The tiny flat hexagon is dull and opaque, and I hold it in my palm to show Lucy. It’s not polished and looks industrial, bringing to mind a mineral or other material used in manufacturing or engineering.

“Do you have any idea?” I ask.

“I didn’t notice it when I was out here looking around.” She stares as if it’s poison. “I didn’t see it until you did just now. I’m surprised it’s here.” She says it oddly. “Maybe it’s supposed to be. That’s my first thought. We’re supposed to find it.” She says it slowly, loudly, making sure the FBI doesn’t miss a word.

“It couldn’t come from anything you own.” I move it to the palm of my hand so she can get a closer look. “You sure it’s not from you or something you’ve installed? What about your surveillance system? It was very close to several cameras.”

“This isn’t from anything of mine. It’s certainly not from me because I wouldn’t be so careless and stupid as to leave it out here.” She’s careful not to touch it or get too close.

But she’s not careful about much else. Lucy is glancing around at the cameras in the trees. She’s boisterous and cheerful as if we’re having a happy nature hike or a picnic.

“It doesn’t look like anything from normal clothing.” I stay on subject. “Not from anything decorative either.”

“It’s been micromachined into this size and shape, and there’s a tiny hole through it. Possibly something was threaded through it. She’s been here.”

“Carrie Grethen has been,” I confirm who she means, and Lucy nods.

“This is from something she’s doing. I’m not sure what but I have an idea what this relates to,” Lucy says. “Carrie was always chasing after invisibility.”

LUCY SUSPECTS that what I’ve found is a metamaterial possibly used in creating objects that bend and diffuse light.

“Let’s see what it is after the labs do their thing but I’m guessing it’s laser-quality quartz, in other words calcite,” Lucy says.

“Then you’ve seen something similar before.”

“I’m well aware of what’s out there. She’s always been obsessed with invisibility technology, what’s known as augmented reality or optical camouflage.” Lucy looks around, as if she’s talking to the trees. “These idiots are so hell-bent on going after me they aren’t paying any attention to the real danger. Carrie may have figured out how to cloak herself with the goal in mind that she can take out anyone she wants. I mean anyone. And she’s a damn terrorist so that could concern the damn FBI.” Lucy has no concern about being even moderately discreet.

In fact she’s not really talking to me anymore. She’s talking to them. She’s talking to Erin Loria.