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have felt she’d be safer if she wasn’t.”
    Senator Kilpatrick paused. “I’m sure you know about the bomb threat and the protests. What you don’t know is that the San Carlos dictatorship has drawn up a hit list. On it are the names of six people now in the United States who are actively working to overthrow the current government. Unless I get that list, and get it to the FBI within the next few days, those people will start to die!”
     

Chapter Six
    N ANCY GASPED. “ T HERE has to be a way to protect those people! Can’t the FBI—”
    “They can’t do anything without the list of names,” Senator Kilpatrick said starkly. “Nobody can. That’s the terrible truth.”
    “Did Roberto have the list on him when he was kidnapped?” Nancy asked.
    “I’m sure he’s too shrewd and too aware of the danger to be carrying the list till he was on his way to meet you,” the senator replied. “Even then it probably wouldn’t have been recognizable and readable.”
    In code, Nancy thought.
    “Whether he’d give it away after he was captured—” The senator stopped speaking for a moment, and her face turned pale. “That, I imagine, will depend on his strength. During revolutions, couriers have often carried secrets with them to their graves.”
    She was talking about torture. Nancy felt sick. “Aren’t the police doing anything to trace Roberto?”
    “This is a classified government matter,” Senator Kilpatrick said bluntly. “It’s not for the local police.” She rose. “However, the government agencies can call on them when necessary. I’m going to arrange for you to have a police bodyguard.”
    Nancy groaned, and the senator’s lips curved slightly. “He won’t be obvious! I think you’ll like him. I’m going to request a plainclothes detective who’s been assigned special duty with me before. He’s a go-getter, just out of the police academy. He’ll fit right in with you and your friends.”
    “Two things,” Nancy said resolutely. “I can’t keep my friends in the dark about this. They’ve been pulled into it—they’ve got to know what’s happening. They’re totally trustworthy, they’re smart, and they’re experienced at helping me. But they won’t be able to know how to help unless they have the whole picture.”
    After a moment’s thought, the senator agreed. “What’s the other thing?” she asked.
    “Just how much danger do you think I’m in?” Nancy wanted to know.
    “Not much, I hope. You’re too visible now. Those goons who snatched you by mistake won’t try that again. If they’d wanted to kill you, they’d have done so then.”
    “Which means,” Nancy said, thinking aloud, “that they’re not worried about my being able to identify them.”
    “They’ve probably been imported from San Carlos, or from some other link in the terrorist network. I’ll find out whether it would be useful for you to look at mug shots or help a police artist make a composite drawing. Even if the men were imports, they may be known by the FBI or the CIA or Interpol, the international police organization.”
    “What do you want me to do in the meantime?” Nancy asked.
    “Do exactly what you’d be doing anyway. Go to the tournament. I have a box there myself. I’ll meet you there, and I’ll bring along a young ‘staff assistant’ I want to fix you up with. I’m sure you and Dan can make that look authentic if required.” The senator rose. “Any other questions?”
    Nancy shook her head.
    “Good.” Senator Kilpatrick slipped out of the suite, after carefully surveying the corridor for onlookers.
    By that time George and Bess were quietly moving around in their own room. Nancy knocked on their door. “Phone down and order up breakfast, will you?” she asked. “I’ll come fill you in as soon as I’ve showered.”
    Half an hour later they were once again having a mealtime conference, this time on George’s bed. Bess and George looked somber as Nancy reported her