Had I said something wrong? There was so much to choose from—my family, my drinking, my exes.

I watched her pass by the window, a blur, and just behind her, a shadow and the red glow of a cigarette tip. Or was it a cigar?

30

Back in my hotel room, I tried to replay it: what I’d said, what she’d said, what had gone wrong. Was it because I’d been about to kiss her? But she’d already kissed me. I was usually the one to play it cool, but not this time. I unfolded the napkin with her number, stared at it a moment, then called. After one ring, I hung up.

Seconds later, my cell phone rang.

“Did you just call me?”

“Sorry. I decided it was too late, so—”

“No, it’s not. Is anything wrong?”

“That’s what I was calling to ask you.”

Silence.

Then: “I’m sorry I ran off.”

“Did I say something to upset you?”

“No. I just…needed to get back.”

I didn’t believe her but didn’t push. “Will I see you at the library tomorrow?”

“It depends.”

On what? What sort of game was she playing? Whatever it was, it was working to keep me off-balance—and making me want her more.

“I’ll try,” she said, then “Good night.”

I stared at my cell phone. Why had she bothered to call me back? Then I threw it down on the bed. Fine. If that was how she was going to play it, forget it, forget her. I didn’t need this. I crumpled the napkin with her number and tossed it into the trash can. A second later, I dug it out. Damn it. I didn’t want to think about her, didn’t want to think about anything except why I’d come to Florence. Eyes on the prize, I told myself.

It was after eleven, but I was wide awake now. I opened my laptop and started typing. Another list of what I knew, what I’d read, the various things that led up to the theft.

1. Peruggia meets with Valfiero.

2. Valfiero promises money but Peruggia turns him down.

3. Peruggia gets fired from the Louvre.

4. Simone dies.

5. Peruggia steals the painting.

But why steal the painting after Simone died? I didn’t know.

6. What happened to the baby?

I couldn’t answer that either, but it suddenly came to me that the baby was my grandfather. At least I thought so, unless Vincent had fathered another child.

7. How much money did Peruggia get from Valfiero?

From my years of research, I knew that Peruggia had been released from jail with nothing. Had he stashed the money he’d made from Valfiero and reclaimed it after prison? If so, where?

I got up and started to pace, the idea of waiting until tomorrow to read the journal almost unendurable. I wanted to read it now, to hold it in my hands, to take as long as I needed. And why shouldn’t I have it? Why shouldn’t I steal it?