I put 2+2+2+2 together, and told her she was a CIA operative stationed in Italy. She strongly denied it. Too strongly, actually.
So one day, I said, "Hey. I know you were never in the CIA. But you might have made some contacts in Arlington when you were there. Can you ask around and see if I could join up with the CIA as an operative?" She smirked a little, but said nothing.
Three months later, she said, "Just got word from an old contact. It's a no-go. You come from a broken, one-parent family. That's a disqualifier."
We never spoke of her CIA days again, but we both knew.
There are many ways to ID them if you’ve been around them any time at all...education, background, vocations, languages they speak and their mannerisms...and the pat answers they provide but start asking very detailed questions hey haven’t thought of the answers or and you can have a little fun...: )