“If you’re right, have them tell the hospital to give her atropine immediately. It won’t cure her, but it will stop the action of the poison and restore her functions to normal. And they have to give her oximes. They’re the only antidote, if it’s a nerve agent. The fucking Russians love them and use them on each other all the time. Some are stronger than others. Let’s hope this is a mild one. This is serious, Mike. It could be fatal.”

“Why on her?” Mike said through clenched teeth.

“For a lot of reasons we can figure out later. Let’s make sure she’s going to be okay first. They don’t want to kill her, they want to scare her. We’ve been hearing echoes in Russia this week that they want their other fifty million. They’re finally coming out of the woodwork, and if they kill her, they won’t get it. They’re smart enough to know that. Where are you, by the way?”

“I’m in New York, she’s outside Paris, at the château. Guy Thomas at the DGSE is going to get her taken to the right hospital and do a forensic search at the château.”

“He’s a good man, even if a little slow to react sometimes.”

“He had a protective tail on her and his guy is with her now. He’s a paramedic and works for the DGSE. He said it looks like some kind of overdose.”

“That’s about right. Tell them about the atropine and oximes, and keep me posted.”

“Thanks, Robert,” Mike said, distracted and worried about Theo.

Mike called back to her cellphone and Daniel answered. “What’s happening?” Mike asked him quickly.

“The ambulance just got here, they’re putting her in now. They’re going to take her to a hospital here to check her out and see if she can go to the city. She’s a little more confused and she says she’s dizzy. I’m going to lock up here and follow in the car.”

“Tell them it may be a nerve agent of some kind, and to use atropine to stop the action of the poison, and oximes are the only antidote. I hope to hell they know what they’re doing.”

“She was having a little trouble breathing and they gave her oxygen. I’ll run in and lock up now,” Daniel told him.

“Call me from the hospital when you know what’s going on.”

“Yes, sir.” He ran into the house then, forgetting about her suitcases upstairs. They could come back for them another time. He picked up her purse from the hall table, pulled the front door firmly shut by the big antique brass knob, and rushed out to the car. The DGSE agent was in the ambulance with Theo, and Daniel rushed to start the station wagon to follow them.