AsaspypreparedtogiveawayAmerica’sbiggestsecretsafterthe9/11attacks,anFBIagentracedtocatchher.U.S.governmentofficialsknewtheyhadaspy.Butitneveroccurredtothemitwasawoman--andcertainlynotasuperstarDefenseIntelligenceAgencyemployeeknownas“theQueenofCuba.“AnaMonteshadspentseventeenyearsspyingfortheCubans.ShehadbeenraisedinapatrioticPuertoRicanhousehold:Herfather,apsychiatrist,wasaformercolonelintheU.S.Army.HersisterworkedasatranslatorfortheFBIandhelpedbreakuparingofCubanspiesinMiami.HerbrotherwasalsoaloyalFBIagent.Montesimpressedherbosses,butinsecret,spentherbreaksmemorizingtopsecretdocumentsbeforesendingthemtotheCubangovernment.Shereceivednopayment,evenasoneofhermissivescouldhavebroughtherthedeathpenalty.Shealsolistenedtoanxiety-relieftapes,tookmedication,andsawapsychiatrist.Shedreamedofanormallifewhereshecouldworkajobsheenjoyed.Shedreamedofgettingmarried,andevenhadamaninmind:adefenseanalystontheCubaaccountforSouthernCommand.Hehadnoideathat,threetimesaweek,Montespulledashort-waveradiofromherclosetandreceivedencryptedmessagesfromCuba.Afterthe9/11attacks,CubawantedMontestocontinueherwork.Theycouldn’tknowtheFBIwasalreadyontoher.RetiredFBIagentPeterJ.Lappexplainstheclues--includingnever-releasedinformation--thatledtheirteamtocatchoneoftheUnitedStates’mostdangerousspies.
