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ced。〃
〃But this is so much more pleasant。〃 Rock had to raise his voice in order to be heard over the music。 〃I rarely have the chance to get out these days。 It's good for me； you know？ I sometimes have difficulty remembering what the world outside Floating City looks like。 You've done me a favor。〃 He reached inside his jacket； pushed a white envelope across the table。
Delacroix picked it up； pocketed it without opening it。
〃It's good that you trust me； Tim。 I like that in my independent contractors。 It gives me confidence in the long…range nature of the relationship。〃 Rock turned and a waiter was at his side。 He ordered dinner for both of them。
〃I need some advice；〃 Rock said confidentially。 〃Recently； my partner's being something of a pain in the ass。 I think he's getting ideas of a nature I can only describe as grandiose。〃
〃Grandiose？〃
〃Yeah； grandiose。 What do you think I am； a fucking moron； sitting here with more money than you could ever imagine？〃
〃No； Rock； I was just。。。 startled that there was any friction。〃
Rock chuckled unpleasantly。 〃Yeah； well； shit； you know what marriages are like。 Sooner or later you get stir…crazy and you gotta cheat。〃
They each had another drink； and Delacroix offered some advice to which Rock barely listened。 By that time the singer was into covering rockier up…to…date Mylene Farmer songs； and the food had e。 〃I hope you like the fare；〃 Rock said； spreading his hands。 〃It's not as fancy as some of the places you eat at in Paris； but for this part of the world it's first…rate。〃
Halfway through the meal； Rock put his cutlery down and excused himself。 He went back past the rest rooms into the kitchen where his friend； the owner； was staring into a pot of gazpacho。
〃Too much heat for the people who e in here；〃 he said morosely。 〃Now what am I supposed to do？〃
〃Shoot the chef；〃 Rock said。
They both had a good laugh。 Then； Rock held out his hand and the owner slipped a 。25…caliber Colt pistol into it； along with a small ceramic cylinder。 Rock screwed the Vitek…112 induction…coil silencer onto the end of the Colt's barrel。
〃What's that going to sound like？〃 the owner said； nodding at the weapon。
〃Just like a cork being putted from a bottle。〃
The owner nodded。
〃Thanks for holding on to this stuff。 I owe you。〃
〃What are friends for？〃
Rock went back to his table。 Keeping his hands beneath the table； he leaned forward。 The singer was just hitting full stride； a couple of slender Vietnamese with electric guitars had joined her； raising the noise level considerably。
〃Tim； I want to ask you a question。〃
Delacroix leaned toward Rock； who pointed the pistol and fired three quick shots just as the music hit a protracted climax。 There was thunderous applause。 Tonight； as always； there would be an encore； Rock thought as he rose and went out the back of the restaurant； throwing the pistol in the trash。 It seemed a shame that Delacroix wouldn't get to enjoy it。 Just as well。 The moment he had hired on to lob the explosive at Nicholas Linnear； he had bee a liability； a way to trace the attack back to Rock。
Feeling fit and energized； Rock prepared to spend the rest of the nighttime hours prowling Saigon's back streets for whatever human oddities he could unearth。 The prospect was enough to make him whistle a jaunty tune。
That hair！ It shone in the sun like spun gold； like caramel being pulled； like cream spilling from a glass pitcher。 Croaker； skulking in the trees like some part…time poacher； followed Vesper as she drove the golf cart slowly along a rutted dirt service track。
Deeper and deeper they went into Dedalus's estate。 He noted that she gave a wide berth to the main house； looping around a pond and a conifer garden； over a ridge tawny with the roughage of dead summer grasses； down into a glen where a smaller house sat； made of fieldstone and logs。 It looked like an elegant fishing cabin。 Blue smoke curled from the stone chimney； and teak furniture in the traditional Adirondack style of the thirties and forties was ranged along a wraparound porch。 The cabin overlooked a rough…seeded lawn that ran down to thick patches of underbrush and large zelkovas； whose upper reaches towered over even the old oaks that dominated much of the property。 Beyond； Croaker could glimpse slivers of a rushing stream that； no doubt； Dedalus yearly stocked with trout。
Vesper ran the golf cart to a dirt area at the side of the house and stopped it beside her black Nissan 300ZX ragtop。 She climbed out and； dusting off her overalls； went up onto the porch and into the cabin。
Croaker detached himself from the trees and； running in a semicrouch； made his way to the edge of the porch； where he carefully and silently climbed the wooden steps。 He crept from window to window until he saw Vesper。 She was standing beside an oversize stone hearth within which flames flickered。 Someone was pouring her a glass of white wine。 When the figure turned to put the bottle on a side table； he caught a glimpse of the face： it was Margarite。
Edging closer； he put his ear against the cold glass。 In this manner he could hear what was going on inside。
〃I don't understand why you have to go to London；〃 Margarite said。 〃You've given me the latest intelligence from Nishiki。〃
Vesper smiled at her。 〃I told you； this is different。 I'm not merely a Nishiki courier。 I have other duties。 There seems to be a problem and I have to be briefed in person。 Besides； that bit about Congressman Martin I just gave you is inplete。 I know he's important to you because he's drafted the new banking…regulation bill that could hurt your family's interests。 Before you move on it and put pressure on him to amend the bill； you've got to have all the dirt on him。 So sit tight until I get back。〃
〃How much danger are you going to be in over there？〃
Vesper put down her glass； went to where Margarite stood。 〃Why worry about it？ This is what I was trained to do。〃 Her laugh was oddly carefree； making her seem nothing more than a happy schoolgirl。 〃Nothing is going to happen to me。〃
〃But the danger inherent in the Nishiki network …〃
〃You really must curb this morbid streak； darling。〃
Margarite shuddered。 〃I was thinking of Lew。 Everything is so much more dangerous since I met him。〃
Vesper looked at her archly。 〃I don't think met is the operative word。〃
〃Are you jealous？〃
Vesper laughed。 〃Do I still make you uneasy？〃
〃When it es to sex； you can be omnivorous； you're not going to deny that。〃
Vesper drew a lock of Margarite's hair away from the side of her face。 〃I don't have designs on you。 You'd know if I did。 As to sex； I admit to having a certain facility with it。 Dedalus saw that right away。 It's at the heart of our relationship。〃 She kissed Margarite on the cheek。 〃Like your brother was； he's tremendously intuitive。 It was one of his great strengths。〃
〃God； I miss Dom。 But sometimes I think I hate him for saddling me with his responsibilities。〃
〃You don't hate him。〃 Vesper squeezed Margarite's hand。 〃He's given you a chance to be something more； something greater。 He saw that spark in you and he nurtured it。 Give him credit for seeing you as more than merely female