Hedy walked into the living room and looked around. “This is like a beautiful set in a French movie.”

“That’s not exactly an accident,” Stone said. “Although the house was sparsely furnished when I bought it, I hired a woman who has a shop around the corner to decorate it to my specifications. Her shop specializes in supplying movie set designers with furnishings. By the way, there’s an artist’s supply shop a couple of doors down from her. They should have what you need.”

“Then I’m going there now,” Hedy said. “Which way?”

“Out the gate, take a right, and it’s half a dozen shops down the street.” He took a key from a kitchen drawer and gave it to her. “This will get you back in through the door in the gate.”

Hedy departed, and Marie returned with the driver. Stone tipped him and sent him on his way.

“Welcome home, Mr. Barrington,” Marie said in her heavily accented English. “How long will you be with us?”

“I’m not sure, Marie, a few days, at least.”

“I’ve prepared some food for dinner tonight. May I get you some lunch? Perhaps an omelet?”

“Let’s wait until Hedy comes back.”

“As you wish.” Marie disappeared into the kitchen.

Stone sat down in the living room and phoned Marcel in Rome.

“Hello, Stone, I tried to call you at the Hassler, but you had gone, and your cell phone didn’t answer.”

“I’m sorry about that, Marcel. The security people insisted that I disable it. I’ll have it working again in a few minutes.”

“Where are you?”

“In Paris. We had a threat, and I thought it best to get out of town for a bit. How is it going there?”

“Michael Freeman’s people have been excellent. It seems that I was not as secure here as I had thought.”

“Have there been any incidents since I saw you?”

“Only that Mr. Casselli continues to call each day, and I continue to refuse to speak to him. The new construction company begins today clearing away the ruins of the old hotel. They will be ready to start construction in a week or so. The architects have produced elevations and infrastructure plans already, and they are beautiful. My instructions to them were to make the building look as if it has always been there.”

“Perfect.”

“I believe Dino has been trying to reach you. He called here a couple of times.”

“I’ll call him right away.”

“Have a good time in Paris. Will you be coming here afterwards?”

“If you need me.”

“I’ll try not to, but you never know.”

Stone said goodbye and then called Dino, who was still in his office.

“Where the hell have you been?”