never see the state of the art security system and the collection of handguns and rifles hidden in the false bottom of an oak Renaissance chest.
    A computer sat on a Hepplewhite console. Next to it, an 18th century Wedgwood canister held pencils and pens.
    The professional opened the file and started entering the custom-made decryption program that was a personal triumph. Sold on the software market, the program could easily have fetched over $100,000. If it were for sale—which it was not. A hundred thousand was a long way from a million and the Stanford Business program had been very clear on the fact that you had to spend money to make it.
    The last of the commands to start the program had been entered and the computer beeped. Immediately, letters started scrolling down.
     
    alkdjfpiwe cmòkjèqruepijfkmcx,vnsakjfqpoiurpi
    alksdjpoiurekcnòlskjfpieujfnòlkdjfpawieurhmadnf
    ncjdnemvkjfjruthdsgsrwvcjfkginbjdmslkcjhfgjkdk
    Decryption 60%…70%…80%…90%…
    Decryption completed.
    The computer beeped softly and the professional sat up.
     
    File: 248
    Witness Placed under Witness Security Program: Richard M. Abt
    Born: New York City, 03/05/65
     
    Last domicile: 6839 Sugarmaple Lane, New York City, NY.
     
    Case: Accountant for group of attorneys Ledbetter, Duncan, and Terrance. All three attorneys indicted for laundering money for the mafia. Abt only person willing to testify. Testimony to be given 11/14/04.
     
    Placed under Witness Security Program: 09/09/04
    Richard Abt relocated as: Robert Littlewood
    Area 248, Code 7fn609jz5y
    Current domicile: 120 Crescent Drive, Rockville, Idaho
     
    Right church. Wrong pew.
    The data starting spewing forth and the professional sat for a moment, swallowing the disappointment, then got up and poured some chilled Veuve Clicquot into a Baccarat flute, easing off the kidskin shoes ordered specially from an English cobbler, James & Sons. This would take a while.
    The Veuve Clicquot was dry and went down like a dream. The light of the Murano chandelier glanced off the crystal of the flute, making a thousand little rainbows. Sipping, the professional watched the rainbows dance in the light.
    It was easy, so easy to get used to the good things in life. Fine clothes, fine furnishings, a penthouse suite.
    It was a long, long way up from the trailer park and waiting for the old man to come home, drunk more often than not. That was all over with. Forever. No more swinging belts, no more sympathetic teachers gently enquiring about the black eye, no more collecting food stamps.
    No more. Not ever again .
     
    kdsjcnemowjsiwexnjskllspwieuhdksmclsldjkjhfd
    kdiejduenbkclsjdjeudowjdiejdocmdksdldkjdjeiel
    mpnwjcmsmwkcxosapewkrjhvgebsjckgfnghgdsj
    Decryption 60%…70%…80%…90%…
    Decryption completed.
     
    The computer beeped again. After a moment, in which it seemed to pause to consider, the computer screen filled with words.
     
    File: 248
    Witness placed in Witness Security Program: Sydney L. Davidson
    Born: Frederick, Virginia, 07/27/56
     
    Last domicile: 308 South Hampton Drive, Apt 3B, Frederick, VA
     
    Case: Chemist for Sunshine Pharmaceuticals. All top company executives indicted for providing designer drugs to friends and other business associates. Davidson turned State’s witness in exchange for reduced or waived sentence. Due to testify against employers on 11/23/04.
     
    Placed in Witness Security Program: 8/25/04
    Sydney Davidson relocated as: Grant Patterson
    Area 248, Code 7gj668jx4r
    Current domicile: 90 Juniper Street, Ellis, Idaho
     
    The professional immediately lost interest.
    Nobody said this would be easy.
    It was certainly taking enough time. Enough time to make serious inroads on a contraband jar of Iranian caviar and to listen to the second act of Tosca . The