Upper Montclair, New Jersey, Wednesday…

She stared at the screen. She had just sent the e-mail. The feds must be intercepting it. She reached for her cell phone and then decided against it. If they were intercepting encrypted e-mail, they certainly would not have any problem with a cell phone call. He might not answer the phone anyway, and leaving a video-mail message was just as bad as e-mail - worse, actually. She could always deny she sent the e-mail but the video-mail message would have her voice and image.

She felt she really needed advice, though, and Phillip was the best one to give it to her. The little clock at the bottom of the computer screen said 11:32. Phillip would be at his office. That was no problem. He lived in Montvale and worked in Upper Saddle River. It was a quick ride up the old parkway. She would grab lunch on the way.

White was not particularly happy to see her.

"I really can't help you, Kalidas," he said, as his secretary showed her into the plush office that made either of hers, work or home, look like a slum. He always called her by her full name. Most people did. Jose had been the strong exception to that rule. "They were quite insistent."

"I know. It'll be off the record. No one can overhear us here, can they?"

He smiled. It was a fatherly smile. White was a big black man that carried his age well. Only the short-cropped hair hinted at his seventy-seven years. He was vigorous and strong. He had a deep baritone voice that added to his fatherly image and probably gave his clients a great deal of confidence in him.