“It was in a little key cupboard in the butler’s pantry. There are so many keys in our lives these days, I keep the spares there, all labeled.”

“Did you have the security alarm code?”

“Yes. The key wouldn’t have been much use without it.”

“Do you know if Dick set the alarm at bedtime, as a matter of habit?”

“No, I don’t. I think Dick probably had the alarm installed to use when he wasn’t on the island, but I don’t think he would have used it every day. He mentioned to me when he was building the house that, with Seth and Mabel living on the property, he wouldn’t have bothered with the security system, except that the State Department insisted.”

“Did you know much about Dick’s work?”

“Not really. When it came up in conversation I got the impression that it was pretty unremarkable diplomatic work.”

“Did you know that he didn’t work for the State Department?”

“But he did,” Caleb said. “His degree was in international relations, and he took the foreign service exam before graduation, then went to work at State shortly after that.”

Stone shook his head. “That was a cover. Dick was a career CIA officer.”

Caleb appeared dumbfounded. “Are you certain about that?”

“Perfectly. Operations people at the Agency commonly have diplomatic cover.”

“But when he was still in this country and I called him at work, it was through the State Department switchboard.”

“It may have sounded that way, or State could have rerouted the call to Langley.”

“You’re saying that my brother was a spy?”

“He was a high-ranking officer in the Operations Division of the CIA. I don’t know how much actual spying he did. At the time of his death he had been promoted to Deputy Director, Operations, but he hadn’t started the job yet.”

“I knew he was coming back to Washington, but I thought it was as an Assistant Secretary of State.”

Stone shook his head. “That job is a key position at the Agency, one of the top three.”

“Well, I’m glad Dick did well at his work,” Caleb said.

“From what I know, he was highly regarded.” They had finished their burgers now, and Stone had most of what was needed. “Just one more thing, Caleb.”

“What’s that?”

“When did you last see Dick?”

“He came to the house for drinks after his return from London. He was on the way to Washington. That was a week or so before his death.”

“Did you spend any time alone with him?”

“A few minutes.” Caleb looked over Stone’s shoulder toward the water; he seemed to be remembering the occasion.

“What did you talk about?”

Caleb looked down at the table. “Family business.”

“Tell me about it, please.”

Caleb shook his head.