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Kate MacLeod. Kate, this is J. W. Jackson.” Kate and I nodded expressionlessly at each other, and Joe looked at Kate. “It’s your show,” he said.
    Her voice had lost its chill and was almost silky. She had a faint accent I couldn’t identify. Whatever it was, it triggered a memory, as do certain aromas, of my past, in this case of my brief tour in a long-passed Asian war. Was the accent French? Vietnamese?
    â€œYou know about Edo, Francis, and Susan,” she said. “Edo’s car blew up in Lisbon, Susan OD’d at home, and Francis was collateral damage when somebody robbed his favorite deli just as he was buying himself some kosher salami. Edo was on a job, but Francis and Susan were back in D.C. minding their own business.”
    â€œJust as you and I are doing right now,” said Joe.
    Kate nodded. “When I heard about Susan, my ears perked up because Susan wasn’t much of a user; and when I heard about Francis I began to see the Easter Bunny behind every tree.”
    â€œHe’s got other people thinking about him, too,” said Joe.
    She nodded. “Yes, but none of them was on our trade mission. The building across the street from my apartment has parking in back and a rear entrance, so I moved into a room there where I could see into my own place. I didn’t use my own name, of course.
    â€œI left a note on the door of my real apartment to an imaginary maid, rigged the lights to go on and off at reasonable times, and now and then I’d let myself be seen going in or out of my building, although I never actually went back to the apartment.
    â€œAfter about a week I decided I was paranoid andshould stop imagining things, but then I saw a curtain move in my living room. Somebody was in there and was taking a peek outside. It was what I was watching for but it still gave me a jolt.”
    â€œI can imagine,” said Joe in a gentle voice.
    She gave him a small smile. “I watched to see who came out the front door of the building, but nobody unusual did, which meant that whoever had been in my place was still there or had left by the rear door of the building or looked too normal to catch my eye.
    â€œI waited another day, then went over to the apartment. I figured the door wouldn’t be booby-trapped because the Easter Bunny probably didn’t want to blow up the maid, if there really was a maid. Inside, things looked pretty normal, but I took my time looking around. I don’t know if I found everything, but I found enough. Needles beneath the upholstery of the seat cushions in my reading chair and sofa, and another under the bottom sheet of my bed.”
    â€œAnd you figured it was time to leave home for a while,” said Joe. “You were right. Did you call the firm? They should be able to sanitize the place while you’re gone.”
    â€œI haven’t called anybody,” said Kate. “I came here with the suitcase I’d taken when I moved across the street. Nobody knows I’m not in Bethesda. I figure that if the Bunny comes here after you, he won’t be expecting me to be here, too, and that’ll give us the edge.”
    â€œThe apartment has to be cleaned,” said Joe.“Even if you never go back to it, somebody else will move in and before that happens, it has to be safe. I’ll make a call.”
    She shook her head. “No, Joe. If you do they’ll know I’ve been in touch with you. It’s better if they don’t.”
    He studied her. “You think there’s a loose tongue in the firm?”
    â€œI don’t want to take the chance. The Bunny’s getting his information somewhere.”
    Joe rubbed his big chin and I heard my voice say, “I’ll make the call. To Spitz. He can relay it on to your people.”
    Kate frowned but Joe nodded. “I know Jake,” he said. “That would work.”
    â€œWho’s Spitz?” asked