And Cathleen wasn’t the only one who got a new job. Gus would remain Bennett’s driver and act as a taxi for her clientele; however, Bennett no longer wanted him to take side jobs taxiing others about to fill his time. Instead, she asked if he’d step into the role Finn and Gunnar had held, delivering artwork and moving sculptures and paintings from the warehouses, airports, and docks to the gallery. Gus had seen the prices of some items in the gallery in Boston, and he had a few heart palpitations before accepting the position, and when he did, his chest grew larger. He’d now be in charge of handling thousands if not millions of dollars of priceless art, and that amount of trust was priceless, too.

Bennett had brought Lisa up to speed on all the things she’d discussed with Max that afternoon, and Lisa had listened intently. She had lots of questions, but it wasn’t until she made sure all their traveling companions were doing all right when Lisa finally had time to ask them. As soon as she returned to her seat, she swiveled toward Bennett and whispered, “Are you sure they’ll be okay in the hold?”

There’s a lot to be said for traveling in first class. The room afforded to passengers is ample, and the latest technology is at their fingertips. Food is of better quality, the drinks are plentiful, and with the space afforded, private conversations are more easily had, so Bennett didn’t need to look around to ensure Lisa’s question wasn’t heard by others. “They’ll be fine,” Bennett said. “They’re basically hibernating, and the cold won’t affect them. Once we land in Rome, they’ll be taken to three different funeral homes, and then, one by one, their caskets will be delivered to the house where I’ll unlock them.”

“What about Ruby? You’re going to let her out, too, aren’t you?”

“Do you think I should?”

“Of course, you should. Twenty-five years is crap, Bennett. Sure, she made some mistakes, but it sounds like Max doesn’t think it’s fair. Why else would he give you the key?”

“True, but there is something else you need to take into account if we were to do it,” Bennett said, taking Lisa’s hand. “We’ve already allocated the other three homes on the property to Gus and his family, Gunnar and his, and Finn. Angelique and Polly need to stay in the main house because Max already has precautions in place to protect them from sunlight. And with the cellar being completely renovated, they’ll even have a separate entrance so they can come and go as they please.”

“Okay?”