Part 34 (2/2)

I was sure there had to be a way to get that video back. So all I had to do was find the way. When I was home again, I scrolled through all my contacts, looking for the numbers of people who might help me, and finally I found the very one.

I called a friend who had connections with the CIA.

'Yeah, it might be possible,' he told me, after I explained. 'I might know a guy who knows a guy. But a private contract it would cost a bunch of money. We're talking big bucks here.'

'What, thousands, millions?'

'It would be ten thousand dollars minimum, and in cash.'

'If you let me have some contact details, I'll go on from there.'

'No, I'll meet you for a beer some time. I don't want to put this stuff in emails or tell you on the phone. You never know who's listening.'

'Maybe we could meet later today?'

'Yeah, I guess,' he said. 'It's been a while. So tell me you mislaid the secret of eternal life?'

'I want this data found.'

'Okay, okay, but listen up before you give your money to this guy, you need to know that he won't offer any guarantees. Also, if he manages to track your data down, he could take his time to hand it over might be months or even years. The fact is, he might never hand it over, but don't even start to think you'll get your money back.'

'I'm prepared to take the risk.'

'You're prepared to take a reckless gamble and very likely lose. These spooks play by their own rules, not by yours.'

Lexie and my children were still living with the British t.o.s.s.e.r in his mansion on Grand Avenue. Joe was full of what was going down in its backyard. 'There are a bunch of foxes, Dad,' he told me. 'We got squirrels, too. One time Polly said she saw a snake.'

'What colour was it, green?'

'I guess. Or it could have been magenta? Polly wasn't sure. When I told Mom about the snake, it freaked her out. She said she's going to call the pest exterminator guy. She wants him to come by and deal with all the vermin.'

Awesome, I decided. Maybe he could deal with Mr Wonderful as well?

'Dad, she's going to have the foxes killed!'

'You don't need to worry, Joseph. Foxes are real smart and so are squirrels. When the pest exterminator's truck shows up, they won't stick around to be exterminated.'

'What about the snake?'

'The snake will slither off into the gra.s.s.'

'You're sure?'

'I know it.'

'Did you ever get to hear from Rosie, Dad?'

'She emailed me this morning, asked after you and Polly and sends you lots of love.'

'When will we see Rosie?'

'I don't know, little buddy. Rosie lives in Britain and we live in America, four thousand miles apart.'

'When we are on vacation, perhaps we could go visit Britain again?'

'Yeah, perhaps we could.' I changed the subject. It can't be good for little boys to see their fathers cry.

A few days after I came home, Lexie called to ask if we could meet.

Angie would be happy to watch the kids, she said.

I guessed she must want money more of it. Or even a divorce? Maybe Mr Wonderful had been down on one knee, made her an offer that she could not refuse?

'Perhaps, if it's about our situation, you should speak with your attorney?' I suggested. 'Then I'll speak with mine.'

'This is purely personal,' she said. 'So we don't need to go through our attorneys.'

'Do you want to come by the apartment?'

'No, we'll meet on neutral territory,' she replied.

So I named a coffee shop in downtown Minneapolis.

'Yeah, sounds good,' she said.

'Okay, I'll see you Tuesday after work.'

Lexie had her hen's b.u.t.t face on.

'What about this Rosie?' she demanded, making Rosie's name sound like a swear word. 'Joseph talks about her all the time. It's all Rosie's hair and Rosie's clothes and Rosie's cool apartment and Rosie's Yorks.h.i.+re puddings. I'm sick and tired of Rosie, Daddy's British friend.'

'But you have a British friend, Alexis. Why can't I have one, too?'

'I don't get Stephen to turn your kids against you.'

'Rosie hasn't turned your kids against you.'

'Why is Joe fixated on this woman?'

'Joe is not fixated, Lexie. They just like each other, get along. Rosie never met you, and while Joe and Polly were around she never mentioned you fact is, she never mentioned you at all.'

'I guess she knew she didn't need to mention me if she already had you by the b.a.l.l.s.' Lexie worried at a fingernail. 'I thought you wanted to make up with me?'

'I never told you so.'

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