It took longer than Nemo would have liked, but by ten fifteen Jean’s long, curly, blond hair was short, dark, and straight. She sported a new pair of glasses, olive-colored skin, a highly visible tattoo of a dragon on her forearm, and a nose ring. She looked almost nothing like the woman in the photograph on television. Nemo had even gone out and found her some new clothes—a pair of jeans and a pale green V-neck T-shirt.

“These are going to be too small,” said Jean when he presented her with his purchases.

“That’s the point,” said Nemo. “And wear this.” He handed her a lace brassiere that she held as if it were a dead animal.

“This is much too big,” she said. “I told you it was a bad idea for a man to go shopping for a woman.”

“That’s what this is for,” said Nemo, pulling several rolls of gauze out of his bag.

“Are you asking me to stuff my bra?” said Jean in disbelief.

“Trust me,” said Nemo.

When Jean emerged from the bathroom, she felt ridiculous. The T-shirt pulled tight over her fake breasts and she couldn’t imagine anyone would fall for the illusion.

“Perfect,” said Nemo.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Jean.

“Believe me,” said Nemo, “no man is going to spend much time looking at your face.”

“You’re a pig,” said Jean, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You do look kind of hot,” said Patton. “Doesn’t she, Ruthie?”

“I don’t think it’s only men who will be distracted,” said Ruthie.

“Honestly, you look good,” said Patton. “You don’t look anything like yourself.”

“I think I should be insulted,” said Jean, “but I’m too mortified.”

“Patton’s right,” said Nemo. “Now when we get there, it’s all about confidence. Jean Simpson is being hunted all across Europe and she knows it. So you march right in and make no effort to hide who you are and no one will suspect a thing. By the time Interpol runs their security footage through facial recognition software, we’ll be long gone.”

“How do you know?” said Jean.

“It’s my job to know,” said Nemo.

“And what exactly is your job?” said Jean.

“Don’t ask,” said Patton. “You don’t want to know.”

Because Jean could not present herself by name at the National Library of the Czech Republic, and because they had no credentials that would get them any farther than the main public rooms, they had planned for Nemo to identify himself as Peter Byerly, a man just famous enough in rare book circles for his name to be known, but not famous enough for his face to be recognized, or so Jean had claimed.

It was just before eleven when Jean and Nemo stepped out of the hotel, leaving Patton and Ruthie alone in their room.