The INHUP agent’s face remained still with rage. “I’m here to confirm the identity of the man who participated in the kidnapping of two INHUP agents and a minor under our protection.” Quispe’s eyes met Nita’s. “And why are you here?”

Nita’s smile fell under Quispe’s expression. She could see the agent had put the disparate pieces together, had puzzled it all out well before she came to Buenos Aires. She’d realized Nita and Kovit had been working together from the start, and she wasn’t surprised to find Nita hovering over his bedside. She’d come to prove her suspicions, and there was nothing Nita could do or say to allay them.

It made Nita a little sad, she realized, to burn her bridge with Agent Quispe. She actually liked the INHUP agent. Quispe had seemed to honestly care about Nita. Her promise to expose the corruption in INHUP had seemed genuine.

Nita just shrugged softly. “Why ask questions you already know the answer to?”

Quispe’s expression darkened.

They stood there staring at each other for long moments, before Quispe finally said, “You’ve made a fool of me.”

“Not intentionally.” Nita’s voice was soft.

“You had me searching for corruption in INHUP when it was you all along.”

Nita snorted. “When it was me all along? Give me a break. Did I sell my own location on the black market? Not a chance. No, INHUP is exactly as corrupt as the news says, and you know it. You knew it before you met me.”

Quispe didn’t flinch, but her mouth turned down, and that was as close as Nita was going to get to an acknowledgment. “You led me to believe that an INHUP leak exposed Fabricio’s travel information.”

“Ah, you mean Fabricio Tácunan?”

Quispe’s eyes widened slightly, and Nita smiled at her small victory.

“You hadn’t figured that part out yet, had you?” Nita crossed her arms. “In fact, despite what you seem to think, there’s a lot you haven’t figured out.”

“Then why don’t you tell me?”

For a moment, Nita was tempted, but then she shook her head. “Whatever confession you’re hoping to tape here and use as evidence, it won’t work.”

“This isn’t being taped.”

But Nita knew she’d guessed right by the way Quispe’s hand shifted ever so slightly to her left pocket, where no doubt something was recording this conversation.

“Sure.” Nita sat down again and turned her face to Kovit. “But I’ve nothing more to say.”

Quispe was silent a long time, long enough that Nita wondered if she’d left and Nita hadn’t noticed, when the click of her shoes approached. She looked down on Kovit, eyes traveling over all the tubes he was hooked up to and settling on his face.

“Why?” Quispe finally asked. “He’s a monster.”

Nita shrugged. “Aren’t we all?”