“I’ll deal with that later,” he said. “Thanks for your help, Joan.”

“I hope this turns out all right,” Joan said, then hung up.

“What time is it in New York?” he asked Hedy.

“Eight AM.”

Stone called another number, one he knew well.

“Bacchetti,” Dino said.

“It’s Stone. Sorry to call you so early.”

“Don’t worry about it. Where are you?”

“At an autostrada service area east of Naples. My borrowed car has been stolen, along with my briefcase and luggage and my companion’s things, as well. I don’t know how to call the police in Italy.”

“I’ll deal with that. Where can they find you?”

“In Positano, at a hotel called Le Sirenuse, in a couple of hours. A car is on the way to pick us up. I need to file a report with the police for my insurance company.”

“I’ll take care of it. You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“And the companion?”

“She’s fine, too.” Stone looked up; a young Italian man in a dark suit was standing there. “Mr. Barrington?”

“Yes.”

“I am Fabrioso. Please call me Fabri. Are you ready to go to Positano?”

“We certainly are.”

“Where is your luggage?”

“I wish I knew.” He explained the situation, then they followed him to the car and got into the rear seat.

“To Le Sirenuse, correct?”

“Correct.”

They were on the autostrada for a few minutes, then got off at the exit for Sorrento. Soon they were driving very slowly along a narrow road cut into the mountainside to their left, with a vertical drop to the sea on the other side.

“This is spectacular,” Hedy said.

“Sorry about the road. It was built for goat carts, I think.”

A giant tour bus appeared from around a bend and nearly nudged them over the side of the cliff.

“Certainly wasn’t built for tour buses,” Hedy said.

They entered the village of Positano, which clung precariously to the mountainside, then turned down a street toward the sea. Shortly, they pulled into Le Sirenuse.

Stone gave Fabri fifty euros, then went to the front desk and registered.

“Your suite is ready, Mr. Barrington,” the desk clerk said, “and there are two gentlemen from the police waiting for you over there.” He nodded toward a sofa.

Stone went over and introduced himself to the two men. They spent an hour going over his story and filling out a form and listing everything lost. The desk clerk made a copy for Stone.

Stone thanked the policemen and followed the clerk to their suite, which was spacious, with a large terrace overlooking the village below them and the sea.

“This is absolutely spectacular,” Hedy said. “I’m glad you didn’t try to explain it to me.”

Stone glanced at his watch. “Dinner in an hour?”

“Fine.”

His cell phone buzzed. “Hello?”

“It’s Dino. Did the cops show?”