"Mary, tell me about your husband."

Sam rowed the boat further out onto the lake. The water splashing against the hull occasionally sprayed as a mist into her face, a refreshing treat in the warm sun.  She had been sitting directly in front of Sam, allowing her feet to brush against his.  Sam seemed oblivious to it all, and when he asked his question, she pulled her feet away.

"How do you know my name?" she asked. "I never told you. And I made certain that no envelopes with any identification were left around."

Sam kept rowing. "Mary, I know a lot more about you than you think I know. I'll explain more in good time. First, though, I'd like to hear about your husband."

"There's not much to tell," sighed Mary. "Do you always ask your dates about their ex-husbands?" She attempted a laugh.

Sam didn't smile. "Mary ... this isn't a date."

"Well okay then. What if I don't want to talk about Jim? And why should I talk with you about him?"

Sam sighed. He remained silent for a couple minutes.

Even with the direction the conversation was going, Mary was enjoying looking at Sam ... his eyes, his slightly tussled hair, his tight muscles as he rowed the boat -- all this played together in Mary's mind. He had no ring on his left hand.

"Mary, it's like this. I work for the government. That's all I can really say about that. I'm trying to track Jim down and I need help."

"What? Jim ... is Jim in trouble?"

"I think so, Mary."

"What did he do?"

"No, it's not like that. I don't think he did anything wrong."

"He didn't do anything wrong other than running off with an attractive co-worker from his office."

"Tell me more about that."

Mary looked down at her feet; then she glanced out on the open lake. She really didn't want to talk about Jim.

She sniffed. "Okay, here's nothing."

Sam sat still, listening.

"It's really as simple as this. One day I came home from a two hour shopping trip into the city, and I found a hand written note on the bed. The note wasn't even Jim's writing -- he didn't have the guts to say good-bye himself."

"What did the note say?"

"The note said, 'Mary, Jim is mine now. He and I are running away together. Don't bother looking, you won't find us. Everything is yours -- house, cars, everything. Have a nice life. Hugs and Kisses, Laticia'"

A tear welled up in Mary's eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Sam, softly.

"The thing ... the thing is," began Mary, "there was no indication that anything was wrong. Jim kept it so well hidden. In fact, just two nights before they left, Jim mentioned something about the two of us going on a vacation to the mountains ... and we had a long talk about retirement and the traveling we could do when that happens."

Sam looked up at Mary.

"Mary ... what does your heart tell you?"

"I guess I'm getting older and he found someone more attractive. That does happen, you know."

"Oh I know, but tell me something. Did you guys have any fights, any bickering, any arguments recently?"

"Not really ... oh, we'd bicker sometimes. We're both strong-headed and we don't like to give in ... but it's always been like that."

"So ... Jim's leaving was a total surprise to you."

"Totally. I was shell shocked. I went to his office right away, but there was no sign of him -- nor Laticia -- there. No one else in the office had known of their affair, either. They were as surprised as I was."

"Mary ... are you sitting down?"

Mary smiled. "Of course I'm sitting down. I'm in a boat. Do you want me to stand?"

"No, no. I mean, may I tell you something that might shock you?"

"Of course you may."

"Two things. I want to go diving off your dock. I think Jim may have left a clue out in the water, a buried treasure of sorts."

"A clue? For what?"

"Mary, I don't think Jim left you. I think he was kidnapped."