“The doorman here saw the perp run out of the building, across the street, and over the wall into the park. Detectives Anderson and Kelly pursued him. I called it in from Kelly’s car; I asked for backup in the park between Seventy-second and Seventy-ninth. I also asked the dispatcher to find Bacchetti and tell him to come here.”

“So there’s nothing for us to do but wait for the medical examiner?”

“That’s right, except I’d like for two men to come upstairs with me. I was having dinner on the sixteenth floor when this happened, and I asked a young lady to stay there, but she’s not answering the phone.”

The sergeant turned to his men. “Garcia, you come with me; the rest of you stay here and secure this scene.”

“Can I pick up my weapon?” Stone asked, pointing.

“Sure,” the sergeant said.

Stone turned to the doorman. “Is there a passkey for sixteen?”

“In the key safe on the wall behind the desk,” the man said, pointing.

Stone went behind the desk, stepped over the bodies, located the passkey, grabbed his pistol, and headed for the elevator, digging for the key. He unlocked it and pressed the button for sixteen.

“My name’s McElhenny,” the sergeant said.

“I remember you,” Stone replied. “You were a rookie when I left the force; you’ve moved up.”

“What the hell is going on here, Mr. Barrington?” the sergeant asked.

“Somebody’s dogging Bacchetti and me; he followed me here tonight, and Anderson and Kelly were laying for him. It didn’t work.”

“Is this the perp who tried to harm Bacchetti’s wife?”

“The same.” The elevator stopped, and the men stepped into the private foyer of the apartment.

“Wow,” McElhenny said softly, looking around him.

“Inside there should be one woman; she was upstairs when I left. There are also two servants, a man and a woman, who live in, but I don’t know where their quarters are. I suggest the two of you search this floor, and I’ll check upstairs. Follow me upstairs when you’re sure there’s nobody down here.”

“Right,” the sergeant said.

Stone inserted the passkey into the lock and swung the door slowly open. He walked through the gallery as quietly as possible, but the three sets of shoes made noise on the marble floor. In the living room, Stone pointed to the two men, then around the apartment; he pointed to himself, then at the stairs.

The two cops started their search, weapons drawn.