“Very smart, too. She invented some sort of torpedo that was used in World War Two. She had several patents, I think.”

“So you skipped the mechanical talent and went straight for the artistic?”

“Something like that. I can pick a lock, though, if it’s not too complicated.”

“Good—you never know when you’ll need a lock picked.”

“I want to start to work today,” she said. “Will that disturb you?”

“No more than you usually disturb me. There are a lot of books in the living room. I’ll see if I can find something in English.”

—

After breakfast, Hedy set up her easel on the terrace, and Stone found a collection of Mark Twain pieces. They were both fully occupied until noon, then they went out to look for some lunch, with Ernie a dozen paces back, watching everything like a predatory bird.

They found a workingman’s tiny café a few doors up the street and had some lasagna, then took a stroll around the neighborhood. There were a couple of dozen restaurants within a five-minute walk, and the Pantheon, the ancient pagan Roman temple that featured the world’s largest unsupported dome, a ten-minute walk away. They continued to the Piazza Navona, with its three Bernini fountains and a zillion tourists.

They were back at the apartment by three, and Stone’s phone was ringing.

“Hello?”

“It’s Mike. Everything okay?”

“Yes. Your guys got us out and to the apartment safely, and Hal approves of our security here.”

“My people made the transition at Marcel’s offices and apartment on schedule this morning. The Italian guards are out, and I’ve got more people arriving about now from our Paris office.”

“You said last night that you were hearing things. What things?”

“My people are hearing that the local Mob have taken a very big interest in Marcel and you. They apparently see the new hotel as a gold mine for them in bribes and extortion. My tech guy went through the security system and computers at Marcel’s office and found the phones bugged, and the computer network breached. All that has been taken care of, and new defenses have been installed.”

“Do you think you can get a message to Leo Casselli?”

“Probably. What do you want me to tell him?”

“Just let him know that we’re not going to play his game, that he’d be smart to leave us alone.”

“I think the disconnection of his electronic surveillance will tell him that. In the meantime, you need to be on guard for some sort of more physical approach. Beware of getting yanked into a car, and don’t either of you go out without Ernie or Hal.”

“Are we doing enough? Anything we’re missing?”

“I’ve spoken to Dino, who’s spoken to somebody in the Rome police, and I think that’s all we can do, until they make another move.”