“The worst idea I ever had was showing up with you in Bryant Park yesterday,” Dino said.

The car stopped, and they got out.

“You know anybody here?” Dino asked, as they went in through the Madison Avenue entrance of the hotel.

“The manager,” Stone replied. “He won’t be here this time of night, but I can drop his name.”

“Never mind, I’ll just drop my badge,” Dino replied as they approached the front desk.

Stone’s cell phone vibrated, and he flipped it open. “Hello?”

“It’s Carpenter,” she said.

52

Stone was surprised how glad he was to hear from her.

“Where are you?”

“With the director of the FBI at a government flat in the Waldorf Towers.”

“Stay there. It’s dangerous everywhere else.”

“I intend to, for the moment. Have you spoken to Dino?”

“I’m with Dino.”

“Is Sir Edward dead? Is it confirmed? These people won’t tell me anything.”

“It’s confirmed.”

“Oh, shit,” she said.

“Well, yes.”

“Ask Dino where I can claim his body.”

“At the city morgue, but after a postmortem.”

“Is there any way to avoid that? I’d like to get him home.”

“Ask the director. He can probably call somebody.”

“He’s very annoyed at everyone in the New York City government, from Dino to the mayor.”

“That’s because Dino wouldn’t let him play in his pond, and the commissioner and, presumably, the mayor backed up Dino.”

“Something like that. Apparently, he has all these men in black with guns, and he can’t use them.”

“That always annoys the FBI.”

“Will you come and see me here?”

“The FBI would probably shoot me if I tried.”

“I want to see you. I need to see you.”

“Don’t you think it would be a little crowded in a hotel suite with you, me, and the director all there?”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“Tell me, was Mason on the scene when Marie-Thérèse’s parents were killed?”

She paused. “Sort of. He was in a van nearby.”

“Then you’d better tell him to watch his ass. Who else was there, who’s still alive?”

“Just the two of us.”

“If I were you, I’d order up an airplane to an airport other than Kennedy and get out of the country. She knows where you’ve been camping out in New York. You’d be safer in London.”

“I’ll think about it. Does she know I’ve stayed at your house?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“I’ll call you later, on your cell phone.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, but I don’t know when.”

“Whenever, just call.” Stone hung up. “Carpenter’s a little stressed,” he said.

“Who wouldn’t be?”

The duty manager came to the front desk.

Dino showed him a badge. “I’m Lieutenant Bacchetti. I need a list of all the women staying in the hotel who are traveling alone.”

“What for?” the man asked.