Elspeth and I left. As we left, I pointed Veronica out to her. She and Veronica exchanged looks. When we were outside I called Sidney Rice, my contact...at MBC&L. I told him that I had made contact and that they would discuss it. He wanted more detail. I told him that he could wait until I actually knew something. Elspeth asked for the phone. She told him that I was on a first name basis with Adele. That shut him up. There is nothing like friends in high places.Four days later, I made the drive. .. and he did nothing. Suggested I make a government claim for our losses... but 1 don't know a damned thing about that, Link. Besides, what am I supposed to do, file papers every day? It's that goddamned Caesar and his pack... " Yeah, I know, Lydia. You heard about Annie?" Yes... what a horrible thing," the husky voice sympathized. "And there'd be more, I'm thinking, if something isn't done... which is why I'm caging you. Frankly, I think our deputy sheriff is getting too goddamned big for his. I proceed to go out on my balcony and get some sun. I though my balcony was somewhat secluded si I didn't bother with a swim suit, I stripped down to my underwear. I dozed off. I was awakened by my neighbors, a young attractive couple. They introduced themselves and I explained why I was only in my briefs. They said it didn't matter, the balconies had quite a bit of privacy and they understood.The next week I repeated my same actions and laid for awhile in the sun. On Sunday I heard one of them. He introduced himself as -- of all names -- Mark. "This is tooweird," Ashley thought.It was the kind of hotel that seemed to attract businessmen and familieson a budget. Respectable, but nothing fancy. As Mark closed the door tothe clean, simply-furnished room, Ashley thought she felt her artificialheart beating more rapidly. "Just my imagination," she told herself.She smiled, and reached out to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck.She began showering him with hungry kisses, which he quickly.