Jorge was still shaking his head. "The victims were unable to speak and now the doctors have them sedated. We assume the attackers were looking for whoever provided them with the audiotape."

"The idiots," María snarled. "Didn't they anticipate that? Didn't they take precautions?"

"Yes," said Jorge. "The irony is they were very well prepared. The station has always been a target for malcontents. Their politics, you know-very antigovemment. The facility is surrounded with barbed wire and is constructed like a bunker. It even has a metal door. The employees keep guns inside. But deterrents only sway the timid hearted. And these attackers were not timid."

"Constable," Aideen said patiently, "do you have any idea who it was that provided the tape?"

Jorge snuck an uncomfortable look at María. "I'm afraid the answer is once again no," he said. "We have two patrols going through the surrounding villages. They're looking for groups of people who may be searching for the person or persons who provided the tape. But we came to this relatively late. So far, we've found no one."

"The attackers would probably separate once they left here," María said. "They wouldn't want to risk everyone getting caught. They also wouldn't stay together after they found whoever they were looking for," María said. She drew on her cigarette and exhaled through her nose. She regarded Jorge intently. "Are you sure that's all you can tell us?"

"I'm sure," he replied. His gaze was equally intent.

"What are the chances that the person who had the tape was from this area?" Aideen asked.

"Very good," said María. "Whoever planned this would have wanted someone who knew the waters where the yacht was destroyed. Someone who knew the town and the people at the station." She looked at Jorge. "Give me a place to start looking."

Jorge shrugged. "The town is small. Everyone knows it. For someone who knows the waters, talk to the fishermen."

María looked at her watch. "They'll be going out in about an hour. We can talk to them at the docks." She pulled hard on her cigarette. "Who blesses the waters for the fishermen?"

"That would be Father Norberto Alcazar," Jorge said. "He will only do it for the old families, not the companies."

"Where is he?"

"You will probably find him at the Jesuit church in the hills south of Cuesta de Aldapeta," Jorge said. "That's on the west side of the river just outside of San Sebastián."

María thanked him. She took one last drag from her cigarette, then she dropped it and crushed it hard under her heel. She let out the smoke as she walked toward the car. Aideen followed her.

"Father Alcazar is a very pleasant man," Jorge said after them. "But he may not be forthcoming about his flock. He is very protective of them."

"Let's hope that he wants to protect one of them from being murdered," María said.