"Reginald Anderson is a pompous ass," Angel said, draining the last of her drink. "The little girl is adorable, though. It's too bad."
"Another?" Roger was still nursing his first drink.
"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Negotiator?" Angel laughed as Roger signaled the waitress. "Why are you so interested in the Andersons, anyway?"
"They asked me to negotiate for them," Roger answered. "Someone tried to kidnap Molly today, and I'd like to prevent a second attempt."
"Then you'd better speak to her parents," Angel took a good swig from the glass and swirled it, watching the ice cubes clink together as they spun. "No one wants to hurt the child, although of course people are interested in what she remembers."
"Of course," Roger said sarcastically.
"Be sensible. There's too many people out there who would like to get a piece of what she knows," Angel said. "Her parents were offered protection from that, and they refused."
"They want her to have a chance to be a child," Roger pointed out.
"If she falls into the wrong hands, she won't make it past childhood," Angel said. "The offer was a generous one, Roger Smith, even by your standards. Protection, access to a good education above and beyond what she remembers, and fair payment for anything she comes up with related to those Memories."
"What was the catch?" Roger asked.
"No catch," Angel said coolly. "Cooperation requires far less effort and yields a much better result." She finished the second drink and put the empty glass on the table. "We'll have to do this again real soon," she smiled at him. "Thanks for the drinks."