FIRE FERRET. REPUBLIC CITY. TASTE OF PURE GOLD. TOTAL WINE. SEASON OF FEAR. WHEN WORK HAS MEANING. HOW TO TURN PURPOSE INTO PRODUCTIVITY & RESULTS. HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW. OLYMPIC HOT TUB. OLSON APPLIANCE. ANGEL'S JUNK REMOVAL. HARLEY DAVIDSON EASTSIDE. KILM ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION. THE TRADING MUSICIANS. D.A. BURNS. DEXTER. GASPARS. PREMIER. GOEBITES. TEXAS. DREAMCLINIC. HOUSING APPLICATION IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA? WHAT? KIDS CLUB. UNIVERSITY PARKS. JET CITY IMPROV. THE HUB. SPRING KITCHENS. CAT CARTOONS. ROCKY. TOPGUN. STAFF. TOP BANANA. TEMPO. THE PURSUIT. MERLINO FOODS. THESE WINGS ARE MADE FOR SWIMMING! WHAT I DON'T HAVE TO GO TH ROUGH, TO FUCKING SWIM AND WORK OUT! FUCK? TWO DAYS AGO, AFTER STINK OPS AT BELLEVUE, LA FITNESS, I DECIDED, TO THROUGH THE STINKERS OFF MY SCENT, AND, CHANGE UP, LA FITNESSES, TO GET A BREAK. I HAD A GREAT 90 MINUTE WORKOUT ON THE 40 OR SO, MACHINES, IN THE UNIVERSAL GYM, CIRCUIT. MY PLAN, WAS TO, RIDE THE STATIONARY BIKE, THEN, ENJOY, MY FAVORITE PART OF MY, ALWAYS, HOPEFUL, WORK OUT, MY SWIM! I LEFT, GREENWOOD, AT 5:00 AM. GOT TO THE GYM BY, ROUGHLY 5:45 AM. AFTER WORKING THE CIRCUIT, I NOTICED THAT THE POOL, WAS ALL LANES, FILLED? THAT IS ODD, THERE IS A SWEET SPOT, BETWEEN, THE 5:00 AM OPENING, THE RACE TO GET YOUR WORKOUT DONE BEFORE WORK, AND OUT THE DOOR, DRESSED AND READY BY 7:00 AM, LEAVING A NICE OPEN SWIM TIME, IN ALL LANES, FOR, AT LEAST A HALF HOUR, BEFORE ALL THE RETIRED PEOPLE AND HOUSEWIVES, SHOW UP. SO, THE POOL FULL, WAS, A BIT STRANGE. NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, IF NOT THAT LEVEL, JUST FUCKING ANNOYING, THAT GOES SOMEWHAT LIKE THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR, OR ALMOST A YEAR, I HAVE BELONGED TO LA FITNESS, ROCKIN' IT, LAST FALL, THEN, TOTAL FINANCIAL TERRORISM, FOR NO GOOD REASON, BUT THIS IS THE PATTERN: (1) HITMEN, COPS, ASSASSINS; (2) SWIM LANE FILLERS, MOST THAT CAN'T SWIM A LAP--NOT NORMAL, JUST TO BE A PAIN IN THE ASS TO ME; AND (3) STEALING MY PAD LOCK OR COMBINATION LOCK, FOR THE WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOMS, LEAVING ME TOTALLY, UNPROTECTED, THEREFORE, EVEN, UNWILLING TO RISK, WORKING OUT, UNTIL I GET A NEW LOCK. SO THE MORNING AFTER, THE BALLARD, SIGNATURE, FUN RUN, AND WORKOUT, I NOTICED THAT MY BACKPACK, AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE, WITH ALL THE RIGHT, POCKETS AND ZIPPERS, SEEMED TO BE A BIT ON THE LIGHT SIDE. i THOUGHT, THAT WAS DUE TO ME DRYING OUT MY SWIM SUIT AND SWIM OR WATER SHOES, THAT ARE EXTREMELY HEAVY WHEN WET. I BLEW IT OFF, UNTIL I GOT THE BELLEVUE, BEFORE 6:00 AM, ONLY TO FIND, THAT MY LOCK WAS MISSING???? WHAT THE HELL? MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, THAT, THE JEALOUS, ENVIOUS, LOSERS, BITCHES AND BASTARDS, WHO SEE ME GETTING IN SHAPE, TOOK IT LIKE THEY HAVE, SEVERAL TIMES THIS YEAR, REPLACING IT WITH, GPS TRACERS IN THE FORM OF BUTTON COINS, DISGUISED AS BATTERIES. I RISKED, THEFT, AND RUSHED IN THE POOL, ONLY TO GET OUT AND FIND, THE CLEANING PERSON, STARTING TO GO THROUGH, LOCKERS, TO WASH THEM? RIGHT ON THE DAY, THAT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY LOCK WAS MISSING? ODD? AT LEAST I GOT MY SWIM IN, FOOLING THEM. GRAB-N-GO! SO, THIS MORNING, I WAS HOPEFULLY, BLOWING OFF, THE MISSING LOCK, AS, MAYBE, YOU, RUSHED OUT OF BALLARD, SIGNATURE CLUB, TOO FAST, YESTERDAY AND LEFT IT ON THE BENCH, WHILE YOU PUT ON YOUR SHOES? GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. THIS MORNING, I STOPPED AT THE FRONT DESK, AND ASKED IF THEY HAD A BLACK, COMBINATION LOCK, TURNED IN, TWO DAYS AGO? THERE ARE NO BLACK ONES TURNED IN! I KNEW IT! SCREAM! FUCK! DAMN IT! TO RISK OR NOT TO RISK. FUCK THEM, I AM NOT GOING TO LET THEM CONTROL ME, NOR WHETHER OR NOT, I WORK OUT, FUCK THEM! I STARTED TO LEAVE MY BACKPACK, THAT I HAVE HAD, FOR, 5 YEARS, IN A LOCKER, AND DECIDED, NO MATTER HOW INCONVENIENT, I AM NOT GOING TO BE DETERRED, FROM GETTING IN SHAPE, NOT THIS TIME! THIS IS THE YEAR! I PUT MY BACKPACK, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE, RIGHT NEAR THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THE POOL AREA, NEAR, THE WATER WEIGHTS. ONCE IN THE POOL, I REALIZED THAT THE OTHERS WHO WERE IN THE POOL, ALSO HAD THEIR BAGS???? STRANGE, BUT THERE'S WERE CLOSER TO THE POOL. A FEW MINUTES LATER, A YOUNG, 20-ISH, MAN, CAME IN, TOOK OFF HIS WIFE-BEATER, SHIRT, LEFT HIS BAG, ON THE LOUNGE, AND TOOK A SHOWER? HE DIDN'T GET IN THE POOL, DIDN'T STAY IN THE POOL, AND WALKED OUT OF THE AREA?????? VERY PECULIAR? LATER, I NOTICED THAT HE CAME BACK IN, AND, WAS LINGERING, NEAR, OR BETWEEN HIS BAG AND MINE! I WAS DOING EXERCISES, THAT, ALLOWED ME TO NOT TURN MY BACK ON HIM. HE STRETCHED, AND ACTED STRANGE AND KEPT, LOOKING AT ME, AND FOUND THAT I WAS NOT TAKING MY EYES OFF OF HIM. HE DIDN'T GET IN THE POOL, OR THE HOT TUB, NOT EVEN TO MAKE ME THINK HE WAS LEGITIMATELY IN THE POOL AREA. FINALLY, UNABLE TO GET A CLEAR SHOT, AT MY BACKPACK, HE, PICKED UP, HIS THINGS AND SHOVED SOMETHING IN A PLASTIC BAG, OR PLAYING TO SURVEILLANCE, CAMERAS, HIDDEN, HE SAID, COMMUNICATING WITHOUT COMMUNICATING, SPY STYLE, HE WAS GONG TO BAG IT! NOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER, IF THESE DUDE WAS BEFORE OR AFTER, THE OTHER ONE, BUT, SOME HISPANIC OR LATINO MAN, YOUNG, ALSO, NEW AGENT AGE, CAME IN, WITH WORK CLOTHES AND BLUE GLOVES ON, AND HE WENT OVER TO THE WINDOW, AND STOOD THERE, AS IF HE WERE LOOKING AT SOME, GREAT SUNRISE OR SUNSET . . . THERE IS FUCKING NOTHING OUT THOSE WINDOWS OF MERIT AND BEAUTY. I KEPT MY EYES ON HIM, TOO. EVENTUALLY, HE GAVE UP AND WALKED BY, NODDING TO ME, AND LEFT OUT THE SIDE DOOR. THEN SOME, YOUNG, BLONDE CHICK, CAME AND WANTED TO SHARE LANES, WITH ME . . . SURE, AND I MOVED OVER. SHE SAID, AGAIN, AGE AND AGENT, APPROPRIATE, NO, I JUST NEED 5 MINUTES? WHO JUST GETS IN THE POOL, FOR 5 MINUTES? IT APPEARED TO BE A SHOW. SHE WAS JUST IN THE LANE WITH ME, FOR ABOUT, 5 MINUTES, THEN, SHE GOT OUT, AND GOT IN THE HOT TUB, FOR A SECOND, LITERALLY, A SECOND???? ABOUT THAT TIME, A MAN CAME AND WAS LOOKING LIKE HE WANTED A LANE, SINCE, THE EYE CANDY GOT OUT, AND SOME, LADY WITH A CANE, HAD JUST GOT IN MY LANE, I DECIDED, THAT, I WOULD YIELD MY LANE, TO THE MAN, HAVING DONE A GOOD WORKOUT. ALL THE RETIRED AND HOUSEWIVES WERE SHOWING UP! I GOT OUT, WENT TO THE HOT TUB. NOW, I MAY HAVE CUT MY WORKOUT SHORT, BUT IT WAS, 7:30 AM, WHEN, I GOT IN, AND I USUALLY, DO AN HOUR TO HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES, SO RIGHT AROUND, 8:30 AM, OR SHORTLY BEFORE THAT, A MAN, LOOKED, SAMOAN OR TONGAN, CAME IN, AND SAT DOWN, NEAR MY BACKPACK. I LOOKED AT HIM AND HE GOT UP AND LEFT THE ROOM. HE WAS DRESSED IN A BROWN SHIRT AND SHORTS, AGAIN, NOT THE POOL, NOR GYM, TYPE. HE CAME BACK IN, WITH THREE OTHER DUDES, TWO BLACKS, AND ONE WHITE, WEARING RED SHORTS. ALL OF THESE THREE MEN, WERE TOTALLY OUT OF SHAPE, AND PROBABLY COPS! TALK ABOUT ME! YOUR BEAT COPS, ARE FIT AND LEAN, DESK MONKEYS, AND SHERIFFS DON'T SEEM TO BE AS MUCH, SO. I THOUGHT, KILLER PODS! THEY WERE ALL MUCKING AROUND, AND JOKING, AS ONE BY ONE, THEY GOT IN THE SHOWER, AND I WAS, RUSHING TO DO MY HOT TUB EXERCISES .. . ONE IN THE HOT TUB, THE DUDE, NEAR MY BACKPACK, WAS BACK, MR. RED LONG SWIM SHORTS, WAS GETTING OUT OF THE SHOWER AND INTO THE TUB . . . LAST DUDE, WAS, TAKING A SHOWER! ALL BEEFY, ALL COULD TAKE ME DOWN AND OUT IN A SECOND, WITH BACK UP MAN, GUARDING THE FAMILY JEWELS, OR ALMOST ALL I HAVE IN LIFE, IS IN THE BACKPAGK, NOT TO MENTION THE LETTERS OF TONS OF PROOF OF WHO I AM . . . THAT WAS THE TARGET! EARLY OUT, FREAKED THEM OUT! I WENT TO THE SHOWER, BEFORE THE SECOND GUY, EVEN LEFT, OR BARELY LEFT IT, LOOKING SHOCKED, AND THE OTHER DUDE WAS STILL IN IT! I LOOKED OVER AT THE GUY, NEAR MY BACKPACK, AND HE APPEARED TO TRY TO COVER, OR THE FUCKED UP OPERATION! IN TRUE COP, STYLE, GO FOR THE PUSSY! HE SMILED, PATTED, HIS LAP, AND MOTIONED FOR ME TO COME OVER AND SIT ON HIS FUCKING LAP?????????????? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME??????? I RUSHED OUT OF THE SHOWER, DRIPPING WET, BECAUSE IN THE MORNING, FIASCO OF LOOKING FOR MY LOCK, AND FUCKING UP, MY ROUTINE, I LEFT THEM SOMEWHERE, SO DRIPPING WET, I GRABBED THE BACKPACK AND BASICALLY SPLIT, RUSHING TO GET DRESSED AND OUT OF THERE BEFORE THEY NOTIFIED, THE REST OF THE TEAM! AND TEAM THERE WAS! ONE THING I HAVE NOTICED ABOUT THIS CLUB, EVERY TIME THERE IS A STINK OP, SOMEONE PROPS THE DOOR, BETWEEN THE GYM, AND THE POOL AREA, OPEN WITH A CINDER BLOCK, WHICH IT DID THIS TIME, SO I KNEW, THAT THESE WERE NOT MEMBERS, BUT, ALLOWED IN, GOING TO THE GYM, TO LOOK, LIKE THEY WERE MEMBERS OR WORKING OUT, AND WITHOUT GOING TO THE MEN'S LOCKER ROOM, SKIP THE LOCKERS AND GO STRAIGHT, SHORT CUT THROUGH TO THE POOL WHERE I AM! I NOTICED A BLONDE, YOUNG, AGENT LOOKING DUDE, SITTING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT DESK AREA . . . NEVER HAVE SEEN, SOMEONE SITTING THERE? ALL I DID, WAS HIT THE ROAD JACK AND NEVER LOOK BACK AGAIN, NO MORE, NO MORE, NO MORE! GETTING IN SHAPE, OUT THE DOOR, DOWN THE ELEVATOR, HIT THE ROAD, AND RACED UP THE HILL, NEAR MIKE'S CHILI, AND TRADER JOE'S, TO THE D LINE, THAT WAS DUE, LOVE THE BUSES, MY CHARIOTS OF FIRE, RAPID RIDE, COMING IN JUST 3 MINUTES! HOW IS THAT FOR TIMING???? GREAT. LOVE IT! FREE AGAIN, FREE AGAIN, FREE AT LAST! BUT NONE TO SOON. SOME, OLDER, CIA AGENT, LOOKING DUDE, CAME, AND GOT TO THE BUS, SHORTLY AFTER ME. FOLLOWED BY, AND THIS IS GREAT, SOME DUDE, THAT WAS, FREAKING OUT, HAD HIS BAG ON THE GROUND, WITH, THE WORD, "STAFF" IN BIG WHITE BLOCK LETTERS, ON HIS NEW, BLACK T-SHIRT! AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS, A METH HEAD, ON DRUGS, HE WAS SHAKING, AND GOING THROUGH HIS DUFFEL BAG, LOOKING LIKE HE WAS, FRANTICALLY, LOOKING FOR SOMETHING . . . AH, BUS PASS? OR BUSS TICKETS? YEAH, THEY CAN GET AWAY FROM YOU, LOST IN SOME POCKET OR ZIPPER IN YOUR BAG! LOL. I LOVE THAT THE BUS DRIVERS ARE ON COMPUTERIZED, SCHEDULES, AND WILL, WAIT, A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT, IF YOU AREN'T READY, THEY WILL JUST LEAVE WITHOUT YOU! LOL. THAT IS JUST WHAT HAPPENED! LOL. RIGHT AFTER THAT, I SAW THE SIGN, ON A VAN . . ."TOPGUN!" GOTTA LOVE IT . . . I AM BETTER THAN THE BEST! PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT--BETTER WATCH WHAT YOU ARE FORCING ME TO PRACTICE? 7 FUCKING YEARS, OF DITCHING, DODGING, RUNNING, MOVING AND SHAKING, OUT OF 10,000 TRAPS, STINK OPS AND OUTRAGEOUS, SITUATIONS AND OPERATIONS! THE SIGNS ALL THE WAY UP, WERE PRICELESS! OH, YEAH, I AM THAT, GOOD! I AM TRAINING THE TROOPS! THEY COULDN'T PAY FOR SOMEONE SMARTER, TO TRAIN THEIR LOSER ASSES! HUMBLE TOO! SO FUN, SO COOL, BUT, SICK AND TIRED OF THIS SHIT! YOU NEED TO GET MY BILLIONS, GO AFTER YOUR HEROES AND THEIR HAGS, YOU THINK ARE WONDERFUL AND ME! REALLY, HORRIBLE BOSSES! HOW NICE TO CONVENIENTLY, BANNER BANK, AND GIVE IT TO YOURSELVES AND ALL YOUR COP BUDDIES, TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AS DIRTY AS YOU ARE! ALL-WAYS AIR CONTROL. QUALITY! OR ME. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON . . . FUCKING FOREVER, AND RELENTLESSLY! I GOT ON THE BUS AND STEPPED IN SOMETHING, STICKY . . . NOW, THIS ALL STARTED, WITH, THE BUSHIES, WHO HATED ME FOR KILLING ASSET FORFEITURE, THE FIRST OF WHAT WAS SEE, MANY, RUSSIAN ADOPTED, LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEASURES AND TOOLS, TO GET THEIR OWN HANDS ON THE GOODS AND PROPERTY OF OTHERS, MAKING IT LOOK, LIKE IT WAS DUE TO DRUGS OR WHATEVER. SHELLEY, LATER KAY, THEN, RACHEL, SUE, TIFFANY, ANNIE, ALL THE GALS, WERE BROUGHT IN AS THE WCP,, OR GEORGE W. BUSH, CHENEY, PERFECT, SOLUTION, TO ME! WE WILL JUST KILL JOANN, AND TAKE HER GREAT RESUMES, GIVE HER NAME, CONNECTED, WITH THE CONSTITUTION, AMERICA, AND MOTHERHOOD, AND, SAY A REPUBLICAN, WE CAN CONTROL IS JOANN! GREAT SHELLEY, HAS DIRTY, CHARGES, AND IS WILLING TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, AND WILL GIVE HER RIGHT ARM TO BE JOANN, THE FORMER AG! WELL SHELLEY WASN'T ENOUGH, SO THEY BROUGHT ON ALL THE OTHERS! NOW THE COPS HAVE OCTOPUSSY ON THEIR FACES, AND HAVE TO DEFEND THEM! IT IS KIND OF LIKE, TAKE YOUR HONEY TO WORK, OR YOUR WIFE, IN A RIDE ALONG, AND END UP, PROTECTING HER, RATHER THAN THE PEOPLE YOU ARE PAID TO SERVE AND PROTECT! IT IS STICKY, BUT REALLY, IT IS NOT! YOU ARE ALL JUST A "GANG OF THIEVES" AND NEED TO GO DOWN, FOR YOUR CRIMES! HERE IN LIES THE PROBLEM! MEET ME IN THE FIRE FERRET BELOW!

WE DID IT ALL FOR LOVE!  DON'T LET THEM FOOL YOU FOR ONE SECOND!  THEY DID IF FOR MONEY, THE LOVE OF MONEY, AND EZ MONEY!

ONE STOP FAMILY SHOP!

CAMINO ISLAND BY JOHN GRISHAM

The story line, on this, novel, is, a "gang of thieves" steal a collection of rare, first addition, or even, handwritten, first edition, F. Scott Fitzgerald, manuscripts, from the Firestone Library at Princeton . . . some symbolic references there, as in all the names and places in this book.  Who gave the story, to Grisham?  He thanks someone at the first of the book for the story, which is similar to mine, but spot on in some cases!  The thieves, are into rare, art, and books, collections and selling those artifacts.  Several of the gang has been to prison for just those same crimes.  One of the main characters, killed, one of the other gang members, seeing him, as more a liability, than, and help, after several of the others, two, get caught by the feds, right after the heist.

This is like 10 years after the fact, and the murderer, has, set up an award winning, local, writer's bookstore, and is a pillar of society, but, under suspicion from the feds.  The heist was worth, $25 million, no more then, chump change, compared to the Secrist Family Heist, still going on, daily, from this blog and music, and books!  The insurance company, hires, this chick, to, get a hold of a local, writer, who has just finished her last, semester, teaching college writing, probably setting her up, to do what they want to hire her to do.  This budding writer, is from, the same, town, or her grandmother, lived in the town,  and she spent, her summers, hanging out with grandma, watching the sea turtles, come and lay their eggs, and watch the hatchlings, then, venture into the sea, to have a 1 in 100 change of survival.

THE PERFECT WRITER, YOUNG BEAUTIFUL, GIFTED, AND ABLE TO GET NEAR, THE BOOK STORE OWNER, TO SEE IF HE HAS THE FITZGERALD MANUSCRIPTS, KNOWING THE MAN HAS AN OPEN MARRIAGE AND AND EYE FOR THE LADIES, PARTICULARLY, THOSE WHO SHARE HIS INTEREST IN RARE MANUSCRIPTS, OF FAMOUS, EARLY AMERICAN WRITERS, LIKE F. SCOTT AND ERNEST HEMINGWAY.

There is kind of this, silent competition between this privately paid, women, who contacts the writer, and the FBI, who is also, looking at, the book store owner, with interest and suspicion.  The writer is hired for, roughly $100,000 and she also, gets her student loans, paid off . . . I know, that would push me over the edge too!  Finally, the writer, who is hesitant at first, says, no, because, she fears, that she will be asked to compromise her high standards and principles, in the kind of work the insurance company does, but, eventually, she agrees after getting more money and her loans paid off.  EVERYONE HAS THEIR PRICE!  I MAKE TOO MUCH, MONEY, I JUST WANT, THE FEDS, OR ANYONE TO GET MY MONEY . . . SHOW ME MY MONEY!

ALWAYS THE GREAT COMPROMISE THAT CAN TANK ANY AGENT, ANY INFORMANT, AND ANY GOOD COP . . . HAVING SEX WITH THE TARGET, OFTEN USED BY THE TARGET, TO KEEP THE RAT QUIET, OR COMPROMISE, A MARRIED PERSON, OR TO GET CLOSE TO SOMEONE THEY SUSPECT OF BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE!

THE ATTRACTIVE FEMALE WRITER, REBUFFS, THE SMOOTH, BOOK STORE AND RARE BOOK COLLECTORS, OFFERS, OF, OPEN SEX, BUT SHE EVENTUALLY, CAVES IN, LONELY, WITH HIS WIFE, OR ALLEGED, WIFE OUT OF THE COUNTRY, HAVING HER OWN, FLING WITH LONG TIME LOVER IN FRANCE WHERE SHE COLLECTS AND BUYS, VINTAGE FRENCH FURNITURE AND ANTIQUES.  WHO'S BEING HURT?  SHE DECIDES, NOBODY, AND SLEEPS WITH THE GUY.

THINGS CHANGE, AFTER YOU HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE--NOW, HE SHOWS OUR WRITER AND UNDERCOVER, THE MANUSCRIPTS, BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW, HE HAS ALSO, MURDERED, ONE OF THE GANG OF THIEVES . . . QUOTES FROM THE TEXT OF GRISHAM

     The plan had been built on assumptions and speculations and no small measure of hope, but now it had succeeded.  They had the proof, the answer they so desperately needed, but could she deliver? Could she take the next crucial step and make the call that would send the Bruce to prison for the next ten years?  She thought about his downfall, his ruin and humiliation, and his horror of being caught red handed, arrested, hauled into court, then taken away.  What would happen to his beautiful and important bookstore?  His home?  His friends?  His cherished collection of rare books? His money?  Her betrayal would have enormous consequences and damage more than one person.  Perhaps Cable deserved all  that was coming, but not his employees, not his friends, not even Noelle.

     At midnight, Mercer was still on the beach, wrapped in a shawl, toes dug into the sand, staring at the moonlit ocean and asking herself again why she ever said yes to Elaine Shelby.  She knew the answer, but the money seemed much less important now.  The destruction she was about to sow was far greater than the money behind it.  The  truth was she liked Bruce Cable, his beautiful smile and easy manner, his good looks, his unique wardrobe, his wit and intelligence, his admiration of writers, his skill as a lover, his presence around others, his friends, his reputation, his charisma that at times seemed magnetic.  She was secretly thrilled to be so close to him, to be considered among his inner circle, and yes, to be just another in his long line of women.  Because of him, she'd had more fun in the past six weeks, that in the last six years.

     One option at the moment was to simply keep quiet and allow things to run their course.  Elaine and her gang and perhaps the FBI would continue doing whatever they had to do.  Mercer could go through the motions, feigning, frustration at not being able to accomplish more.  She'd made it down to the basement vault and delivered plenty of evidence.  Hell, she'd even slept with the guy and might again.  She had done her best so far and would continue to play along.  Maybe Bruce would unload Tycoon just as he said, without a trace, into the murky vastness of the black market, and his vault would, be clean when the Feds rolled in.  Before long, her six months would be over and she would leave the island, and do so with fond memories.  She might even return for summer vacations at her cottage, or, better, ytet, on a book tour one day with a fine new novel.  And then another.

     Her agreement was not contingent on a successful operation.  She was to be paid regardless.  Her student loans were already history.  Half the fee was in the bank.  She felt certain the other half would arrive as promised.

     For a long time that night she convinced herself to stay quiet, let the lazy summer days pass, don't rock the boat.  Fall would be there soon enough and she would be somewhere else.

     Was there a moral right and wrong?  She had agreed to take part in a plan with the ultimate goal of piercing Cable's would and finding the manuscripts.  This, she had finally done, though only because of an unbelievable blunder on his part.  The operation, with Mercer, the writer, in the center, had just succeeded.  What right did she have to now question the legitimacy of the plan?  Bruce had deliberately entered the conspiracy to get rid of the manuscripts, to sell them for profit and keep them away from their rightful owner. With Bruce Cable, there was no moral high ground.  He had a reputation for dealing in stolen books and had admitted as much to her.  He knew the risks and seemed to eagerly accept them.  Sooner or later he would get caught, either for this crime or for a later one. 

. . . She climbed the steps and followed the pier to its end, where she leaned on a railing and gazed at the horizon.  What would Tessa do? (her grandma).  Well, to begin with, Tessa would never find herself in such a predicament.  She would never allow herself to be compromised.  She would never be seduced by the money.  With Tessa, right was right and wrong was wrong and there were no g ray areas.  Lying was a sin, your word was your word, a deal was a deal, regardless of the inconvenience.

     Mercer anguished back and forth as the battle raged.  She finally decided, at some awful hour of the morning, that the only way to stay quiet was to return the money and walk away.  Even then, though, she would keep a secret that rightfully belonged to others, to the good guys.  Tessa would be scornful if she backed out now.

     She got in bed around 3:00 a.m, with no chance  of sleeping.

     At exactly five, she made the call.

. . .

     For an hour, Janeway and Bradshaw asked her questions, and she told them same story for at least the third time that day.  Bradshaw produced large photos of the basement, the vault, and the safe inside.  Philly interrupted repeatedly with his own questions, and much of her testimony was repeated more than twice.  But she kept her cool, and was often amused by the through that Bruce Cable was far more likeable than these guys, the good ones.

HEREIN, LIES, THE PROBLEM!

RIGHT IS RIGHT, AND WRONG IS WRONG!

DUDE WAS A MURDER, THOUGH A CHARMING ONE, AND A THIEF!

ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MY CASE, ARE CHARMING, PSYCHOPATHS ARE, BUT THEY HAVE NO EMPATHY, THEY, DIG OTHER PEOPLE'S PAIN, EVEN KILL THOSE WHO DARE, TO TELL THE TRUTH, AND THEY HAVE NO PROBLEMS TAKING CREDIT WHERE, THERE IS NONE DESERVED!

CTR.  CHOOSE THE RIGHT!

DO, YOU SERIOUSLY, THINK, THEY ARE GOING TO STOP AT JUST ME?

THE ONE THING, I HAVE FOUND, IN MY CASE, AND THIS MIX, MATCH AND ATTACH, EVEN SEEING THE NAMES, IN THIS CASE, MERCER, THERE IS, HERE IN SEATTLE, MERCER ISLAND . . . RACHEL, USED TO DREAM OF LIVING ON MERCER ISLAND WHEN SHE WAS LIVING, IN BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, NOW IT WOULD PROBABLY BE, MAGNOLIA . . . BUT, THIS CONFUSION OF WOMEN, IS FRAUGHT WITH, EXAMPLES OF THE CRIMES, AND HOW, COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED, THIS IS, IF YOU START TO WONDER, IS THIS TOO STICKY, TO JUST DO THE RIGHT THING?  WE LOOK AT THE SEATTLE SKYLINE, AND HOW MANY NEW BUILDINGS HAVE GONE UP, SINCE, RACHEL, AKA, JOANN, STARTED TO LIVE IN SEATTLE, FROM 7 TO 54, IN JUST 6 MONTHS, LAST YEAR . . . JUST THIS MORNING, THERE WERE TWO CRUISE SHIPS, THE BIG ONES, SITTING IN THE BALLARD, LOCKS . . . JUST LIKE MERCER, THE WRITER, LOOKS, AT HOW MANY LIVES, ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED, HOW MANY JOBS, AND HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE, WILL ALSO, PAY A PRICE, EVEN AS THE VICTIM, I HAVE, BEEN ALMOST WILLING TO LET THINGS BE . . . BUT, WHEN, I REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, AND ALL THE COST TO ME AND SOCIETY, IN MORALS, ETHICS, AND CHARACTER, THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED, TO THRIVE, STARTING WITH THE HIVE, IN DECLINE IN UTAH, THIS COULD BE THE FALL OF SOCIETY, IT IS THAT BIG, CAN WE AFFORD THAT, OR A FEW SKYSCRAPERS, NOT FINISHED?

THIS MORNING, WHEN, I GOT TO THE BUS STOP, ACROSS FROM, HAMMOND HOUSE, THERE WAS A "STRANGER" MAGAZINE, OPEN ON THE GROUND, NEAR THE NEWSPAPER, STANDS, OPENED TO THE TITLE, STARTING WITH, "CONSTRUCTION CHEATED" . . . IN THE RUSH, TO MONEY LAUNDER, AND PUT UP THESE BUILDINGS, ARE THE CODES VIOLATED, BUILDING INSPECTORS, PAID OFF, AND, CORNERS CUT, MAKING THE BUILDINGS, ALL UNSAFE FOR OCCUPANCY?  PROBABLY.  ISN'T IT BETTER TO STOP THINGS NOW, AND PROTECT, INNOCENT PEOPLE, FROM FAULTY, CONSTRUCTION, BEFORE, WE HAVE ANOTHER, 9/11 CATASTROPHE . . . THESE PEOPLE JUST WANT THE MONEY, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OR THE LIVES!

HARD CORE LEISURE!

THEY ARE ONLY IN IT FOR THEMSELVES!

THEY TWIST AND TURN, THINGS MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE THE VICTIMS, AND I AM THE PERP!  WATCH TRUMP, HE LEARNED FROM THEM!

THEY ARE ONLY LOYAL TO THEIR INNER CIRCLE!  IS THERE ANY WONDER, JARED AND IVANKA, WILL STAY UNTIL THE BITTER END?  THEY NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!

IT IS ALL ABOUT THEM!

AND ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!

LIVING LIVES, THEY NEVER EVEN DREAMED OF!

IDENTITY THEFT IS A CRIME!  THE TRUMPS ARE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, BECAUSE OF THESE PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE ALL ONE AND THE SAME TYPES OF PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE COMMITTED THOUSANDS OF CRIMES, AND MANY DAILY!  TRUMP, RAN A DIRTY, OPERATION!  WITH MY MONEY BEHIND HIM!

IF THE FEDS, SOLVE MY CASE, THEY WILL SOLVE THE "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MESS!"