The fact that the shootings occurred at an abandoned airfield meant no involvement of the public or the news media. With luck, a lid could be kept on the whole debacle as all of the culprits were dead. The story would be what they agreed it would be. And since Mancini, Hauser, and Bradshaw didn’t know the whole story, it also could be the story Ethel wanted.

During the flight, Ethel had been conscious. It had been hard to talk above the roar of the engine and rotors, but talking too loudly risked the chance of being overheard. She had managed to make one thing clear—none of Jesse’s answers could reveal the existence of the virtual wallets, private keys, and the KryptoFold device.

After two hours elapsed, the door opened and Mancini, Hauser, and Bradshaw entered. For the first time, Bradshaw’s dark suit looked wrinkled and his white shirt was stained with perspiration.

Jesse stood from his chair. “Are Susan and Davie okay?”

“Yes,” Bradshaw said. “I had an agent drive them to her sister’s. Since Agent Gray was there, I instructed him to stay in case they need anything. What’s the word on Ethel?”

“Not much. A doc was in about an hour ago. His diagnosis is heart block.”

“Clogged arteries?” Mancini asked.

“No. Something to do with electric signals to the heart. He said she should have a pacemaker. They’d like to do that as soon as they can determine she’s stable.”

“Oh, God, can we bribe them to give her one that will slow her down?” Bradshaw asked.

“Believe it or not, the doc says her heart rate is too slow. Overall, she’s healthy and has the slow rate of a conditioned athlete. But she can’t fight Father Time, and her electrical nerve impulses aren’t what they once were, especially if she undergoes sudden activity.”

Hauser shook his head. “I would say attacking an armed foe qualifies.” He gestured for Jesse to sit. Then he, Mancini, and Bradshaw pulled up chairs and boxed him in.

“Detective Mancini shared what Ethel told him,” Hauser continued. “That she’d suspected Lisa Draper after the attack on you. And that Draper had convinced herself that Jonathan Finch had access to the Parker money.”

“Yes. But we didn’t believe that to be the case. Ethel used it as a lure to bring them out in the open. Even I didn’t know all that she was doing.”

The three interrogators nodded in unison.

“Welcome to the club, son,” Mancini said.

“So, you never had any information on the Parker case?” Hauser pressed.

“Just what Lisa told me.”

“Lisa?”