“I’m sorry about that,” Stone said. “Viv is very protective of me.”

“Jinx has reassured me,” Viv said. “He’s all yours, Jinx.”

“I doubt it,” Jinx said.

“No kidding, he’s between flames.”

“I’m delighted to hear it,” Jinx said. “That reminds me, I arrived home to find the place full of scaffolding. I hired some painters weeks ago, and they picked now as the best time to come.”

“You can bunk with me for the duration,” Stone said.

“I presumed to bring a couple of bags. Fred is dealing with them.”

“He can probably guess where to put them,” Viv said.

“I like Fred. He seems a very competent person.”

“You have no idea,” Stone said. “He’s an ex–Royal Marine commando, tough as nails.”

“Yet charming.”

“He is that, when he’s not intimidating someone twice his size.”

“How does he do that?”

“I don’t entirely understand it. He can do a lot with a dead-eyed stare.”

They ordered and dined. After dinner, Stone and Jinx walked slowly home.

“It’s like a different city up here,” Jinx said as they turned into Stone’s Turtle Bay street.

“That’s the way I feel in your neighborhood,” Stone said. “I get a nosebleed if I go below Forty-second Street.” They climbed the stairs to the front door, and Stone reached for his key. To his surprise the door was slightly ajar.

“Did you leave it that way?” Jinx asked.

“I did not,” Stone said. “Will you wait here while I have a look around?”

“I’d rather come with you,” she said.

“All right, but stay close behind me. I’m often armed, but not tonight.” He put a finger to his lips and stepped inside and closed the door silently.

The living room was dark; he imagined that Joan had turned off the lights using an app on her iPhone. Stone stood and listened hard. He heard a tiny sound from below his feet, then beckoned Jinx to follow. They got into the elevator, the shaft of which was heavily insulated for sound, and rode down to the lower level. As the door opened, light from the car dimly illuminated his office. There was the scuffling sound of footsteps, and he heard the outside door near Joan’s office open and close. He hit a light switch, then ran down the hall, opened the door, and stepped outside. He heard the sound of running feet going down the block toward Second Avenue, but by the time he made the sidewalk, whoever it had been was gone. He walked back into his office.

“See anyone?” Jinx asked. She had made herself at home on his leather sofa.

“Heard, didn’t see. Somebody young, I think. He really sprinted down the block.”

“Don’t you have a security system?”

“Yes, but I didn’t arm it when I left.”

“Any cameras?”

Stone flinched, thinking of his advice to Laurence. “Sadly, no.”