They walked into a small open space at the front of the boathouse, René still behind her. There’d once been a stone path to the boat ramp, but there were only chunks of rock left, dead winter weeds nearly covering them. René stopped, and now he pressed his Sig against Olivia’s temple. He called out, “Mike Kingman, open the door. We are here with Olivia. She is dead if you do not obey.”

The sagging door was slowly pulled inward. Mike stood in the doorway, the flash drive in his right hand, his Glock in his left, again trained on René. He saw Claude, frowned, but stepped back. “Come inside. If this man tries anything, you will be the first one I shoot.”

Mike quickly closed the door against the frigid wind. He met Olivia’s eyes and smiled. “Hello, beautiful.”

René laughed. “Keep the close eye on her, Claude.” René walked to one of the beaded curtains, pulled it back. It was the same as before, a narrow wooden cot, several blankets piled on top. He walked to the other beaded curtain, pulled it back, saw only the toilet and a small shower. Satisfied, he turned to Mike. “You are still alone so you are not entirely stupid. Now you will again show me the flash drive on your mobile, prove to me you did not switch it.”

Mike did as he asked, difficult with one hand, but he managed, his Glock still pointed at René’s chest. Again, René looked at the cell phone display, saw only the prompt asking for the encryption key. He grunted. “That is wise of you. Here is the woman, unharmed. Give me the flash drive.”

Mike said nothing, pulled the drive from his cell phone, but he didn’t give it to René, he waited.

René nodded. “Claude, release her and Kingman will give me the drive.”

Claude didn’t release Olivia. He calmly pulled her back against him and pressed the muzzle of his Beretta against her left ear.

René grinned. “And now we have the impasse, do we not? You shoot me and she is dead. You try to shoot Claude, and you are dead. So give me the flash drive, it is easier.”

Olivia said, “Don’t give it to him, Mike. He’s planned all along to kill us. He told me he’s working for his brother, Henri is his name, in France.”

Claude dug the Beretta into her ear and she sucked in her breath. “Shut up, woman, or you are dead where you stand.”

Olivia believed him. She watched Mike toss René the flash drive, saw René slip it into his coat pocket. “And now what, Kingman? Will you shoot me and watch her die, or will you throw your Glock to the floor?”

Mike saw the look of surprise on René’s face when he laid his Glock on the floor, straightened. “Let her go now. Send her over to me.”