Foreign Affairs

“I’d like to know where Casselli is,” Stone said. “He might visit her.”

“We haven’t had eyes on Casselli since he left Lipp, in Paris.”

“Can you please locate him? It seems to me that would be useful information.”

“You’re right.” Jim got on his phone again and started issuing orders.

“I understand Casselli disposed of two of his closest people, for fear that they might be in touch with the police.”

“Correct.”

“I’d like to know who replaced them in his hierarchy,” Stone said, “and if they’re under surveillance. If Casselli isn’t seeing Hedy himself, then somebody is taking care of her, and I think we should try and find out who that is.”

“I don’t think we have enough information right now to figure that out,” Jim said. “If we could get a cell phone location, it would help.”

“If we got a cell phone location, we would have most of what we need,” Stone replied. “What are your capabilities when dealing with Casselli?” he asked. “What is authorized?”

“You mean, can we kill him?”

“Now that you mention it.”

“That’s a little steep at this stage of the game,” Jim said.

“If we could kill him, he wouldn’t be a problem anymore.”

Jim laughed. “I can’t argue with that, but I have not been authorized to kill him.”

“Seek authorization.”

Jim laughed again. “Jesus, Stone, I didn’t know you were so bloodthirsty.”

“I want my friend back, and I don’t care if Casselli has to die in order to achieve that.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t much care if he has to die, either. He’s just interfering with our regular work.”

“Ask Lance. Ask somebody.”

—

Jim excused himself, left the room, and called Lance.

“This is Cabot.”

“I’ve just been having a chat with Stone Barrington. He wants me to kill Leo Casselli.”

Lance burst out laughing. “Is that all? Just bump him off? Who does he think we are?”

“Lance,” Jim said, “Stone has a point.”

“You mean you’re happy to eliminate Casselli? Is that how you think we behave?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Well, yes, but that sort of thing usually calls for a presidential finding.”

“Usually, but not always. Casselli could have an accident.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Maybe the sort of thing these guys use to take each other out—his car nudged over a cliff, a bomb under his seat, a bullet to the head. After all, Casselli has just erased two of his top lieutenants, because he’s afraid they might be talking to the police. There are surely those who might think that calls for a response. They must have family members or friends who might hold a grudge. If Casselli died, assumptions would be made about who did it and why, and I don’t think we would rank high on anybody’s list of possible perpetrators. If you need a bureaucratic reason, he’s keeping us from our usual work.”

“I like that. Do you know where he is?”

“Not yet, but I’ve issued orders to find him.”

“Talk to me again when you have a location and a more definite suggestion for a plan.”

“Right.” Jim hung up and went back into the living room.

“Well?” Stone asked.

“It’s being discussed.”

32

Dino came into the room. “I’m getting cabin fever,” he said. “Let’s go for a drive.”

“We don’t have a car,” Stone replied.

“I can arrange that,” Jim Lugano said, “and I’ll provide security.” He got on the phone.

Stone and Dino rode down in the elevator.

“You’ve been awful quiet, for you,” Dino said.

“I’m thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“About killing Casselli.”

Dino laughed. “And how are you going to manage that?”

“Just find out where he is and kill him.”

“Don’t the police or the CIA know where he is?”

“Apparently not—their best guess is Naples.”

“There are probably people better qualified than you to take him out. You’ve never assassinated anybody, have you?”

“There’s a first time for everything. I asked Jim to put it to Lance.”

“What’d he say?”

“He didn’t say no.”

They were greeted downstairs by three of Lugano’s people, one of whom handed Dino the keys to a Fiat sedan. “Be careful,” he said, “the car’s been tuned up.”

“Great,” Dino said. “Let’s go do donuts in the Piazza del Popolo.”

“Cars are now ba

“I am,” Dino replied. “Stone?”

“No.”

“What would you like?”

“Have you got a smallish .45?”

“How about model 1911 officer’s?”

“That’ll do.”

The man went to the trunk of another car and came back with the pistol and a holster. Stone slipped it onto his belt, crossdrew, popped the magazine, shoved it back in, racked the slide, and put the safety on. He was handed two spare loaded magazines.

“Where are you headed?” the agent asked.

“Wherever we like,” Dino said, getting behind the wheel and starting the car.

The agent handed him a handheld radio. “It’s tuned to cha

Stone got in beside him, adjusted the seat, and put his spare magazines in the glove compartment. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“How about Naples?”

“Okay, I guess it’s an hour on the autostrada.” Dino handed Stone the radio, then punched Naples into the GPS and drove out of the courtyard.

—

An hour later they were approaching Naples.

“Anyplace special?” Dino asked.

“Keep to the coast as much as possible.”

“What are we looking for?”

“A tall building under construction with a construction elevator. Oh, and if you see Leo Casselli, let’s stop and shoot him.”

“Anything we should watch out for?”

“I think Casselli likes big black Lancias.”

They drove slowly along the coast, passing the ferry terminal for the Isle of Capri. Dino stopped the car and pointed. “There,” he said.

Stone turned and saw the skeleton of a building, maybe thirty stories. A mass of yellow scaffolding ran up one side.

“Like that?” Dino said.

“Something further along in construction,” Stone said. “That one doesn’t have any walls.”

Dino continued driving, then after a few minutes stopped again. “Nearly finished,” he said, pointing.

Stone looked at the building. “They’ve taken down the construction elevator and started using the interior ones. Too finished.”

They drove on. After a while Dino said, “We’ve pretty much circumnavigated Naples, and no building fits the description.”

Stone pointed. They were on the north side of Naples, driving along the water, and on the other side of the road, lit by the setting sun, was a tall building, apparently under construction, that had been enclosed but still had a construction elevator attached to one side. “What about that?” Stone said.

“Looks good to me,” Dino said.

33

Dino pulled the car off the road and into the construction site, which was unfenced, wide open. It was getting dark.

Stone leaned forward and looked up. “There are lights on at the top,” he said.