Foreign Affairs

“The tax authorities are also undertaking extensive audits of Casselli’s legitimate businesses, as well as others thought to be part of his empire. Before today is out, a factory surreptitiously owned by him which produces olive oil falsely labeled as extra virgin will be shut down by the health authorities. A network of used-car lots owned by one of his associates and thought to be dealing in stolen vehicles will have each vehicle examined for signs of theft or lack of proper documentation, and if even one is found, the lot offering it for sale will be shut down and its inventory confiscated.”

“That is all very encouraging,” Dino said.

Jim Lugano spoke up. “Dante, we have facilities that may be useful to you in analyzing the wreck of Massimo’s car for tracing the origins of bomb fragments, and they are available to you. We are also pressing those of our assets in the country who might be able to offer intelligence to report anything of interest.

“Dino, you are the guest of the Italian police, and they will be responsible for your personal safety, but our station will work with Strategic Services to protect Stone and Vivian. Our director was insistent on that.”

“Thank you,” Stone replied.

“Is there any other way we can be of service while you’re in Rome?” Lugano asked.

“I’ll think about it and let you know.”

Lugano gave him a card. “These are all my numbers. I already have yours. Incidentally, I’ve been told that a while back you lost an airplane to a bomb in England.”

“That is so.”

“Our hangar at Ciampino is very secure, so you may rest easy about that. In any case, before you decide to depart, I will have your aircraft thoroughly inspected.”

“Thank you.”

—

The courtyard at Marcel’s offices was guarded by uniformed policemen, as well as Mike Freeman’s perso

He took Stone aside. “I have never seen such a surge of security in all my years,” he said. “I have been to the building site this morning, and it is ringed by policemen. Oh, and Stone, I must tell you how much I enjoyed the video of your luncheon with Casselli.”

Stone threw up his hands. “Is there anyone on the planet who hasn’t seen it yet? Next thing I know, it will be showing in cinemas!”

Stone’s cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“It’s Hedy.”

“Oh, hi, we just got to Marcel’s offices. You okay?”

“I’m fine. I went out and did some grocery shopping early this morning, so I’m settled in.”

“Hedy, I asked you not to leave the house until noon today, do you remember that?”

“But why?”

“I thought I explained it: Casselli is tracking my cell phone, and as soon as he sees that I’m in Rome, you’d be safer. Have you spotted any of Rick LaRose’s people around you?”

“No, and the people on the roof are gone, too.”

Stone heard a loud noise at her end of the phone. “What was that?”

“I don’t know. Oh, somebody is kicking at the front door.”

Stone thought fast. “Hedy, hang up and hide your cell phone in your crotch, and silence it. Hang on to it at all costs.”

“Stone, they’re going to get in!”

“Hang up and hide your phone in your crotch RIGHT NOW! We can trace you with it!”

The line disco

Stone called Rick LaRose.

“Yes?”

“It’s Stone. Somebody is breaking into my Paris house as we speak. I think Casselli’s people are taking Hedy.”

“I’ve just tried to reach the man on her, and I’m getting no reply.”

“I told her to hide her cell phone in her crotch—you can use it to trace her.” Stone gave him the number.

“I’ve just heard: my man on Hedy was found unconscious by his relief man. He’s on the way to the hospital. I’ll trace Hedy.”

“And cover Le Bourget. They may be trying to fly her here. I’ll get this end covered. Call me with news.” Stone hung up, found Jim Lugano’s card, and called his mobile.

“Lugano.”

“Jim, it looks as though my girl, Hedy Kiesler, has been taken from my Paris house. I’ve notified Rick LaRose, and he’s covering Le Bourget, in case they try to move her here. I’d appreciate it, since you have a presence at Ciampino, if you’d cover that end. We’ve got to try to get her back before they have a chance to spirit her off to Naples or somewhere else.” He told Lugano about her cell phone and gave him the number.

“I’m on it, Stone. I’ll be in touch.”

Stone hung up the phone with a sinking heart. He had no doubt that Casselli would kill her or worse, if he felt like it.

Dino came over. “Your face is white. What’s wrong?”

“It looks as though Casselli’s people have taken Hedy from the Paris house.”

“Oh, shit.”

“I told her not to go out until I reached Rome, but she went grocery shopping this morning. Rick’s man who was on her is down.” He told Dino about her cell phone.

“That was a smart move,” Dino said.

“I hope to God they don’t find it,” Stone replied, and he meant it.

28

Rick LaRose pressed a button on his phone that rang a dozen other phones, the users of which punched on and waited for instructions.

“This is a Mayday,” Rick said into the phone, “this is not a drill. Our surveillance subject, one Hedy Eva Marie Kiesler, has been taken from the Barrington house in Saint-Germain. I want a full-blown alert in the neighborhood, and team one to Le Bourget, all FBOs covered, now. I want a list of every aircraft taking off from that airport today, whether a flight plan is filed or not, its destination and time en route, with particular attention paid to flights to Italy or near the border. All teams: she’s probably in the trunk of a car or in the back of a van, and that will be tough. Use firearms as necessary, but be careful. Any questions?”

No one spoke. Rick hung up and called Jim Lugano and told him what he’d done.

“We’ve already got Ciampino covered,” Lugano said, “and we’re extending to the other Rome and Naples airports as we speak.”

“I’m going to ask the French to do vehicle checks of suspicious cars and trucks at the French/Swiss border,” Rick said.

“I’ll do the same at the Swiss/Italian border,” Jim responded.

“Our confidence is not high,” Rick said.

“Neither is ours.”

“Avoid telling Stone that, until we know more.”

“Right.” Both men hung up.

—

Stone had a progress report from both men; no trace of the cell phone. He hung up and stared out the window.

“You know the chances of getting her back are slim,” Dino said.

“Casselli will respond to money,” Stone replied. “I’ll ransom her back, no matter what it takes.”

“Stone, Casselli didn’t do this for money, his motives are two: leverage or revenge—or both. What happens to her is going to be decided by which is more important to him.”

Stone knew that Dino was right, but he couldn’t bring himself to agree with him.

“Now we wait,” Dino said. “They’ll be in touch.”

“Or they’ll dump her body somewhere they know we’ll find it.”

“There is that. We’ll do better at this if we try to remain optimistic.”

“I’ll try. It bothers me that we’re not getting anything on her cell phone. Would they have searched her that carefully?”

Viv spoke up for the first time. “They will, but if Hedy’s smart, the phone is not just in her underwear.” She walked out of the room before they could respond; two minutes later, she was back.

“If Hedy’s smart,” Viv said, “the phone is inside her. I tried it—it’s uncomfortable, but it works.”