“I think there’s a significant security breach at the FBI. That’s what I think. If there is, that’s how Burke got onto the detail that was guarding Kazimi. Until now, I thought he did it on his own—learned enough about the Neighbors and their beliefs to locate them and offer himself up or else just sell Kazimi to them. But now that the information we got from you somehow already made it back to the Neighbors, I have to believe there’s someone inside the agency who turned Burke. I just don’t know who.”

Vaill appeared genuinely distraught. If this was subterfuge and gamesmanship on the part of the FBI, designed to squeeze more information from Lou, it was a masterful performance.

“Tell me you didn’t know there was a leak when I gave up Humphrey’s name,” Lou demanded.

“I didn’t know. I swear it.”

“What does McCall think?”

Vaill looked over at him.

“Do you see him riding with us?” he asked.

“You think McCall could be part of this?”

“I don’t know what to think or who to trust. Right now, I’m navigating by instinct. I may have already cost two people their lives and I’m not about to do it to a third.”

“You mean me,” Lou said.

Vaill said nothing, which was answer enough.

Lou knew when he gave up Humphrey that he’d made a mistake. But the government had far surpassed his expectations for screwing up, and now Humphrey was either a prisoner of the Neighbors or dead. Lou had one card left in his hand—the notebook Humphrey gave him. And until he had reason to do otherwise, he vowed to hold that card close to his vest.

But time was running out for Cap.

“I shouldn’t have told you his name,” Lou said, as much to himself as to Vaill.

Vaill looked over at him.

“Hey, we’re just as good at what we do as you are at what you do, doctor. You didn’t stand a chance against us.”

The remark took some of the guilt away.

“So what now?” Lou asked.

“Too bad you gave us your hotel. McCall probably included it in his report, and whoever the mole is, if there is a mole, would have access to it.”

“Except that I lied.”

“What?”

“I made up a hotel. At the time you asked, I had decided not to make anything easier for you.”

Vaill pumped his fist and clenched his teeth.

“Yes!” he said. “Then no one can possibly know. First I’ve got to be certain we’re not being followed. Then we get you to your hotel and you double-lock yourself in and turn on a marathon James Bond retrospective or whatever.”

“You really think I’m in danger?”