Jane remembers the day when they come to her house. She sees them walk up the steps to the porch and knock loudly on their front door. There are two men in long black coats. They are tall and white and don’t look Paraguan at all. They don’t smile and they are definitely not friendly.

Arnold lets them in and they sit in the living room talking. Jane can hear every word. She has discovered a vent in her room that somehow is connected to the vent in the living room almost right above where they are sitting. She is laying on the floor, her ears glued to the vent opening listening to the conversation.

“What are you doing in Paraguay?” asks one of the men. He is the bigger one and apparently in charge.

“I’m sorry,” Arnold says. “Who are you again? You said you were from the government. Have we done something wrong?”

“Not yet,” says the big one. “But you don’t ask the questions here. We do. Just answer my questions and we will leave you alone.”

Annie says something to Arnold but Jane can’t catch what it is. Apparently, whatever it is convinces Arnold to answer the questions.

“We were invited by the Simon Bertoni Foundation to come to Paraguay and write our next book about life in Paraguay,” Arnold says.

He is short and curt and is not going to give anymore information than is absolutely necessary.

“Are you aware that the Simon Bertoni Foundation is under investigation for irregularities?” says the big one quietly. “Your last name is Bertoni and we understand that you are a descendent of Simon Bertoni, himself, is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And you are the one who found the Simon Bertoni treasure on the property?”

“How did you know about that?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Well, yes. But it is all legal. We gave the treasure to a lawyer who set up the foundation.”

“Were you alone when you found the treasure?” the big one asks.

Arnold hesitates. “Yes, I was alone.”

“And are you aware of the fact that the treasure was stolen from your lawyer soon after you gave it to them?”

“No, I was not aware of that.”

This time there is no hesitation. Her father doesn’t want to involve Lujan in all of this.

Silence.

Finally Arnold can not stand the quiet for so long and he ventures to ask a question of his own. “What is this all about?” he asks. “Why are you bringing up things that happened twenty years ago?”

“New information has just come to light and we are investigating potential tax fraud, financial manipulation, theft and a conflict-of-interest.”

“Where are you getting your information from?” Annie asks.

“We have our sources.”

Silence.

“What are you really doing in Paraguay?” the big one asks again.

“What do you mean “really”?” Arnold shoots back defensively. “We told you what we are doing here.”

“Your mother, Matilde, just arrived in the country?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“What is she doing in Paraguay?”

“Visiting us.”

“Are you aware that she is a political activist who was involved in the revolution in 1989?”

“Yes, I am. Did you want to express your gratitude to her? I can wake her up from her nap if you like. She is almost 80 years old but I’m sure she would love to say hello to a couple of supporters.”

“We aren’t supporters.”

Silence again.

“She is wanted for questioning in the disappearance of General Stroessner during the unrest and rioting on February 3rd, 1989 during the revolution. She is a person of interest and there is no statute of limitations for murder.”

Murder? Jane’s head is spinning.

“You can’t be serious,” Arnold is saying. “My mother would never hurt anyone.”

“Obviously you don’t know your mother very well,” the big one says.

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Arnold says. There is some shuffling and moving of furniture. Jane isn’t sure exactly what is going on but, in a moment or two, she hears muffled voices on the porch and then later a car engine starts up and roars off down the street.