I took an ice cube from the glass and held it up near my eyes. The ice cube intersected with light rays from the bulb on the ceiling. The ice cube spa...kled like a star. With the ice cube in between my fingers, I felt like I was holding a star in my handsI brought the ice cube closer to my face and stuffed it into my mouth. The molars at the back of my jaw started crushing it into little pieces. The ice cubes crushing at the back of my mouth sent a wave of vibration through my facial bones and. . please," I purred as I took his armand directed him to the library where I have most of my collection. Jacques was complimentary but somewhat noncommittal towards my modestaccumulation of art except for a Degas that I inherited from my mother.He raved over the Degas, it was beautiful and quite valuable. "Thank you Jacques for spending time with my collection. I reallyappreciate having an artist give me his opinion but now mon cherJacques it is time to leave for the MET. We have reservations. I don't know how you conduct your depositions up here, but down in Texas we don't waste time asking stupid questions with obvious answers. If you want to keep wasting my time, my client's time and the time of all of these nice people go ahead. Ask your questions. I will object. Move on. Otherwise, we are through for today and I will permit you to question my witness tomorrow after you have had a chance to prepare properly for this deposition which I need not remind you was scheduled three. I was still trying to recover.I finally stopped and started taking an inventory of the room we were in, letting the trained part of my brain start to put the pieces together and work out some kind of plan.I noted the door had shut behind us, leaving me with just the babysitter at my left elbow and the two guys across the way, not counting the men on the couch.They were an odd pair. If I had to put money on it, I would have bet that the clean cut guy was one of the Russians’ law enforcement.