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certain extent. But, I don’t think Liz and I could make it back to the embassy now, so even that protection is iffy.”
    Out of habit, Liz translated this information into Hungarian.
    Johanna sat heavily in the chair. “So I am not going anywhere? Except maybe prison.”
    Liz hurried over to her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll find another way out, won’t we, Darby?”
    “We’ll have to. Since he showed up here unexpectedly, we considered having Charles be the one to escort you out, using our usual channels. But that can’t happen now. One source told Collins the government believes the escape will be through Bratislava to Prague, but the other source indicates they are also suspecting alternate routes.”
    “And you can’t take Johanna with you, Darby, because you can’t pass for Hungarian.”
    Darby’s lips twisted in a sarcastic smile. “Yep, the agency screwed me royally there, didn’t they? If we’d been in the USSR or Czechoslovakia, I could blend in without a hitch.”
    “Perhaps I could take her?”
    He shook his head. “My guess is they’ll look hard at any American leaving the country now.” He gestured outside to the garden. “You’ll forgive me, Johanna, but I need to speak to Liz alone. The less you know about all of this, the better, in case…”
    Johanna looked up, her eyes shiny with tears, and nodded.
    Darby led Liz out to the gazebo in the center of the Alsómező property. He gestured for her to sit, but she declined.
    “You know, you might not be able to pass for Hungarian, but maybe German…?”
    “There’s more.”
    “More?”
    “I believe we may be dealing not only with a one-time information leak, but perhaps with a double agent.”
    Her eyes narrowed. Was he trying to throw suspicion on someone in order to deflect it from himself? “What do you mean?”
    “Darby Kent’s picture is circulating as the case officer to look for at the border. That’s much more specific information than a run-of-the-mill lapse in security.”
    “I see.” Liz wondered if he had leaked his own identity. It would be an easy way to get back to the Soviets—but why? Why would he compromise himself to the Americans when he was placed to learn so much more information with his Darby Kent cover intact? It made little sense.
    “So like Johanna, I can’t get back to the embassy. Can’t leave through Prague. Can’t stay here—as state security could easily learn my whereabouts. This place isn’t commonly known as the ambassador’s vacation spot, but it isn’t a closely guarded secret either. Lake Balaton would be an obvious choice if they were to come looking for me.”
    “Even more so because Cara flaunted her relationship with you.”
    He squirmed a little. “Her flirtatious behavior definitely made a bad situation worse.”
    Liz laughed without humor. “For all of us. What makes you suspect a double agent rather than just good surveillance on the part of the secret police?”
    “I’m much better at covering my tracks than the Hungarian government is at discovering them, for one thing.”
    “So, it couldn’t be that you messed up, could it?”
    “Highly unlikely.”
    Typical arrogance , according to George Wickham.
    “Plus, there was a…” He paused, looking uncomfortable, reluctant.
    “Yes?” Would he tell her about George and Jirina? Spin it in his favor to garner her sympathy?
    “A situation during my last assignment. A sloppy officer who made a mistake that cost us an…asset.” He looked away. “At least, I thought it was only a mistake—until this happened. Perhaps we had a double agent even then.”
    Liz couldn’t believe he was going to try to pin this situation on George Wickham. George wasn’t even in country! “So you think the person who leaked our mission here is the same person who botched your job in Prague.”
    “Could be. I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility, but it could be a dozen others or maybe someone I don’t even