TO: [email protected]

FROM: [email protected]

SUBJECT: you’re in my 3AM thoughts

Hey Camille,

Turns out Bellerive was definitely in the drop zone for Operation Dragoon. I drove over there yesterday to have a look. Found the property your father owns and took some photos. It’s quite a place, wedged between the mountains and the sea. I’ll send the pics later. You should see it. Rustic charm, drenched in sunshine. All that’s missing is a glass of wine . . . and thee. Or is it thou? Whatever. You know what I’m saying.

Cheers,

Finn

[This email is UNCLASSIFIED.]

“You went to Bellerive,” she said to her screen. “Wow, you went to Papa’s village.” It made her absurdly happy that he’d taken the time to go there. The other thing that made her happy was that line about her. “You’re a flirt, Professor Finnemore, that’s what you are,” she told the computer screen.

TO: [email protected]

FROM: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: you’re in my 3AM thoughts

Finn,

Thanks for the field report. You’ve gone above and beyond. I feel guilty not paying you for your services. Looking forward to the pics.

Best,

Camille

She hesitated before hitting send. She wanted to make sure this sounded like a casual exchange, nothing more. She went back and changed services to time and then sent the note.

A moment later, a window popped up at the bottom of her screen.

IMAKEPESTO: Hi.

She frowned. Who was that? Since she didn’t know, she clicked the X to close the window. There was a message from Billy Church about work—the Tidewater Film Society was collecting images from found film for an exhibit that would debut early next year. Did she want to get together with him to decide what to submit?

Of course, she said. She loved working with found images, and getting them out into the world might uncover the mystery behind some of them.

IMAKEPESTO: Hey Camille.

Another pop-up window. She scowled at it.

IMAKEPESTO: It’s Finn.

Her heart sped up. She took a quick sip of wine. Then she clicked the reply box and started typing.

STEWARDESS: Oh. Hi there. I didn’t recognize your screen name. Imakepesto?

IMAKEPESTO: Yep.

STEWARDESS: Because . . .

IMAKEPESTO: Because “Bazillionaire” was already taken.

STEWARDESS: But . . . pesto?

IMAKEPESTO: Actually, I DO make pesto. You should try it sometime, it’s awesome. Stewardess?

STEWARDESS: I can type it with one hand. Leaving the other hand free to hold the wineglass.

IMAKEPESTO: Ah. So practical.

STEWARDESS: Is it really 3am there?

IMAKEPESTO: Not anymore. You got my note?

STEWARDESS: I did. That was really cool of you to go to Bellerive.

IMAKEPESTO: Trust me, not a hardship. Fantastic little town, straight out of a storybook. We found a great restaurant in the center of the village.

STEWARDESS: We?

Camille cringed. Did that look as if she was fishing for details about his personal life?

IMAKEPESTO: Me and my research assistant, Roz.

She wondered what Roz was like. Then she chided herself for wondering.