I just don't know what the hellhappened."Shaking his head, he just said, "Girls."Tuesday, November 6This evening, I was sitting in the library studyin... and Iheard someone softly say, "Gary?"I didn't react right away. I knew who it was. It was Kate.Again, I heard, "Gary?"I didn't look at her, but just said, "What?" Can I sit down?" Kate asked."You can sit anywhere you want, it's a free country."I heard her pull a chair out across the table from where Iwas sitting. I buried my face even more. He was like his picture really, if not better in some strange way. Tall and handsome, dark wavy hair, lean but muscular, a grey specklered, short cut beard across his face. His casual button down shirt tight against his arms, as he smiled down at her, his face crinkling up with thr laugh lines of age.'Well don't you look like a little lost soul.. it's nice of you to arrive' he teased to her, holding open the door. 'Oh!' She blushed, 'I'm so sorry, that car accident on the highway..' She was. Henri had a sexy new toy, and Annie had her entree into his world.And of course it didn't end with the evening -- no one night stands for our Mary, who transferred her dependence onto this new man in her life. She'd do anything for her Henri, a premise he would soon test.There was more to M. Ladouche than the Agency knew. Henri was one of those kinky dudes that inhabit Annie's shadowy world. One evening that week he introduced her to an old friend, a man who believed as Henri did that good. I knew I was just a number being used. I needed to get a normal life.Declan, my former tutor at the Tech, sent me a letter. He asked me to call in to his office, as he had an enquiry that he thought would suit me. I phoned him. He told me one of his mates in Northern Ireland Railways had told him they would be looking for engineering staff in the next few months. I got on the bike and went to see him. The railways were planning a major update of the rail system and there were opportunities in.