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isor in a navy jacket appeared from nowhere and huddled with the agent。 〃Could you step in here； Ms。 Pires？〃 he asked politely but with no room for discussion。 He was pointing at a row of doors down the wide corridor。
〃Is there a problem？〃 she insisted。
〃Not really。 Just a few questions。〃 He was waiting for her。 A uniformed guard with Mace and a gun on his waist was waiting too。 The supervisor was holding her passport。 Dozens of passengers behind her were watching。
〃Questions about what？〃 she demanded as she walked with the supervisor and the guard to the second door。
〃Just a few questions；〃 he repeated； opening the door and escorting her into a square room with no windows。 A holding room。 She noticed the name of Rivera on his lapel。 He didn't look to be Hispanic。
〃Give me the passport；〃 she demanded as soon as they were alone and the door was closed。
〃Not so fast； Ms。 Pires。 I need to ask you a few questions。〃
〃And I don't have to answer them。〃
〃Please； relax。 Have a seat。 Can I get you some coffee or water？〃
〃No。〃
〃Is this a valid address in Rio？〃
〃It certainly is。〃
〃Where did you arrive from？〃
〃Pensacola。〃
〃Your flight？〃
〃Airlink 855。〃
〃And your destination？〃
〃Sao Paulo。〃
〃Where in Sao Paulo？〃
〃Maybe that's a private matter。〃
〃Business or pleasure？〃
〃Why does it matter？〃
〃It matters。 Your passport lists your home in Rio。 So where will you be staying in Sao Paulo？〃
〃A hotel。〃
〃And the name of the hotel？〃
She hesitated as she struggled to grab the name of a hotel； and the little interval was deadly。 〃Uh； the…the …Inter…Continental；〃 she finally said； without the slightest hint of truthfulness。
He wrote it down； then said； 〃And we can assume the room there is reserved in the name of Lean Pires？〃
〃Of course；〃 she said； snapping back nicely。 But one quick phone call would prove she was lying。
〃Where is your luggage？〃 he asked。
Another crack in the facade； and this one even more revealing。 She hesitated； glanced away； and said； 〃I'm traveling light。〃
Someone knocked on the door。 Rivera opened it slightly； took a sheet of paper； and whispered to his unseen colleague。 Leah sat down and tried to relax。 The door closed and Rivera studied his evidence。
〃According to our records； you entered the country eight days ago； here in Miami； on a flight from London which originated in Zurich。 Eight days； and no luggage。 Seems odd； doesn't it？〃
〃Is it a crime to travel light？〃 she asked。
〃No； but it is a crime to use a false passport。 At least here； in the U。S。〃
She looked at the passport lying on the table near him； and she knew it was as phony as could be。 〃It's not a false passport；〃 she said indignantly。
〃Do you know a person by the name of Eva Miranda？〃 Rivera asked； and Leah couldn't keep her chin up。 Her heart stopped and her face fell； and she knew the chase was over。
Rivera knew they had snared another one。 〃I'll have to contact the FBI；〃 he said。 〃It will take some time。〃
〃Am I under arrest？〃 she asked。
〃Not yet。〃
〃I'm a lawyer。 I…〃
〃We know。 And we have the right to detain you for questioning。 Our offices are on the lower level。 Let's go〃 She was led away hurriedly； clutching her purse； her eyes still covered。
THE LONG TABLE was piled with papers and files； with crumpled sheets from legal pads and napkins and empty cups and even half…eaten sandwiches from the hospital cafeteria。 Lunch had been five hours earlier but neither lawyer had thought of dinner。 Time was being kept outside the room。 Inside； it didn't matter。
Both men were barefoot。 Patrick wore a tee shirt and gym shorts。 Sandy wore a very wrinkled cotton button…down； khakis； no socks； the same attire he'd put on hours earlier in the beach house。
The Aricia box was empty in a corner； its contents all on the table。
The door opened while it was being knocked on； and Agent Joshua Cutter entered before he was asked。 He stayed by the door。
〃This is a private meeting；〃 Sandy said； very near Cutter's face。 The documents on the table could not be seen by anyone。 Patrick walked to the door and helped shield the view。
〃Why don't you knock before you enter？〃 he said angrily。
〃Sorry；〃 Cutter said calmly。 〃I'll just be a minute。 Just thought you'd want to know that we have Eva Miranda in custody。 Caught her sneaking through the Miami airport； on her way home to Brazil； fake passport and all。〃
Patrick froze and tried to think of something to say。
〃Eva？〃 Sandy asked。
〃Yeah； also known as Leah Pires。 That's what her fake passport calls her。〃 Cutter was looking at Patrick while answering Sandy。
〃Where is she？〃 Patrick asked； stunned。
〃Jail； in Miami。〃
Patrick turned and walked along the table。 Jail would be horrible anywhere； but jail in Miami had a particularly ominous ring to it。
〃Do you have a number where we can call her？〃 Sandy asked。
〃No。〃
〃She has the right to a telephone。〃
〃We're working on it。〃
〃Get me a number； okay。〃
〃We'll see。〃 Cutter continued to watch Patrick and ignore Sandy。 〃She was in a hurry。 No luggage； not one bag。 Just trying to sneak back to Brazil； leaving you behind。〃
〃Shut up；〃 Patrick said。
〃You can leave now；〃 Sandy said。
〃Just thought you'd want to know；〃 Cutter said with a smile； and left。
Patrick sat down and gently massaged his temples。 His head had been aching before Cutter arrived； now it was splitting。 He and Eva had gone over and over the three scenarios Which she would face if they caught him。 First； and the one according to plan； was that she would remain in the shadows； assisting Sandy and moving at will。 Second； she might be caught by Stephano and Aricia； jyhich was by far the most frightening possibility。 Third； the FBI could catch her； which was not nearly as terrifying as the second； but did pose enormous problems。 At least she was safe。
They had not discussed this fourth scenario； her return to Brazil without him。 He would not believe it was abandonment。
Sandy quietly gathered files and cleaned up the table。
〃What time did you leave her？〃 Patrick asked。
〃About eight。 She was fine； Patrick。 I told you that。〃
〃No mention of Miami or Brazil？〃
〃No。 None whatsoever。 I left with the impression she would be at the beach house for a while。 She told me she leased it for a month。〃
〃Then she got scared。 Why else would she run？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Find a lawyer in Miami； Sandy。 And quickly。〃
〃I know a couple。〃
〃She must be scared to death。〃
Thirty
IT WAS AFTER SIX； so Havarac was probably in a casino at the blackjack table； sipping free whiskey and looking for women。 Rumors about his gambling debts were abundant。 No doubt Rapley was locked away in his attic； a place the rest of the world preferred him to be。 The secretaries and paralegals were gone。 Doug Vitrano locked the front door of the building and walked to the rear office； the largest and nicest one； where Charlie Bogan was waiting behind his desk with his sleeves rolled up。
Patrick had managed to bug every office except the senior partner's； a fact Bogan had relied on heavily during the roaring brawls that followed the loss of the money。 If Bogan wasn't hi his office； or somewhere