Jewelle's breathing was labored as she came back to reality from her horrible thoughts of that night seven years ago. She focused and realized she wasn't in that hotel room. She wasn't awaiting trial. There was no knife. She wasn't dead. She was here on an airplane heading to the Mediterranean to have fun and get her life back.

She studied her cruise tickets for the Emerald of the Seas, the luxury cruise ship that would take her on four weeks of exotic ports, new faces, and hopefully, new friends. It might take her to her ultimate port of call, but she was willing to take that chance. After all, God didn't say, "Here, Jewelle, here's a safety net that's invisible, but always under you in case of emergency." No, life was a stage with each day a new act; no net included.

She reclined her seat as far back as it could go, leaned her head on the headrest, and closed her eyes. Scenes from her past hazily surfaced, unbidden.

She recalled the hotel room where the FBI had hidden her until the trial. It was done in burgundy and rose, right out of the '80's. The bedspread was striped in the same colors, many of the threads torn. She remembered picking at them for hours while trying to pass the time. There were pictures of faded vases filled with some unknown type of flower in gold plastic frames. The carpet was worn and stained. She waited for days for the time that she would testify.

The FBI had been trying to take down the Gambrelini Crime Family for years when Elinore Hanson appeared from out of nowhere, telling them about a multi-million dollar fraud operation she discovered during a consultation with a medical practice.

With Elinore's experience and expertise in the medical billing industry, she led the Office of the Inspector General right into the heart of the Gambrelini's operation. Better still, Elinore agreed to testify, one of the first witnesses in years. Her willingness to cooperate brought forth a slew of other witnesses, and for the first time in years, the Government had a chance at getting a conviction of not only the top dog, Paul Gambrelini, but also several of his captains and their crew.

The Gambrelinis were known for violence and had cops and judges on their payroll everywhere. Making sure that their key witness was safe until the trial was vital, so the FBI kept Elinore in a safe house, where exactly she never knew. She was protected around the clock by uniformed cops who took turns guarding her room. They knocked on her door every hour to make sure everything was OK. Food was brought to her that she didn't order, didn't want, or didn't like.

But Elinore wanted to be a good citizen. She wanted to stand up for what was right and do her part to keep her country strong and respected. She was tired of everyone always turning away and not getting involved. Elinore wanted to make a difference, which forced her to abandon the life she knew and loved, give up her identity, and give up her freedom forever. So she testified and the Government got their first conviction. It was a deadly blow to the mob family resulting in the imprisonment of several captains and their crew. In addition, it crippled much of their operation for many years.

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