Mary Donovan

Mary Donovan is an FBI special agent who appears in a brief but consequential telephone exchange with Alex Delaware. Two weeks before Christmas, he calls FBI headquarters at the Federal Building to ask whether the search for Leimert Fusco has made progress; Donovan’s immediate transfer to the call and her direct questions turn the inquiry into a test of whether Alex will cooperate.

Identity and Introduction

Donovan is identified by her professional title, Special Agent, and by her connection to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The available scene gives no personal background or physical description; instead, it introduces her through her work and her conversation with Alex. When he asks about Fusco, she responds, “Hello, Doctor. What can I do for you?” Her courteous opening gives way to a more guarded exchange once his purpose becomes clear.

The Call About Leimert Fusco

Alex asks whether the FBI has had any success with Leimert Fusco. Donovan’s terse reply—“Success,” she said. “As measured by?”—does not offer a status report. It redirects the question toward what Alex means by success, keeping the terms of the conversation in her hands. When Alex says he is asking about helping Fusco, she objects to treating the FBI “as if we’re a clinic or something.”

Donovan explains that she took the call because she thought Alex might have changed his mind and become willing to cooperate in finding Fusco. Her expectation establishes that the FBI wants his assistance, while Alex’s repeated question—“Helping you?”—makes clear that he does not accept the request as a simple extension of clinical care. The exchange pauses in two silences, and Donovan finally calls the conversation a waste of time.

Narrative Role

Donovan’s appearance is brief, but it sharpens the conflict between Alex’s professional identity and the FBI’s need for his cooperation. Alex invokes collegiality and respect for what Fusco once was; Donovan answers by naming the practical issue plainly: whether Alex will help locate him. The call ends without agreement or any reported success in finding Fusco. Donovan therefore functions as the FBI’s direct point of contact in this exchange, while the unresolved request leaves Alex’s willingness to assist unsettled.