“I don’t know what we can do. Listen, George, I’m willing to help you, of course I am, but I don’t see how breaking into Berman’s house or anything else along those lines is going to help, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I know if I could only get into Nano. . . .”

“Then what, George? The place is tight as a drum with security. Remember what Pia did last, and she worked there, remember?”

“What about Pia’s boss, Mariel? Mariel whatever her name is. She’s a piece of work, but who knows? We could start there, talk to her, see if she’ll tell us anything.”

“I suppose. If we can figure out how to get in touch with her. I assume she’ll be at work on a Wednesday.”

“My sense is that work is all she has,” said George. “It might be hard to contact her, but we have to do something. Maybe it would be helpful to find out where she lives.” He winked at Paul.

Paul shrugged, but didn’t say anything. At least it was better than trying to break into Berman’s castlelike house or Nano.

Chapter 53

53.

THE OLD VICARAGE, CHENIES, U.K.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2013, 5:14 P.M. BST

Pia had spent the day mostly sleeping in bed, a real bed, not the filthy mattress on the floor of the dungeon where she had talked to Berman. After being examined by the doctor, two men wearing fatigues and surgical masks had moved her to a small, utilitarian bedroom up some cement steps leading out of the basement and along a corridor with the lowest ceiling Pia had ever seen. Even she had had to hunch down while she walked. There was one unadorned lightbulb in the middle of the featureless ceiling.

Pia felt groggy and out of it. She had lost track of time and was unsure of where she was until her mind cleared. Halfway along the route from the basement cell there had been a small window, and Pia had caught a glimpse of some trees and a garden. It had been raining outside, and it looked gray. At the time she had questioned where it could have been. Could it be Colorado? But the trees looked wrong. And it was too green. Berman had said something about being in London. Is that where I am? she wondered.

The two men had shackled Pia to the metal-frame bed in the room. There was no furniture or windows, and the door was of heavy steel. This was another cell, only less humid than the cellar. Pia was livid with Berman for putting her in this position. She saw there was a bedpan she was going to have to use. She felt humiliation along with her anger. She was being kept like an animal.

After a few minutes of being awake, the door opened, and the Chinese doctor came back.