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THE AGENT'S NAME was Brent Myers； from the office in Biloxi； sent by Cutter to make contact with their prize。 He introduced himself and flashed a badge at Patrick； who hardly acknowledged it while reaching for the remote。 〃A pleasure；〃 he said as he pulled the sheets over his boxer shorts。
〃I'm from the office in Biloxi；〃 Myers said； genuinely trying to be nice。
〃Where's that？〃 Patrick asked； poker…faced。
〃Yes； well； I thought we should meet and get to know each other。 We'll be spending some time together during the next few months。〃
〃Don't be so sure of that。〃
〃Do you have a lawyer？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃Do you plan to hire one？〃
〃Absolutely none of your business。〃
Myers was obviously no match for a seasoned lawyer like Lanigan。 He placed his hands on the railing across the foot of the bed； and stared at Patrick with his best effort at intimidation。 〃Doc says you might be ready to transport in two days；〃 he said。
〃So。 I'm ready now。〃
〃There's quite a party waiting on you in Biloxi。〃
〃I've been watching；〃 Patrick said； nodding at the television。
〃Don't suppose you'd want to answer some questions。〃
Patrick snorted his contempt at this ludicrous suggestion。
〃Didn't think so；〃 Myers said； and took a step for the door。 〃Anyway； I'll be escorting you home。〃 He tossed a card on the sheets。 〃Here's my hotel number； in case you want to talk。〃
〃Don't sit by the phone。〃
Ten
SANDYMcDERMOTT had read with great interest the news accounts of the amazing discovery of his old pal from law school。 He and Patrick had studied and partied together for three years at Tulane。 They had clerked for the same Judge after they passed the bar exam； and they had spent many hours in their favorite pub on St。 Charles plotting their assault upon the legal world。 They would build a firm together…a small but powerful firm of hard…charging trial lawyers with impeccable ethics。 They would get rich in the process； and they would donate ten hours a month to clients who couldn't afford to pay。 It was all planned。 Life intervened。 Sandy took a job as an assistant federal prosecutor； primarily because the pay was good and he was a newlywed。 Patrick got lost in a firm with two hundred lawyers in downtown New Orleans。 Marriage eluded him because he worked eighty hours a week。
Their plans for their perfect little firm lasted until they were about thirty。 They tried to meet for a quick lunch or a drink whenever possible； though the meetings and the phone calls happened less frequently as the years passed。 Then Patrick escaped to a calmer life in Biloxi； and they hardly spoke once a year。
Sandy's big break in the suing game came when the friend of a cousin was maimed on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf。 He borrowed ten thousand dollars； opened his own shop； sued Exxon and collected close to three million dollars； one third of which he kept。 He was in business。 Without Patrick； he built a nice little firm of three lawyers whose specialty was offshore injuries and deaths。
When Patrick died； Sandy actually sat down with his calendar and determined that it had been nine months since he'd talked to his buddy。 Of course he felt lousy about this； but he was also realistic。 Like most college friends； they had simply gone their separate ways。
He sat with Trudy through the ordeal； and he helped carry the casket to the grave。
When the money disappeared six weeks later； and the gossip started； Sandy had laughed to himself and wished his buddy well。 Run Patrick run； he'd thought many times over the past four years； and always with a smile。
Sandy's office was off Poydras Street； nine blocks from the Superdome； near the intersection of Magazine； in a beautiful nineteenth…century building he'd bought with an offshore settlement。 He leased the second and third floors； and kept the bottom one for himself； his two partners； three paralegals； and half a dozen secretaries。
HE WAS VERY BUSY when his secretary entered his office with a grim face and said； 〃There's a lady here to see you。〃
〃Does she have an appointment？〃 he asked； glancing at one of three daily…weekly…monthly planners on the edge of his desk。
〃No。 She says it's urgent。 She's not leaving。 It's about Patrick Lanigan。〃
He looked at her curiously。 〃She says she's a lawyer；〃 the secretary said。
〃Where's she from？〃
〃Brazil。〃
〃Brazil？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does she look； you know； Brazilian？〃
〃I guess。〃
〃Show her in。〃
Sandy met her at the door and greeted her warmly。 Eva gave her name as Leah； with nothing behind it。
〃I didn't catch your last name；〃 Sandy said； all smiles。
〃I don't use one；〃 she said。 〃Not yet； anyway。〃
Must be a Brazilian thing； Sandy thought。 Like Pele； the soccer player。 Just a first name with no last。
He escorted her to a chair in the corner and sent for coffee。 She declined and sat slowly。 He glanced at her legs。 She was dressed casually； nothing flashy。 He sat across the coffee table from her and noticed her eyes…beautiful eyes； light brown； but very tired。 Her long dark hair fell past her shoulders。
Patrick always had a good eye。 Trudy was a mismatch； but she could certainly stop traffic。
〃I'm here on behalf of Patrick；〃 she said haltingly。
〃Did he send you？〃 Sandy asked。
〃Yes； he did。〃
She spoke slowly； her words soft and low。 The accent was very slight。
〃Did you study in the States？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 I have a degree in law from Georgetown。〃
That would explain the near perfect American…English。
〃And you practice where？〃
〃In a firm in Rio。 My work is in international trade。〃
She had yet to smile； and this bothered Sandy。 A visitor from afar。 A beautiful one at that； one with a brain and nice legs。 He wanted her to relax in the warmth of his office。 This was； after all； New Orleans。
〃Is that where you met Patrick？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 In Rio。〃
〃Have you spoken to him since…〃
〃No。 Not since he was taken。〃 She almost added that she was desperately worried about him； but that would seem unprofessional。 She was not to divulge much here； nothing about her relationship with Patrick。 Sandy McDermott could be trusted； but he was to be fed information in small doses。
There was a pause as they both looked away； and Sandy instinctively knew that there were many chapters to this story he would never know。 But； oh； the questions！ How did he steal the money？ How did he get to Brazil？ How did he pick her up along the way？
Arid the big one： Where's the money？
〃So what am I supposed to do？〃 he asked。
〃I want to retain you； for Patrick。〃
〃I'm available。〃
〃Confidentiality is crucial。〃
〃It always is。〃
〃This is different。〃
Got that right。 Different to the tune of ninety million bucks。
〃I assure you that anything you and Patrick tell me will be held in the strictest of confidence；〃 he said with a reassuring smile； and she managed a very slight one in return。
〃You might be pressured to divulge client secrets；〃 she said。
〃I'm not worried about that。 I can take care of myself。〃
〃You might be threatened。〃
〃I've been threatened before。〃
〃You might be followed。〃
〃By whom。〃
〃Some very nasty people。〃
〃Who？〃
〃The people chasing Patrick。〃
〃I think they'