“It occurs to me that there must be things your people in Italy can do to support the effort and to help get the Mafia off Stone’s and Marcel’s backs. I’ve heard all about what’s going on with their plans for a hotel in Rome.”

“Well, the Mafia don’t always come under our brief, Madam President.”

“You didn’t have any scruples about going after the Russian Mob in Paris last year, and I’ve never seen that in your brief. Would you like me to issue a presidential finding that would cover your ass?”

“Oh, madam, I don’t think that would be necessary.” He thought for a slim instant. “But if you have a moment to dictate something, it would be very helpful.”

“I’ll get it to you tomorrow, Lance. Now, you pull out all the stops, you hear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good night, then.”

“Good night, ma’am.” He hung up the phone and found himself panting. Stone Barrington was going to be the death of him yet.

25

After rising the following morning Stone was in the library making notes for his call to Marcel when Dino came in with a bag of croissants and the International New York Times, formerly the International Herald Tribune.

“We’ve got some rethinking to do,” Dino said, tossing the newspaper into his lap.

Stone put down his pad and picked up the paper. A large headline occupied the upper right-hand corner of the front page:

TOP ITALIAN MAFIA COP ASSASSINATED IN ROME

“It happened when he was driving home from work last night,” Dino said. “He left the ministry with a driver in an armored Lancia. They were in rush hour traffic at a standstill, when a motorcycle pulled up beside them, and the guy on the backseat shoved a bomb under Massimo’s car. Apparently, the car wasn’t equipped to handle that. It blew about six feet into the air and broke in half. Massimo and his driver were both killed instantly.” He picked up the remote control and turned on the TV. In a moment he had found the BBC News channel, and they watched the footage from a security camera in the street as it played and replayed the explosion.

They listened to the report for a few minutes, then the news reader heard something in her earpiece, and she was handed a sheet of paper. “This just in,” she said. “Two top Italian Mafia leaders have this morning been gunned down almost simultaneously: one in Naples and one in Rome, the Italian DIA is reporting. Their names have not yet been released.” She moved on to another story, and Dino switched off the TV.

“That’s bad about Massimo,” Stone said. “My condolences.”

“He was a tough guy. I’m sorry they got to him before he got to them.”

“Do you have any idea who his successor will be?”