tight plan. I’m sort of into winging things
now.”
“Where are you staying?”
Shaw shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, maybe there is such a thing as forward after all.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Okay, I guess I deserved that. I tend to ask too many questions and volunteer too much about myself
to complete strangers.”
“I would agree with that. The part about you being rich is not something you want to blab about. Too many lowlifes who’d take
advantage of that information.”
She looked like she’d been scolded. “I guess you’re right.”
“How come you’re solo? Don’t you have any friends who’d like to travel with you? I’m sure you go first-class.”
“Friends have jobs. That’s the downside to not having to work for a living.”
“I think most people would be able to cope with the trade-off,” he said kindly.
“Well, we could hang out.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Sure I do. You’re um…”
“Bill,” he said helpfully.
She playfully punched his arm. “From D.C. Ex-lobbyist guy and divorced with two beautiful teenagers. See, my memory’s not that bad.”
“Okay, Jane—”
“Janie to my friends.”
“All right, Janie, but just take it slow with people.”
She said sheepishly, “I’m nearly thirty; you would’ve thought I’d have gotten that lesson by now.”
“Some people never get it.”
“So where’d you learn to speak French?”
“How do you know I really can? The few words I spoke aren’t exactly going to get me a job at the UN. Your French sounded pretty
authentic. Where’d you learn?”
“I took an immersion class for six months before I came here. It’s amazing what you can fit in your day when you don’t have
a job.”
Shaw lifted his glass of wine and clinked it against hers. “I’m really looking forward to finding that out.”
Their food came and they continued to talk through dinner. They split the check using cash. Afterwards they walked through
the street. Most of the shops were closed at this hour, but the warm breeze was nice, there were many people strolling about
just as they were, and music could be heard coming from a bar past the town center.
She looked up at him. “How tall are you?”
“About six-six.”
“You must’ve been the tallest lobbyist in D.C.”
“Nope, they have some ex-NBA players trolling for dollars there. One of them is seven feet. Poor guy has to duck through doorways
when he’s pressing the flesh and begging for his supper.”
“Well, I’m down this way,” she said.
Shaw hooked a finger over his shoulder. “I’m that way.”
“Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”
“Small town, the odds are good.”
She smiled. “I’ll be far more reticent next time.”
He returned the smile. “And I’ll be far less critical.”
Reggie Campion immediately returned to her villa, where she made a call. She explained her meeting with Bill to Professor
Mallory and gave him a detailed description of the man. “Find out what you can. There’s something about him.”
“All right, Regina. But it may be nothing.”
“And it may be everything. I trust my instincts. Word on Waller?”
“On schedule.”
“Then I have my work cut out for me if this new development turns into a mess. You’re certain everything is a go on my cover?”
“It has been for quite some time. One of our benefactors owns a technology company with elite-level programs and access to
numerous core databases. He allowed us in through a back door to do all we needed to do. All the information you’ve memorized is backed up in all the places
anyone might look. Vital records in the U.S., an American Social Security number, bank accounts, educational backgrounds,
degrees conferred, parents’ history. Oh, did you like your Facebook page?”
“Brilliant. Nice chums I have. And I must say, Professor, you certainly know more about computers than you let on.”
“I’m just an old duffer.
now.”
“Where are you staying?”
Shaw shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, maybe there is such a thing as forward after all.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Okay, I guess I deserved that. I tend to ask too many questions and volunteer too much about myself
to complete strangers.”
“I would agree with that. The part about you being rich is not something you want to blab about. Too many lowlifes who’d take
advantage of that information.”
She looked like she’d been scolded. “I guess you’re right.”
“How come you’re solo? Don’t you have any friends who’d like to travel with you? I’m sure you go first-class.”
“Friends have jobs. That’s the downside to not having to work for a living.”
“I think most people would be able to cope with the trade-off,” he said kindly.
“Well, we could hang out.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Sure I do. You’re um…”
“Bill,” he said helpfully.
She playfully punched his arm. “From D.C. Ex-lobbyist guy and divorced with two beautiful teenagers. See, my memory’s not that bad.”
“Okay, Jane—”
“Janie to my friends.”
“All right, Janie, but just take it slow with people.”
She said sheepishly, “I’m nearly thirty; you would’ve thought I’d have gotten that lesson by now.”
“Some people never get it.”
“So where’d you learn to speak French?”
“How do you know I really can? The few words I spoke aren’t exactly going to get me a job at the UN. Your French sounded pretty
authentic. Where’d you learn?”
“I took an immersion class for six months before I came here. It’s amazing what you can fit in your day when you don’t have
a job.”
Shaw lifted his glass of wine and clinked it against hers. “I’m really looking forward to finding that out.”
Their food came and they continued to talk through dinner. They split the check using cash. Afterwards they walked through
the street. Most of the shops were closed at this hour, but the warm breeze was nice, there were many people strolling about
just as they were, and music could be heard coming from a bar past the town center.
She looked up at him. “How tall are you?”
“About six-six.”
“You must’ve been the tallest lobbyist in D.C.”
“Nope, they have some ex-NBA players trolling for dollars there. One of them is seven feet. Poor guy has to duck through doorways
when he’s pressing the flesh and begging for his supper.”
“Well, I’m down this way,” she said.
Shaw hooked a finger over his shoulder. “I’m that way.”
“Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”
“Small town, the odds are good.”
She smiled. “I’ll be far more reticent next time.”
He returned the smile. “And I’ll be far less critical.”
Reggie Campion immediately returned to her villa, where she made a call. She explained her meeting with Bill to Professor
Mallory and gave him a detailed description of the man. “Find out what you can. There’s something about him.”
“All right, Regina. But it may be nothing.”
“And it may be everything. I trust my instincts. Word on Waller?”
“On schedule.”
“Then I have my work cut out for me if this new development turns into a mess. You’re certain everything is a go on my cover?”
“It has been for quite some time. One of our benefactors owns a technology company with elite-level programs and access to
numerous core databases. He allowed us in through a back door to do all we needed to do. All the information you’ve memorized is backed up in all the places
anyone might look. Vital records in the U.S., an American Social Security number, bank accounts, educational backgrounds,
degrees conferred, parents’ history. Oh, did you like your Facebook page?”
“Brilliant. Nice chums I have. And I must say, Professor, you certainly know more about computers than you let on.”
“I’m just an old duffer.
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