"This is the latest case." Albert gave Dinah a folder. "You take a look and tell me what you think. Then do the research."
"Dig through the files?"
"Not as much fun as scaling buildings and going through windows, but it can be very productive"
"I take that these are old files, which have no been digitized."
"Not yet."
"Because you might consider hiring Wendy Pruitt, if you want to hack records."
"Is she good?"
"She is the best we have."
"You know, hacking is illegal… I cannot in good conscience hire her."
"But if I mention it to Amos… he can talk to her…"
"And payment?"
"Buy one of her father's paintings."
"I like how you think. But now, dig into the files"
-0-
When I left Albert I was in high spirits. A good working relationship... Maybe more"
But as I approached home I felt gloom take hold of me, again.
Did I have a right to happiness?
After all I did, how could I want to be happy? I remembered the dream, how I beat against the door, which refused to let me escape the past.."
-0-
"What is wrong, kid?" Louis, her uncle asked her.. "you look terrible"
"Uncle, do I have a right to be happy? Do I deserve it?"
Louis sighed. "Who's to say that we have right to happiness? Or to anything. As to what we deserve…? "
"Because I feel so… alive when I am with Albert, and I have no right to feel that way."
"Why not?"
"Because of what happened in Trenton. And because of Victor, and…"
Louis sighed again. "There was this old gentleman who was being given a award. He said. 'I do not deserve this, but then I got arthritis and I do not deserve it either..."
"And the point is?"
"The Universe does not care about what you deserve or not. If you have a chance to happiness, seize it, and don't question it. You may not get another chance."
-0-
The deformed man was in her dream later in the night. "Look what you did. You do not deserve happiness"
She ran until she reached the door. No, she could not escape. And yet she found the words.
"I do not deserve happiness, but I will seize it when I have the chance."
The door opened slowly, and Wendy was there.
"I will take it up from here." She said.