“We have about a thousand with the cattle from the south ranch,” Slim said. “We had enough water tanks for our own herd but when we brought in t...e extra cattle, we’re sett’in more windmills. Most of the pastures are to the south and west to the Rio Grande. Land up north of here has some natural springs that waters any strays wondering up that far. We tried put’in in some windmills up there but hadn’t hit water at three hundred feet.”“How’s the pastures,” I asked.“Dry and over grazed,” he said.. ’ His eyes were cold, glittering with barely concealed malice, even as his lips curled into a contemptuous smirk. ‘Look, your brother is fine, you’re fine, and I’m fine. Now I think you’ll agree I had a lot to do with that. Let’s not forget it.’ ‘You…You’re right.’ she muttered… ‘Thank you.’ ‘Oh, that sounded sincere.’ ‘I mean it. Thank you. It’s just…well, you interrupted a private moment. It’s creepy. One minute I’m talking to my brother…the next…well…I’m not.’ ‘Well, I suppose that’s a. There is not much you can provide but come to the Embassy and we will make arrangements. You will need paperwork from the police to confirm the circumstances. This usually is a copy of any statement that has been given about a passport theft, but in this case ... Was your daughter's disappearance reported to the local UK Police?" It was. There was a Scotland Yard investigation." Oh, I see. I'm sure that the Swedish Police will want to contact their opposite numbers in London. I'm very pleased. We had known each other for years before this of course, had become somewhat friendly through interacting over business. We had met each other’s children on several occasions at work, though not often each other’s spouses. But we had never really gotten to know each other and didn’t have that much in common besides work. She was the cute little blonde, short and bubbly, very touchy feely to begin with – a trait I have always found irresistible. I suspect I was the safe little geek pet she liked.