“I had to disappear for a few days, and Mike’s people insisted I disable my cell phone. Not soon enough, though. Casselli’s people managed to track me down. We arrived in Paris an hour and a half ago.”

“Ah, Paris.”

“Why don’t you and Viv join me for a few days?”

“I’ll see if I can think of a good enough excuse. In the meantime, I’ve spoken with a man named Massimo Bertelli, in Rome, who is head of the Italian Anti-Mafia Investigative Department, or DIA, and asked him advice on how you should proceed.”

“I’d be grateful for his advice,” Stone replied.

“He’s assigned a special team to monitor your situation and to take such action as is required. He says to stonewall Casselli, to give him nothing. He’s unaccustomed to that sort of stand, and it will rattle him.”

“That is exactly what Marcel and I have done and will continue to do, though I have to say he’s managed to rattle us.”

“You’re better off in Paris. There’s nothing you can do in Rome but advise Marcel, and you can do that on the phone.”

“I don’t want to run out on Marcel.”

“Don’t overestimate your importance.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Let me talk to Viv and see what her schedule is, then I’ll get back to you about coming to Paris.”

“Do that, it would be good to see you both.” Stone hung up.

Hedy was just coming through the door. “I got what I needed,” she said. “Everything will be delivered in an hour.”

“Lunch?”

“Great.”

“An omelet?”

“Perfect.”

Stone went to the kitchen and gave Marie their order.

He went back to the living room, found his cell phone, and reinstalled the SIM chip, then put it into his pocket. Less than a minute passed before it rang. He checked the caller ID window, but got nothing. “Hello?”

“This is Leonardo Casselli,” a voice said.

Stone hung up. He removed the SIM chip, then used the landline to call Joan in New York.

“You got there okay?”

“I did. I’d like you to do something for me.”

“Okay.”

“Please go to the Apple store and buy me a new iPhone, with a new number. Get it authorized and working, then FedEx it to me in Paris.”

“You lose the old one?”

“No, I just don’t want to use it. I’ll back up the new one to the iCloud and get all my files and apps onto the new phone.”

“Will do.”

Stone put his phone and the SIM chip into his briefcase; he could live a day without using it.

The omelet was perfect.

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