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Chapters (63)
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  2. Books by Stuart Woods
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  63. AUTHOR’S NOTE

“Darkness will fall at around seven PM. At approximately seven-thirty to seven forty-five, our guitarist, Guido, will make an announcement, using a microphone attached to his guitar’s amplifier. The other musicians will have earlier retrieved their weapons from the snare drum and will be ready. Guido will announce that they are all under arrest and surrounded. He will reassure them that, after being interviewed, nearly all the guests will be released and allowed to leave. The band members will be responsible for detaining Leo Casselli.”

Stone raised his hand. “Dante, may I make a suggestion?”

“Yes, Stone, of course.”

“Perhaps Guido, before he makes his announcement of arrest, could ask Casselli to come to the microphone and welcome his guests. That way, he will detach himself from the crowd, so we will know where he is, and while Guido makes his announcement, we can cuff Casselli, take him down in the elevator, and put him into a vehicle. I assume that the downstairs guards will have already been taken.”

“Yes, they will be in custody by that time, and I accept your suggestion, which is an excellent one. You, Stone, may have the pleasure of taking Casselli.” There was applause in the room.

“And now, are there any questions? No? Then you will all be in your assigned vehicles at four PM. Waiters, please go now, since you need a head start.”

The meeting broke up, and everyone went to his assigned vehicle. The band members were assigned to a van, inside which the neck of the bass fiddle protruded into the passenger compartment.

Stone took his seat. In a moment, they were off.

56

Hedy had run out of food and wine as the day waned, and two security guards now manned the rear deck, so she could not get into the house or leave her hiding place without being seen. She resolved that once darkness fell, she would leave her nest among the rocks and make her way up the path toward wherever it led, regardless of the danger. She would crawl, if necessary, but she would do it. Irrationally, she began to blame Stone for her predicament, and her single-minded goal in getting out became confronting him with her many complaints. She longed to be back in New York, where no one wished to kidnap or otherwise harm her. Italy no longer seemed an attractive place to live and work.

—

The van carrying the musicians made its way, by necessity slowly, down the Amalfi drive, past the Casselli house, and around a bend, where it made a U-turn in a wide place in the road and parked. Daylight was waning, and it would soon be dark.