Marcie goes back into the kitchen and starts up some coffee. I put Mic to work printing up the articles he downloaded from the Psudeo-ESP Journal, and have him hide the chip. I owe Marcie a big one, so try to work the scam for her benefit.

Becky is holding her breath, waiting to hear what I have in mind.

"Your dad have a will?"

Her eyes widen in curiosity.

"Yes. He left me the house, some other property, and his assets. Nothing's cleared probate yet, of course."

I call my buddy at probate, retrieve her case number, then fax the whack job articles to Pico and Chase, the funky document firm, referencing Carlyle and Bent's account number, from the lawyer's file. Put it up as a new case, under Becky's probate file number. Papers to be added to her father's will, as a codicil, and back-dated. Figure, they accepted a commission from the shysters to diddle my Ex, probably not think twice about accepting another hack job from them. In any case, It plants the information inside their offices. Just calling Semperton back when Marcia comes in with the coffee. She starts to say something, but I put my hand up as the connection comes on.

Over the phone, Semperton roars at me. "What the hell, Wander! Where's the diagrams, or seeing as Davis was strapped down for an operation, the prototype? Wheres the girl?"

I make reasonable noises. "I got her. But you don't want her. You don't even want her to know you were interested in her. Trust me. The chip? Don't know what kind of operation Davis had going on, but if it was a chip, it probably got ground to a pulp by your boys during the scuffle. I know where your diagrams are, though, which is why you want to stay well clear of Becky."

More swearing, then "What are you playing at, Wander. Talk."

"Turns out, her dad made an addition to his estate will. Real late in the day. Big rush to see some diagrams and information about his latest research got to his daughter. The will is still in probate; the addition hasn't been added yet. But I know who has the papers, and who is contracted to provide the addition. Know some mokes called Pico and Chase?"

"The Document guys? Yeah, I've dealt with em before. So?"

"Somehow I thought you might. Here's a probate file number...They're prepping the addition, have the research papers. Becky doesn't know about it, and if the Estate goes through as is..."

"She never will..., long as some misfortune occurs to Pico and Chase. A robbery and a fire, maybe. Its a tough town. Okay, good work. You sucking up, Wander?"

"Just, thanks for helping me retrieve my office clerk." Never hire muscle you can get for free.

"My boys get that paperwork, I'll owe you one, Wander."

I think about the articles. There are enough sketched circuit examples and math in them to keep an egghead busy for a week, by the look. But no final schematics. Enough maybe to encourage Semperton to hire some researchers. Who knows? Maybe someday the mob boss will make a contribution to science. Either way, Becky is off the hook, and there's little chance Marcia will see any late arriving codicils to her mother's Will.