The whole thing was artfully elaborated crap – all of it – every single word. In the background, Rahim had a man who pretended to be a trader, Gregory Cranston. But Cranston was not what he seemed. The funds invested in this fantasy platform were not blocked at all.

I caught a thread of thought coming from Rahim that turned my guts cold. Without thinking I opened my mouth to ask Rahim a direct question. “Who is the trader?”

A small slip up on my part, Rahim hadn’t been speaking at all. I’d asked Rahim because of his thoughts. I hoped he didn’t notice how eager I was. My instincts hit home when Rahim leaned toward me, sloshing his syrupy charm all over.

“Ah, we’ve truly caught Hope’s interest. I had worried the conversation would bore you to tears. You must be an exceptionally intelligent woman to hit the heart of the matter so soon.”

As I’d worried, Rahim had noticed my unusual eagerness. He wasn’t alarmed, but he put the brakes on Emilio’s free-flowing mouth.

“The trader, my dear, cannot be divulged without undergoing certain formalities. We must have documented history and proof of funds for legal compliance. I assume Emilio sent you the file with the sample documents?”

Emilio chimed in, “I confirmed Senor Reguera’s receipt of my email yesterday evening.”

Enrique came back smoothly, “My secretary will have them ready soon.”

Rahim took my hand in his. He pulled me close to kiss my hand with regal charm, and then patted the back of my hand as if that made it all better.

“I regret to disappoint a beautiful woman, but we must adhere to the rules of private placement. The SEC is very strict about these things.”

He didn’t disappoint me at all. I was livid with rage at what I learned when he foolishly grabbed my hand. The close contact brought an avalanche of details. I learned far more than I ever would have if the prick hadn’t kissed my hand.

I could barely restrain myself from clawing his beady little eyes out. The bastard trader was no trader at all. He was an FBI agent paying Rahim as a federal confidential informant. They used Rahim’s scam to fish for investors whose source of funds were questionable. They investigated everyone’s bank accounts and assets, searching for money launderers. They had identified several. Money launderers are attracted to this kind of investment, it helps legitimize their funds for tax filings. That’s why they dangled the tax treaty bait. Money launderers are drawn to that immediately.

Rahim sat back to watch me as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. I caught his interest. He had a hard-on for me.

“Do I detect a hint of an accent? What is your heritage Hope?”

He wanted to know more about me. Wanted me bent over the dining table. Wanted to take me in the bathroom and bang me up against the wall. I didn’t want that nasty son-of-a-bitch to know anything more than he already knew. I wished I’d never met him. Then Enrique jumped in and volunteered the answer.

“She’s visiting from Colombia. She’s acquired a scholarship and wishes to attend NYU.”

Oh how I regretted Enrique’s input. He divulged way too much information. Rahim’s mind raced with the potential opportunities to take advantage of me. As he sat there with his creepy little charming half smile, Rahim schemed a twisted plot. He wanted to steal Enrique’s money, have him indicted, and then blackmail me into having sex with him in exchange for immunity from prosecution as a minor party on the indictment.

All my life I had believed the cartels and Traquetos were the most evil, predatory people in the world. Rahim and the undercover FBI agent Cranston were the real predators. They siphoned millions off the economy, and destroyed whole families with indictments and ruined reputations.

It made me physically sick to sit at the table so near to him. He was the vilest, most despicable, most corruptly powerful man I’d ever encountered. And I definitely didn’t like the idea that he knew so much about me. He could have me thrown in federal detention and deported with a phone call.

I tried my best to retain composure in the midst of the shocking revelations, but something must have shown in my face. A small glimpse of my shock slipped past the mask. Rahim thought I’d somehow misinterpreted his words. He moved in close to apologize. I shied away from him, instinctively sliding towards Enrique who was already up out of his seat, taking me under his arm to comfort me.

Enrique interrupted Rahim. “Hope, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

When I nodded yes, not trusting myself to speak, he reacted immediately, pulling my chair out and helping me to my feet.

“Let’s get you to the restroom.” He ushered me away from the table where they sat looking puzzled by my sudden illness.

As we neared the restrooms he whispered low at my ear. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to be near that man anymore. Don’t give him your information. Don’t give him any money!”

I calmed in Enrique’s embrace. My earlier anxiety shifted gears to anger. I explained the scam, that Rahim was nothing more than a con artist. And then I did something totally out of character. I got some weird idea about truth, justice, right and wrong.

“You have to stop him! He can’t be allowed to destroy people’s lives like this!” Where did I come off acting all holier-than-thou?

Something about Rahim’s scam aroused a powerfully righteous anger. I wanted God to smite him right there at the dinner table. Rahim needed to be struck down by lightning, washed away in a flood, decapitated in a subway accident like a teenager in a horror film. I’m not usually hateful and vindictive. Rahim found a way to bring out all the worst in me.

“I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well and the meeting will have to be rescheduled. Ahht!” He interrupted my protests. “Not here, not now. We’ll talk at home in private.” He shut me down for the moment.

We arrived home an hour later. By then I’d relaxed and had time to think clearly about the situation. Enrique took care of business first. He took me straight to bed, made mad passionate love to me, and bit me good and hard just the way I like it. That stole some thunder from my righteous anger. It’s hard to focus on bringing the wrath of God down on your enemy’s head in the middle of mind blowing sex.

“Are you feeling better now?” I snuggled up into his arms and sighed with pleasure. “Do you feel up to talking about it?”

“Sure.” I wiggled my butt playfully up against him.

“Tell me what had you so upset.”

I explained everything, the fake name, scam investments, the federal agent behind it all, and even Rahim’s designs on me. Enrique listened intently without interruption. His features were well schooled, showing very little surprise or reaction. When he finally commented, it wasn’t what I expected.

“It looks like we’ve found your calling. You’re hired, permanently. I want you present at all my major business functions. I want detailed written reports of what my associate’s thoughts are versus what they have to say.”

I was shocked to say the least, happily shocked. I had a career now, with real prospects for a bright shiny future, if only I could survive long enough to reap the benefits. This far exceeded any of my expectations. But there was still some unfinished business.

“What are you gonna do about Rahim?”

“Nothing. I’ll respectfully decline his offer to invest and that’s the end of it. I don’t think I’ll ever work with Emilio again. His greed blinds him. He can’t be trusted.”

“You have to put a stop to it. He’s a horribly dangerous man. He’s gonna continue to destroy people and steal their money!”

“What would you suggest I do?”

That threw me for a loop. No one ever cared about my opinions before. No one ever sought my counsel for anything, except to play lie detector.

“I don’t know … Isn’t there some government agency that would arrest him? Maybe the SEC?”

“And his federal agent buddy would immediately step forward to have all charges dropped based on his ongoing cooperation and efforts in other government investigations. There’s nothing we can do legally.”

“But he must be stopped! He’s the worst kind of predator – worse than any drug dealer!”

“Let me think on it a while. But for now we simply avoid him and count ourselves lucky for doing so.”

* * * *

Chapter 13

The next afternoon I awoke at five in the afternoon to a wonderfully pleasant surprise. There on my nightly tray, right beside my dinner, cans of Ensure, and syringe loaded with venom, was a four page document and a note attached.

Dear Hope:

Take some time to review this employment contract. If satisfactory, please sign and make yourself a copy.

Love,

Enrique

I took care of my needs first of course. I had quickly become proficient at tying off my arm, finding the vein in the crook of my elbow, and injecting myself with Enrique’s personal brand of liquid euphoria. First things first.

After wiping the slobber off my jaw and cleaning up from the mind-altering orgasm, I sat down to review the best job offer of my life. Nothing short of a miracle. A blessing from God. The best thing that ever happened to me. A hundred thousand dollars annual salary, three weeks paid vacation, all travel and food expenses paid on business trips along with a per diem, and any college classes I required paid in full, including classes on intercultural etiquette – to be enrolled ASAP. The sweetest part of the deal, a signing bonus of $20,000 paid immediately – for services rendered to date.

What were my duties? Attend all mandatory business meetings and provide a full detailed written report of all communications between parties and any of my thoughts, opinions, and intuitions. It didn’t outright say telepathic eavesdropping, but I read between the lines well enough to interpret the picture. I had been hired to spy on everyone Enrique does business with.

Maybe it was the venom high, or the fact I didn’t want to give him a chance to retract the offer, I signed it immediately. I didn’t wait to ask a single question. I was already in the office, typing my report on Rahim and Emilio, by the time Enrique arrived a little after seven.