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matic credentials； she passed quickly through Customs and Immigration。 She stopped to get some work done at the Mall facility at the airport。 Russell was so mobile he had insisted that the Mall have stations at the airports in Washington； New York； Los Angeles； and San Francisco。
It was there that Tori ran into Bernard Godwin。 They stood in silence； looking at one another for some time。
〃Ah； the prodigal returns；〃 Bernard said。 Oddly； he seemed smaller than she remembered。 But that patrician countenance had not changed。 〃Can I buy you a cup of coffee？〃
〃No。〃
〃I'd like a chance to talk to you。〃
〃Russell's waiting。〃 Tori got her work back。 She signed the receipt with Russell's name； thanked the agent。
Bernard started all over again。 〃You and Russell did one helluva job。〃
〃For you；〃 Tori said at length。 〃Only for you； Bernard。〃
〃That's nonsense and you know it。〃
Tori said nothing。
〃What's the matter？ I gave you everything you wanted： reinstatement； a field mand； Russell。 I even gave you your brother back。〃
Bastard； Tori thought。 He deserves to be cut off at the knees。 And then she told him how Hitasura had used him to further the manufacture and distribution of the supercocaine。 She saw the blood drain from Bernard's face by degrees。 He put one hand out to steady himself。 She did not make a move to help him。
When she was finished； she said； 〃It's important to remember that there's a price tag for everything； Bernard。 Even freedom。〃
She left him there； shaken and mute。 She had thought that telling him would make her feel better。 She was wrong。
When Tori arrived at Diana's Garden； Laura Nunn was over at Universal； shooting something called The Black Fox Dossier。 It was a spy film。 She played the mother of the hero。 Very fitting。
On the other hand； to Tori's utter astonishment； Ellis Nunn had taken the day off。 He had spent the hour from six to seven in the morning making his essential overseas calls from his den in the huge house。 Laura Nunn's limo had picked her up at five to take her to the studio for makeup。
Tori had arrived after her mother had left； but before anyone else was stirring。 She had let herself into the house； had left whatever baggage she had in the enormous entrance hall； and had stolen up to bed。 She had given her parents no notice of her ing but； as usual； her room was immaculate； ready for her。 She collapsed gratefully onto her bed。
When she woke up； she looked out her window； saw her father strolling beside the pool。 The sunlight； already red and dripping with heat； fell across his broad shoulders。 In a moment he stopped； looked up toward Tori's bedroom window； and she saw him full on。
She was immediately struck by this fact： no matter how much time and energy he had spent trying to be American； he still had that classic Russian face。 It was a beautifully sculptured face； rugged but somehow not harsh。 His eyes； so similar to his children's； gave his countenance its splash of warmth and gentleness。 Tori could imagine him striding purposefully down Gorky Street。
A half hour later； she joined Ellis Nunn in the dining room where a prodigious buffet breakfast had been laid out。 He kissed her on both cheeks； in the traditional manner。
〃Dobro pojalovatz；〃 he said in Russian。 Wele home。 〃I'm damn glad you're in one piece。〃 He gestured。 〃You must be starved。 At least your mother thought so。 She dragged Maria out of bed at an ungodly hour to prepare all this。''
〃Mom was gone when I arrived。 She's on the set。 I got all the hot news from Maria on my way downstairs。〃
〃Mmm。 Well； Maria must have seen your bags in the entrance and done this on her own。 She always did have a soft spot for you。〃
That was when Tori trotted out the photograph the Mall people had made at their LAX airport facility。
Ellis Nunn took the revelation with admirable sangfroid。 〃Imagine；〃 he said。 〃Bernard and me caught in the act。〃 He bent over； peering more closely at the sixteen…by…twenty…inch blowup of Ariel Solares's photo。 〃There I am with your mother； ing to meet Bernard。 By God； that's eerie to see on film。〃
〃It's a good thing the picture was taken by one of Bernard's own agents。〃
Ellis Nunn nodded。 〃Yes。 I suppose it is。〃
When it appeared that neither of them was hungry； they drifted outside。 They began to walk the grounds； as Ellis Nunn loved to do； first by the pool； and then into the sun…dappled gardens。 The scent of lime was everywhere。
Tori ducked her head。 ''Why didn't you ever tell me about La Lumiere d'Or？〃 She was speaking of the American…owned French firm Koi had told her about…which she now knew was owned by her father…that was the conduit for the MANDs' hafnium。
〃What was there to tell？ I have subsidiaries in Italy； Spain； Hong Kong； as well as France。 I never told you about those； either。 It never occurred to me that you'd be in the least interested。〃
Tori snorted。 〃I think I'd have been interested in La Lumiere d'Or's extracurricular activities。''
〃They were none of your business。〃 He looked at her。 〃Oh； don't look like that。 I 'd say the same thing to your mother if she ever asked。 Which she never has。〃
〃But she was involved with the scheme that you and Bernard…〃
''Bernard talked to her independently。 As a woman of means； your mother has always made her own business decisions。 She's good at it and； anyway； it saves wear and tear on the both of us。〃
〃How exactly did Bernard rope you into paying for these MANDs？ He told you about Greg； right？〃
〃Well； first of all； Bernard didn't rope your mother and me into anything。 We both went into this with our eyes wide open。 He outlined the risks。〃
Tori again heard Bernard Godwin's voice saying。 No matter what we bee involved in； we would never be brought before a court of law。
〃Some risks；〃 she said。
Ellis Nunn stopped； turned toward her。 〃I meant the risks to Greg and you； not to your mother or myself。''
〃Oh。〃 Tori did not know what to say。
They continued their walk。 They strolled beneath the pergola； losing themselves in the blooms and vines of high summer。 Tori thought of her father's tales of the Georgian peasants toiling heroically in their fields。
''What was it like there？''
Tori knew he meant Russia。 ''It's not like home； Aunty Em。''
He grunted； and she remembered belatedly how he used to admonish her for using her wit at inappropriate times。
〃I found Moscow 。 。 。 strange；〃 she said immediately。 〃It was not what I had expected。〃
〃Did you like it？〃
Tori suspected that her answer was important to him； so she thought about it for some time before she spoke。 〃I didn't hate it；〃 she said slowly。 〃I felt unfortable there； but that may just have been the circumstances。 But it also had an…I don't know…a haunting quality； I guess you could say。〃
〃Yes；〃 Ellis Nunn said； and Tori could see that he was remembering his childhood； and that that past was as clear to him as was this dawning day。
〃You didn't fully answer my question about how Bernard got you and Mom involved。〃
〃I know。〃
There was silence for a time。 Ellis Nunn stopped them in the center of the pergola。 The wisteria twined over their heads； creating a cool； green bower。 〃How did Greg seem t