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Back Foreign Affairs
Chapters (63)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Stuart Woods
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
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  9. 7
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  11. 9
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  13. 11
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  63. AUTHOR’S NOTE

His phone rang. “Hello?”

“It’s Hedy. I’m all sorted out here. Are you ready for me?”

“Come ahead,” he said. “I’m more than ready.”

“I’ll be there in less than an hour.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing you.”

“Yes, it’s been such a long time, hasn’t it?”

They hung up, and Stone stretched out on the bed for a nap. He was nearly asleep when he was wakened by the doorbell. He had forgotten to put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign. He got out of bed and answered it.

A bellman stood at the door, holding an elongated cardboard box. “Flowers for you, Mr. Barrington,” the man said.

Stone put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign and opened the box. Who would be sending him flowers? Hardly anyone knew he was in Rome.

The box was filled with lilies, and they were wilted and dying. Stone found a card and read it.

You would be more comfortable in New York.

Stone called Mike with the latest.

“I’m going to put somebody on you,” Mike said. “This is going to escalate, and we have to be ready.”

“Whatever you think is best.”

“I’ll have somebody with you in the morning.”

11

Hedy arrived at the Hassler and let herself into the suite. Stone was back on the bed, and she lay down with him and put her head on his shoulder. “I hope this all goes away soon,” she said.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Stone said, “and I can’t just go back to New York and leave Marcel to handle it. We had a similar problem with the Russian Mob in Paris. Marcel is known there as the French Warren Buffett, and he was and is accustomed to a certain deference in the way people deal with him. I don’t think it’s something he’s sought, it’s just happened as his reputation has grown. I believe the experience with the Russians, though, has toughened him up. He’s already expressed a willingness to do what’s necessary to deal with the problem.”

“How can I help?” Hedy asked.

“First of all, consider your own position: these people already know about you from Positano, and your association with me could cause you difficulties. I’m happy to pay off the agent for the apartment and send you back to New York, or wherever you want to go, on the next airplane.”

“You’d be happy to see me go?”

“Don’t misunderstand—I’m conflicted. I want you with me, but I don’t want you to be less than safe and comfortable.”

“I feel both safe and comfortable with you,” she said.

“I’m glad of that, but if at any time you want to distance yourself from the situation, I’ll get you out.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”