The provided text consists of excerpts from a novel, "Private," by James Patterson, outlining complex criminal investigations and the personal life of the protagonist, Jack Morgan, a private investigator. The excerpts detail multiple simultaneous cases, including the murder of Jack's friend Andy Cushman's wife, Shelby, who is revealed to have been working for a Mob-linked spa and was targeted for a hit, with Andy Cushman being the one who ultimately contracted the murder. Additionally, the text follows the "Schoolgirl" serial killer case, where Jack's partner, Justine Smith, works to identify a group of killers, eventually connecting them to a dangerous online game and arresting Rudolph Crocker and Eamon Fitzhugh for the murders. Finally, Jack investigates a case of NFL game-fixing, which leads him to confront the Marzullo crime family and his gambling-addicted brother, Tom, who is also revealed to be the source of anonymous death threats targeting Jack.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.