Adversary by S. W. Frank Page A

It was invaluable as he tried to correlate a link. Ari and Selange were going to Africa. He worried now about their trip to the region. He’d checked out the orphanage they were scheduled to visit and hadn’t found anything questionable. Philanthropy expanded beyond borders; there were many areas with corrupt regimes, yet international relief organizations entered daily. Doctors Without Borders, ICRC and FHI to name a few. As an academic Selange considered the global impact of funding education for the poor, altruistic in theory, nearly impossible in practice when many governments did not see education as a benefit to society. In fact in some views, enlightenment led to questions and ignorance of the population was preferable. Archaic, but very true, otherwise how else explain the poverty and marginalization which exists and that approximately seventy-two million children around the world remained unschooled?
    Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected area with over thirty-two million children of primary school age uneducated. Central and Eastern Asia, as well as the Pacific, are also severely affected by this problem with more than twenty-seven millions of such children. Nico quoted these statistics easily, certain since last he checked the numbers had increased.
    He would do another excavation of the orphanage; dig harder before scaring Alfonzo who would forbid his wife to leave. Yeah, he’d stop her, that’s just the type of man he is.
    Bianca had her elbows on the table reading his notes. “Who is this…eh…Seth Meyer?”
    “A corpse. Dead. Deceased.”
    “Um, these names…Abraham Meyer, are they related?”
    “Yes, that’s his brother.”
    “Jewelers?”
    “One is and the other was the former manager of the New York Stock Exchange prior to his death.”
    “This Pasqual was a very rich Spaniard. Was his business with Gamba diamond smuggling?”
    “Apparently.”
    “I will contact my brothers, they can learn more about him.” She said spinning in her chair and frowning because Nico had yet to touch the food. “Are you afraid I will poison you Nicolo Serano?”
    The thought hadn’t crossed his mind. “No,” he said and took a huge bite of the sandwich and then several more, filling his cheeks like a boy, smiling as her lips parted. He gulped the ginseng tea, raised his eyebrow because she laughed and then set the cup down. “Satisfied woman?”
    “ Sí !” she answered, taking her thumb to remove a bread crumb from the corner of his mouth. Nico was such a handsome man and also very decent. The guilt of wanting what she could not display caused her to suggest he depart. “Go home Nico, spend time with the bambini.”
    The statement generated a response. “I always do. I don’t need you to tell me. Anyway, Ari’s gone shopping with Semira in tow.”
    “And your sons?”
    “Why the interest Bianca?”
    “Your happiness is my happiness.”
    Nico scoffed. “Then make me happy and kiss me.”
    She leaned to him, attracted by masculine magnetism. Too slow she must have been because he seized her waist, with the power of a weightlifter he brought her atop his lap and bent her spine with his kiss, licking her teeth and drinking her sweet tongue. His hands were on her breasts as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. “How old were you when you first killed, love?”
    “Twenty-four.”
    “Was it hard?”
    “No?”
    She gave him a quick peck on his nose. “It was not hard mio Nico because I killed for love.”
    “Love?”
    “You will not remember Francois Lemuer but he was a member of the French Parliament.”
    Nico’s brows furrowed as he searched his memory for such a name. “Tell me.”
    Another kiss settled on Nico’s neck as she began to unfasten his belt. “He was Gina’s lover at the time and Alberti sent me. Your Uncle Luzo did not know of her indiscretion…then.”
    “But Alberti did, yes?”
    “Sí…of course…he knew many things mio Alberti.”
    “Do you still think of him