I said, “You take care then.”

He nodded. “I’ll be here.”

I walked the stone wall perimeter of the estate. The wall ran alongside a narrow road. I stopped at the Hortensia bush. The position was good. Slightly raised, backing up against the wall and facing the house. It was right beside the only part of the wall clear of brush, therefore it might be an attractive entry point for an attacker. I’d have the whole north-south axis covered. The only way intruders could get past without me seeing was by rappelling from the cliff top, which I discounted as improbable. My view of the cliff top was obscured by a tree, which worked the other way too. Anyone sitting up there with a scope would be unable to spot me.

The sun would be down in a few minutes, so I headed back to the house.

The room had grown dim and Nazari had already settled down to wait. She was neutral in the chair, like she could wait for hours without moving. I said, “You okay?”

She spoke calmly and slowly. “I’m fine. It’s going to rain out there.”

“Which will make it difficult to hear. But that goes two ways.”

“Okay.”

I went out to the hallway and passed the central staircase. I put my ear to the Vaugeois’ bedroom door. Silence. The house was making its evening noises already. A little gurgling of water sloshing around in the pipes. The hum of charged electricity wires in the walls. And I thought that just maybe I could hear the soft snoring of Simone, who had no doubt taken a handful of pills to help her along.

Nazari had brought the bag with the duct tape and sneakers upstairs to the bedroom. I rooted around in my backpack and unwrapped the big sharpened screwdriver that I’d taken from the trail bike. The snake head edge was like a razor. I rolled up my sleeve and fastened the tool to my forearm with a strip of duct tape. Then I pulled the sleeve down. I moved my arm around a little. No problem with freedom of motion. I was wearing the black hoodie I’d bought earlier over my jeans. The hoodie would do nicely for the dark.

Good to go.

Chapter Fifty