“Of course.” The soldier nodded eagerly as the men set the painting against the wall.

“I will take care of the furniture.” The older of the two men spoke loudly to his partner. “Joseph, you have heard what the madame has requested. A ladder, a tool kit, proper anchors. The ladder you will find in the north cellars, the tools that you will need are in the workshop closest to the garden terrace on the Cambon side. Anchors should be there somewhere too. And please try to keep your return as discreet as possible. I don’t need resident or guest complaints.”

The man called Joseph had a thoroughly puzzled expression.

“You heard my instructions. Please heed them carefully.”

Joseph’s face cleared. “Of course.”

“Thank you,” Sophie told them easily, not looking at the man who had spoken. “We will wait here with the painting.”

Müller and the younger employee vanished, leaving Sophie, Estelle, and the older man in the center of the salon.

“I’m not sure what you are doing, Mademoiselle Allard, but you need to do it quickly,” the man said. “I sent Joseph and his Boche on a scavenger hunt, but they will be back soon. Fifteen minutes, maybe?”

“That’s all I need. And it would be best if you left right now,” Estelle told him. “For your own protection.”

“But—”

“Please. If anyone asks, you can tell them I ordered you to bring us drinks from the bar. In fact, why don’t you do that.”

“You want me to bring you a drink here?”

“Why not? All this waiting is so wearing on a soul.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. And please take your time. For your own sake.”

“Very well,” he said before he retreated and then vanished.

Estelle was already hurrying to the hidden closet, gesturing at Sophie to follow her. With quick, sure hands, she released the closet door. “Hurry.”

Sophie ducked in behind her, finding herself in a small, cramped space. “Did you see Schwarz?”

“Yes. And I’m not sure if we’ll have fifteen minutes.” Estelle was feeling along the edge of the rear wall, and the click as the hidden door at the rear swung open sounded overly loud. “Just get what you came for and get out. There is a light at the bottom of the stairs same as this one. I’ll wait up here and deal with Schwarz or anyone else.”

Sophie pulled the tiny Riga Minox camera, smaller than the length of her hand, from her beaded handbag and started her descent into the darkness. The air down here was stagnant, a metallic scent hanging heavily around her. She reached the bottom as quickly as she dared in the darkness and found the light at the bottom of the stairs where Estelle had said it would be.