She crouched at the end of the pool and examined the house. She knew Roth wasn’t home. There were a few lights on but she guessed they were on timers. Closer to the house were some motion sensors, but they were only connected to lights. She knew in a neighborhood like this, there would be far too much wildlife for motion sensors to be taken too seriously by private security firms.

The back porch overlooked the pool and she walked up to it. Some lights came on but she ignored them. She sat on one of the wicker chairs and lit a cigarette. It was a nice night, cool but clear, and she knew she wouldn’t have long to wait.

It was Roth’s dog that alerted her to his arrival. She heard the barking inside the house and got up. From the porch, she could see through some sliding doors to the kitchen. She waited, watching through the glass. She didn’t even put out her cigarette.

The light came on and Roth entered the kitchen. Just him and the dog. He went to a cupboard and took out a can, which he opened by the counter.

“Good girl,” he said, scratching the dog’s ears as he put down her bowl.

Then he went to the refrigerator and took out a half-empty bottle of white wine. He poured himself a glass.

Tatyana let him enjoy the first sip before reaching up and tapping on the glass.

Instantly, Roth froze.

The dog started barking and ran to the window.

Tatyana tapped again and when he looked up at her, she gave him a little wave, like a neighbor who’d come to borrow sugar.

Roth didn’t move. Instinctively, he waited.

He waited to see if she’d pull a gun and blow his brains out.

Then he glanced around the room to see if anyone else was there.

“It’s just me,” she said through the window.

He stepped toward the dog and pulled her back by the collar.

Then he opened the sliding door and the dog ran to her. Tatyana wasn’t much of a dog person but let her sniff her hands.

“Come on, Rosy,” Roth said.

The dog went back to her meal and Roth said, “How did you get past my security?”

Tatyana smiled and stubbed out her cigarette.

“You’re lucky no one knows who you are,” she said. “Getting to you is as easy as climbing a fence.”

She brushed her way past him into the kitchen.

“They told me that system was state of the art,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at that.

Roth looked at her. It was like he didn’t know where to start. “Tatyana Aleksandrova,” he said.

“And you’re director Levi Roth of the Special Operations Group.”

“I might as well get a billboard announcing the fact,” he said.

She nodded.