“He was in London this week and met with a Chinese arms dealer we know about and keep an eye on. He introduced him to a Russian ‘friend’ of his, who’s actually a double agent we know all about. The Russian was poisoned and died yesterday.”

“He’s trying to crawl up on Theo Morgan too,” Mike told him. “He is definitely broadening his circle. How does the Russian double agent figure into this, and the Chinese arms dealer?”

“Just bigger commissions, I suspect. But he’s playing in the big leagues now, or trying to. Those are both dangerous men, as witnessed by the poisoning of the Russian. He’s been playing a double game for a while and it seems to have caught up with him. If de Vaumont falls in with that crowd and gets on their wrong side, they won’t screw around, they’ll kill him,” Robert said bluntly.

“I’ll pass the intel on to Guy Thomas in Paris,” he said to Robert.

“That sounds like a good idea. You never know who these connectors and dealmakers will fall in with.” Mike thanked him, hung up, and called Guy Thomas again, this time on his personal cell, but still didn’t get him. He was anxious to share the info on de Vaumont with him.

Guy called him back at seven a.m. in Paris when he got up. It was one a.m. for Mike, but he was still awake, at his computer.

“Something important?” he asked with his heavy French accent, and Mike reported to him what Robert Richmond had told him about the meeting and the Russian double agent being poisoned.

“I still think de Vaumont’s a small-time bullshitter, and relatively harmless.” Guy Thomas held firm to his position.

“His friends aren’t harmless,” Mike pointed out to him. “And he’s chasing after Theo Morgan now, with social invitations. I think you need to keep an eye on him.”

“I have a better idea,” Guy volunteered, “for your peace of mind and mine. I’m going to put a tail on Theo Morgan Pasquier. I won’t tell her. He’ll be discreet. It’s more important that we keep her safe and see who approaches her, than worrying about a little piece of garbage like de Vaumont. He’s a waste of time.”

“Maybe less and less so. I think we need to keep a vigilant eye on him.” But he did like the idea of protecting Theo. “I think that’s an excellent idea about a tail for Theo Morgan. How soon can you start?”

“Later today. I promise.” Guy Thomas was more than ever sure that Mike had some kind of personal interest in the Pasquier case, but whatever it was, he didn’t need to know it. Theo was the one at risk, not the people who knew her.

“Thanks, Guy, I appreciate it,” Mike said.