“We’re safe in here.” Lucy watches me taking in everything around us. “It’s the only place on the property that’s completely safe right now. They can’t hear us. I promise. They can’t see us. As long as we stay inside.”

“And they’re permitting this?” Donoghue asks dubiously and Lucy laughs.

“They are but they don’t have a clue what they’re permitting. The boathouse is on a secure wireless network that suffice it to say is hidden.” She is suddenly smug and mirthful and just as quickly she ducks back behind her somberness.

But I saw it. She has the FBI outsmarted or at least she believes she does. Nothing would amuse her more.

“There are other features that make this foolproof. I’m not going to go into it.” She looks at Donoghue, then back at me. “You don’t need to know anything more than that we’re safe in here right this minute.”

“Are you sure?” I sip my coffee and realize how much I need it. “Absolutely sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m going to talk freely.”

Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

GO AHEAD,” LUCY SAYS.

“You think they’re after the dive mask I was wearing.” I don’t ask. I tell. “You think they’re on your property because of the video captured by the mini-recorder mounted on my mask—a mask I’ve been led to believe was never recovered.”

“I don’t really know why they’re here. It could be about that,” Lucy says. “It could also be about more than one thing,” she adds, as if that’s what she really thinks.

“I’ve not heard anything about a missing mask or a mini-recorder.” Donoghue has moved to a mission-style chair across from the couch, and she has a yellow legal pad and pen out.

“There’s been no mention of them in the news,” I reply.

“Well there’s plenty else about what happened in Florida including the two police divers murdered and you being almost murdered.” Donoghue directs this at me.

“But let me guess,” Lucy says. “You don’t recall seeing the name Carrie Grethen anywhere.”

“No I haven’t.”

“And you won’t.” It’s Janet who says this. “The FBI will deny her existence. They’re denying it and will continue to do so.”

“How can you be sure of this?” Donoghue asks her.

“Because I know them.”

“Clearly there’s a lot you need to brief me about, Kay.” Donoghue writes down the name Carrie Grethen in capital letters and circles it.

“I realize that.”

“They didn’t want to alert anybody that the mask is missing,” Lucy says. “Or is believed to be missing. It’s stupid. It’s not even logical.”

“They being the FBI,” Donoghue assumes.

“Yes,” Lucy says. “They’ve been managing the press releases about what happened in Fort Lauderdale.”