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“That’s putting it mildly.”
“What makes you think they were targeting you specifically?”
Sam glanced over at Remi, who sat in the chair across the table from him, holding a blanket tightly about her. “Sort of a long story.”
“And I get paid by the hour. So tell away.”
Sam gave as brief a version as he could, starting with the San Francisco trip, Bree’s abduction, and then what she overheard her kidnappers discussing.
“Quite the story, Mr. Fargo,” the captain said. “Any chance it can be verified?”
“E
asily. San Francisco PD and Carteret County in North Carolina.”
“We’ll check it out. This employee of yours. Bree Marshall. You’re sure you can trust her? You don’t think she set you up, do you?”
“What do you mean?” Sam asked.
“She’s the only one who heard this alleged discussion about Oak Island.”
Remi seemed to bristle at the idea. “I trust her implicitly.”
“And I,” Sam said, “trust my wife’s judgment.”
“Just throwing it out there. Wouldn’t be the first time someone was betrayed from inside.” He looked down at his notes, then back at Sam. “Guess that’s about all the questions I have for now.”
“I have one,” Sam said. “What are the chances of publicly ignoring that you found us?”
“Not sure I get what you’re saying.”
“If you hadn’t found us, what would your impression of the crime scene have been?”
“On first glance? The boat on fire after an explosion? A recovery operation. Search for survivors.”
“So if you have to make a press release, can’t you say that?”
The captain held Sam’s gaze as if contemplating the pros and cons. After a moment, he gave a nod. “Sure. Assuming your story checks out with those other agencies, we could probably work with that.”
“We’d appreciate it,” he said, ignoring Remi’s menacing glance.
Sam looked over at Remi as he drove back to their hotel. Even though he couldn’t see her facial expression in the dawn of the new day, he sensed her tension. “What?”
“You’re actually going to let everyone think we’re dead?”
“It’s a brilliant plan.”
“It’s a horrible plan. After everything that Bree has been through, you honestly believe she could possibly survive more emotional trauma by thinking we’re dead? And thinking it’s her fault?”
“It would only be for a day or so.”
“And what about Selma? And the rest of our staff?”
“We’d tell them, of course.”
“But not Bree?”
“You heard what the captain said. Inside job.”