“But you’re not going to share that with me. I’m sure I’ll have to find out everything on my own. I have to find out for myself what you know or don’t. You’re not going to admit it to me if you’re to blame for Lucy being raided, for Marino and me being followed by one of your damn helicopters.”

“Are you finished, Kay?”

“I’ve barely started, Benton.”

“I meant in here. Are you done working in here because I’m not leaving unless you’re with me. You’re not staying here without me.”

When he’s extremely serious and intense, I’m reminded of how tall he is. He seems to tower over me when he leans into a conversation, his strong chin lifted, his keen features predatory like an eagle, a hawk.

“We don’t have much time,” he says next.

“Who else is with you?”

“I told them to drop me off. I was coming in alone. We should go.”

“You told your FBI colleagues that. The ones you were flying with right before the weather turned awful. The ones who are trying to trump up a reason to ruin Lucy’s life or possibly even end it.” I won’t let him forget that unforgivable fact. “Your colleagues who are doing the bidding of the Pentagon, and that’s exactly what must be happening. Otherwise DoD wouldn’t show up on Lucy’s property pretending to be the IRS.” I say it boldly because I’m convinced he already knows.

“We can’t get into this now.” His face is somber, his eyes intense. “We have maybe fifteen minutes before they’re back with others.”

THE FBI will be all over this house. They’ve taken charge of the investigation as Marino and I suspected. I know what happens next.

It doesn’t matter that I have federal jurisdiction. You can’t legislate collaboration and the FBI isn’t exactly known for working and playing well with others. They’ll take over this scene and then they’ll take over the evidence. They can do whatever they want.

“The house hasn’t been swept yet,” I say to him. “We’re possibly being monitored. But then why am I the one telling you?”

“I’m glad you did.” He says it with dry ice irony.

“We should probably assume it at every scene these days.” I begin stripping the bed, and he doesn’t reply. “But then you would know that too.” I glance up at him. “It’s hard not to know something if you’re the one who did it.”

“Did what, Kay?”