“How is the tea?” asked Jimmy, who had made Berman a brew in a mug adorned with the logo of the BBC.

“The tea is excellent, thank you.”

“I have gained respect for the English way of making tea,” said Jimmy. “I take it strong, with milk and sugar. And the water must be hot, but past boiling. No tepid cups of water with a tea bag on the side, like in your country. That’s an abomination.”

“The tea is very restorative,” said Berman, who felt that he needed more than a cup of tea to get back to a semblance of normality. “Where did you take her?”

“One good thing about English houses is that the old ones, like this one, have generous cellars. We have converted the one here so we can accommodate the occasional guest, particularly those who are, as we say, detained.”

“How convenient,” said Berman lightly.

Jimmy smashed his hand down on the table, and Berman’s hand jumped, sending hot tea over his knuckles. Berman had never seen Jimmy lose his temper. It shocked him.

“This is not a time to be flippant. I am taking risks for you doing this. Big risks. There is no place more treacherous than a house full of spies, which is what this is in actuality. So we took her down there and only a couple of people know it. How would I explain this woman to my superiors? How would I explain how your mind is controlled by your libido like a teenager?”

“But you said I should bring her. It was your idea.” Berman was momentarily taken aback.

“My desire would be for her not to exist at all, but she does. I realized that she could not be made to disappear adequately in Colorado, not with the resources that are available and with the bothersome independence of your police. Most of them, anyway. This problem must be contained. We are so close to fruition. I don’t want our collaboration to be jeopardized.” Jimmy looked pointedly at Berman. “So I will take care of things myself.”

“Look, Jimmy, I have unfinished business—”

“You are a foolish man. There are millions of women available.”

“Not like her,” said Berman, and he could see Jimmy relax slightly.

“Look, I know that powerful men have such weaknesses,” said Jimmy with a sigh of resignation. “I have a couple myself, as do all my superiors. We know how to handle this kind of situation. So we will handle this rationally. The precautions you have made are good ones. There is nothing to connect this woman with this property, which is the important thing at this time. And you will keep her quiet.”

“Whitney Jones is making sure of that. The woman is out cold and will continue to be sedated in the near future. All I want is a chance to convince her to join the team.”