"You're catching on," Herbert said, grinning. He had a feeling what was coming: there was no one more passionate than a convert.

Lanning regarded Hood. "The more I think about what Mr. Herbert just said, the more troubled I am by all of this. We've had situations before where we've been set up by foreign interests. Let's assume for the moment that that's what happened. That Martha was lured to Spain to be assassinated, for whatever reason. The only way we'll ever find that out is if we have access to all aspects of the investigation. Do we have that, Mr. McCaskey?"

"I wouldn't count on it," McCaskey replied. "Serrador said he's going to look into it, but Aideen and I were both shuttled off to our hotel rooms and we haven't heard anything since."

"Yeah, the Spanish government isn't always very forthcoming about their private activities," Herbert said. "During World War II, this supposedly neutral nation rode shotgun on train-and truckloads of Nazi booty sent from Switzerland to Portugal. They did it in exchange for future favors, which, luckily, they never got to collect on."

"That was Francisco Franco," Ron Plummer said. "Professional courtesy, dictator-to-dictator. It doesn't mean that Spanish people are that way."

"True," Herbert said, "but the Spanish leaders are still at it. In the 1980's the defense minister hired drug smugglers as mercenaries to kill Basque separatists. The government purchased guns for the team in South Africa. They let them keep the weapons afterward, too. No," he said, "I wouldn't count on any Spanish government to help the United States with anything."

Hood held up both hands. "We're getting off the subject here. Darrell, for the moment I'm not concerned about Serrador, his motives, or his intelligence needs. I want to find out who killed Martha and why. Mike," Hood looked at Rodgers-"you recruited Aideen. What's she made of?"

Rodgers was still standing behind Carol Lanning. He unfolded his arms and shifted his weight. "She stood up to some pretty tough dealers in the drug trade in Mexico City. She's got iron in her back."

"I see where you're going, Paul," Liz said, "and I want to caution you. Aideen's under a lot of emotional stress. Throw her into a covert police action right now and the pressure could break her."

"It could also be just what she needs," Herbert said.

"You're absolutely right," Liz replied. "Everyone is different. Only the question isn't just what Aideen needs. If she goes undercover and cracks, she could be the nail that cost the horse that cost the kingdom."

"Besides," Herbert said to Hood, "if we send someone else over to follow the muddy footprints, we lose time."

"Darrell," Hood asked, "did you hear that?"

"I heard."

"What do you think?"