Angela moved to the railing and looked out over the water at the outline of nearby Lanai Island.  “What exactly were they after?”

“They’re just fishing.  They were probably trying to get ahold of me before they discovered where she’d gone and then decided to shake me down, anyway.”

“For what?”

He stared out over the water with her.  “Federal law enforcement doesn’t like loose ends—or loose cannons.”

“What does that have to do with–?”

“It’s just how they work, Angela.”

“Well, at least we didn’t have to tell them everything.  Do you think they’ll try to find exactly where we went and what you took Kathy to see?”

“Don’t know.  Maybe.  Telling them it was to see the ruins may have been enough.  But even if it is, it’s just a matter of time.”

“Until they find out?”

“Until someone finds out.  Eventually, all hell is going to break loose.”

“Well, hopefully not before we can figure the rest out.”

Rickards shrugged with indifference.

The phone in her hotel room rang loudly behind them, startling Angela and prompting her to trot inside to answer.  After a few brief words, she returned to the balcony.  “Speak of the devil.  Guess who that was?”

“Leonard Townsend.”

“Good guess.  We’ve been invited to his house.”

***

The sun was nearly down when they returned to Townsend’s house and the familiar front porch.  This time when they knocked on the door, it opened within a few moments, and the elderly man pushed open his screen door to welcome them in.

Inside the dimly lit room, the furniture appeared even older than it had from the outside.  A long, upholstered couch with wooden arms and matching fabric, along with two rounded chairs that looked as though they’d been plucked directly from a 70s TV set.

Townsend eased himself into one of the chairs, while Angela and Joe sat beside each other on the couch.  Before them, an empty, dark mahogany coffee table held the manila envelope with Mike Morton’s data in it.

“I heard a man and a woman matching your description were arrested at Whaler’s this afternoon.”

Rickards glowered.  “Not technically.”

“What is not technically arrested?”

“Interrogated?” he offered.  “Or… strongly talked to?”

“Are you mixed up in something illegal?”

“No.  Nothing illegal.”

“So, you were interrogated for no reason, then.”

“It has to do with what we told you at your office,” said Angela.

“What we didn’t tell you,” added Joe, “is that I took my mother-in-law to Bolivia to see it.  And it seems she turned around and went back to see it again and was initially reported missing to the police and then the FBI.”

“Along with a few friends.”

To their surprise, Townsend didn’t react.  Instead, he remained still in his chair, gazing at them.

“Did you look at Mike’s data?” asked Angela.

Townsend nodded.  “Some.”

“And?”