If he protected the files with a password to open them, there is no easy way
around it. If he protected them with a password to modify them, you could
open them, copy the contents, and paste it into a blank document.
I have heard that on the Internet you can buy software packages that will
hack passwords. Since I'm not particularly comfortable with entrusting my
credit card information to people who make their living by hacking into other
people's files, I haven't tried them.