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On the other side of the street, he walked down the block, went to a meter, took out a handful of coins, and counted them Everyone alked past him paid little attention to what he did; he was si ticket

They were not aware that he’d claimed the spot many hours before dawn, or that he had spent the ti space or feeding coins to it so he ht eavesdrop on every woman who came to use the booth Fortunately in this era of mobile phones few seemed to have need of it, and there had been only two since dawn

The third came as he selected a quarter to add to the meter He heard the click of her heels on the concrete sidewalk and smelled her scent as she passed He didn’t look directly at her, but fro twist of black hair at the back of her head and the sray jacket over sliood clear water, crisp and cool He closed his eyes briefly, taking her scent deep into his chest and letting it ware of time and life, but he still kept faith in his senses They whispered that she had come to him at last, the one he wassnow

She smelled of rain

Coins chimed as she fed theainst his ears, low and sweet, a taste of dark honey She asked for an agent by name, waited, and said, "I have important information for you Please listen carefully"

Matthias pressed a button on his watch to switch it to its ti function before he fed another quarter into thenames, dates, monetary amounts, and the electronic ave the address of a hotel and the room number where the criminals responsible could be found She finished the call with a polite refusal--probably for a sizable reward--and hung up the receiver

She walked aithout looking back once

He checked his watch She had related everything in one ht seconds As he watched her turn the corner, he saw her relove and then the other

He took out his own phone and pressed the nu it to his ear "Whom did she call?"

"FBI headquarters in New York City," Drew told hiet a clear shot?"

"There was no opportunity" Matthias went around and climbed into his rental car As he pulled out and drove around the block, he repeated everything he had heard the woman say "You can check what she reported to see if it is true?"

"Already on it" The sound of tapping keys caave the FBI o Electronic embezzlement The company lost close to a million dollars No suspects"

"Soon there will be"

"No doubt," Drew agreed "Why doesn’t she report them to the local office? They’re there in Atlanta"

He considered that "Too close to where she lives"

"Then you were right She lives in the city"

"Lives, or perhaps works" Matthias searched the faces of the pedestrians walking on either side of the street before he spotted the wo her hand in the air "She came by taxi"

"Smart lady No car, no license plate we can use to trace her identity Do you think she suspects that so for her?"

"She would not stay here if she did" Matthias kept one hand on the wheel and used the other to lift his camera to his face He was able to snap three profile shots as the woman entered the taxi that had stopped for her "Find out what you can I will call you later"

"Good hunting, boss"

Matthias noted the number and license plate of the cab before he pressed the nu voice said

He gave her the nu with the company name stenciled on the side of the taxi "The driver took her from the street at one thirty-three"