“No, the alarm is silent, ringing only at Strategic Services. I didn’t want to alarm the neighbors with sirens. The silent alarm didn’t go off until a minute after he entered, to give time for the code to be entered in the command module before it activated.”

“Have the police seen this?”

“Yes, and they’ve identified him as one Marvin Jones, who had already been into the apartment once before—they identified him at that time by a fingerprint. The police have been looking for him ever since.”

“He didn’t appear to steal anything.”

“I think he was looking for my checkbook again, but since his first visit, and after the checks he wrote, Marge has had a safe installed in her office and everything financial is kept in there.”

“He was looking very interested in that safe when he was rousted,” Stone said. “Don’t worry, they’ll haul him in eventually.”

The women came back with the canapés, and Laurence whispered to Stone, “Theresa doesn’t know about this, so don’t mention it. I don’t want to frighten her.”

Stone nodded and accepted a canapé. “Laurence, Theresa, I’ve just had a thought: You don’t know a lot of people in New York, do you?”

“I don’t,” Laurence replied. “Theresa, do you?”

“Mostly women I went to Mount Holyoke with.”

“Every year, Strategic Services throws a party for its key staff and a couple of dozen of their best clients. This year, it’s to be at my house, but my living room isn’t really big enough. I wonder if you’d consider hosting it at your apartment? At no cost to you, of course.”

The two young people exchanged a glance. “Of course. When is it?”

“In a couple of weeks. The invitations will go out in a couple of days.”

“We’ll be back by then,” Laurence said. “Just let me know what time and how many. I’ll hire waiters.”

“Mike Freeman, the CEO, will take care of that. All you’ll have to do is come to the party. Oh, and it will be black tie, so, Theresa, you’ll have an excuse to buy a new dress.”

“I can’t complain about that,” she said.

36

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Stone called Mike Freeman and discussed the new venue. “His living room is enormous, and it will be better for the guests than my house.”

“Sounds good. I’d like to meet Laurence.”

“And there’s a grand piano and room for some musicians.”

“I’ll send our catering manager over to have a look at it.”

“I’ll ask Laurence to tell the concierge to let her in.”

“When are you due back in town?”

“A couple of days. My companion hasn’t seen Santa Fe yet.”

—