Foreign Affairs (10 page)

S
tone blinked. “My return?”

“We'd like you to go back to Rome tomorrow morning. I've spoken with Marcel duBois, and he's happy to have you and your girl as his guests in his apartment over his offices. If Dino and Viv want to go, there's room for them, too. I understand he has quite an establishment there. The building has already been secured by Strategic Services, and people from our Rome station will take an interest, too.”

“Why do you want me back there?”

“Do you remember your conversation with Rick about the goat and the lion?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Your girl doesn't have to share that experience. We'll do our best to protect her, if she goes back to Rome, but if she leaves the duBois building, she'll be a target for kidnapping, or worse.”

“I'll speak to her about that.”

“When you fly to Ciampino tomorrow, flight-plan for a noon
arrival. You'll be met on the ramp and directed to a secure hangar that we maintain there.”

“Thank you, Lance.”

“The head of our Rome station is Jim Lugano, a bilingual Italian American and a good man. He'll meet you at the hangar with a secure vehicle, and you can talk about dealing with Casselli on the way into the city.”

“Fine.”

“Your debacle at Lipp seems to have turned into something of an advantage—you were always lucky, Stone. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Marie came into the library with a tray of Dino's croissants, butter, jam, and coffee, followed shortly by Hedy and Viv. Everybody said good morning, sat down, and dug into the pastries.

After breakfast, Dino stood up and beckoned to Viv. “We're going to take a little walk,” he said. “We'll talk more when we get back.” They left.

“I have a feeling we've been left alone for a talk,” Hedy said.

“Right. I have to go back to Rome tomorrow, and the best advice I can get is that you shouldn't return to the city.”

She started to protest, but he held up a hand. “I'm moving into Marcel duBois's apartment above his offices, and if you come you'll be a virtual prisoner there. It's thought by thoughtful people that in Rome you would be a target for kidnapping.”

Hedy made a gulping sound.

“Let me propose two alternatives: you can return to New York, or you can stay here, in this house, and paint. In either
case, I'll have the Rome apartment cleaned out and your things returned to New York, and I'll take care of the rental charges there.”

She thought about it for a moment. “Well, if I can't go with you, I think I'd prefer to stay in Paris and paint.”

“Casselli is tracking my phone, so tomorrow he'll know that I've left Paris. Please wait until noon tomorrow, when I'll be back in Rome, before you leave the house alone. I'll ask Rick LaRose to have an eye kept on you, though you won't be aware of it.”

She came over, sat in his lap, and kissed him. “Thank you,” she said.

—

D
ino and Viv came back a few minutes later. “We've both talked with our offices, and we're going back to Rome with you. Viv is going to work with Mike Freeman on security there, and the mayor is going to let me take a few days for consultation with the Rome police on coordinating their operation against Casselli. While we were out, Dante Fiore called. The Italian prime minister has appointed him as Massimo's replacement. The announcement will be made this afternoon.”

“That's good news.”

“He tells me that the killing of Massimo and the phone call from the president to the Italian PM have helped concentrate the minds of the government, and maybe even the legislature,
when it comes to measures to deal with the Mafia there. That can only be a good thing.”

“How much do you know about how the Italians have been dealing with their Mafia?”

“Only what Massimo told me in a meeting in New York and in a few phone calls. These were about his plans, and not enough time has passed for them to have taken effect, so they'll be starting from scratch with Dante, albeit with Massimo's outline for his plans. Dante is going to ride in with us from the airport tomorrow, so he can tell us what his first moves are going to be.”

“The head of the Agency's Rome station will be with us, too. His name is Jim Lugano, and I expect he already knows Dante.”

“Maybe you'll get your tsunami after all,” Dino said.

S
tone lined up on the runway at Ciampino and set the CJ3+ down gently. As he turned off the runway a cart turned into his path with a flashing sign on the back saying: “Follow Me.” Stone did so, and a lineman directed him to park in front of a large hangar. A large black Mercedes van pulled up to the airplane and waited. Stone saw two uniformed Italian policemen carrying automatic weapons standing guard at the van.

Stone, Dino, and Viv deplaned and retrieved their luggage from the airplane, then Stone locked it and got into the Mercedes with the others. The large compartment was set up as a conference table, and introductions were made. Jim Lugano was tall, thin, black-haired, and appeared to be in his early forties. He sported a dense mustache and was dressed in an obviously Italian suit. Dante Fiore was a solidly built six-footer with a thick
neck and broad shoulders with short black hair. He pumped Stone's hand and welcomed him back to Rome.

“I hope your visit will be more peaceful than your last,” he said. “And let me say, I'm glad your girlfriend chose to remain in Paris. We were not looking forward to protecting her while she painted in Rome.”

“You are very well informed,” Stone replied.

Dante took immediate control of their meeting. “I have spent two hours today meeting with the heads of half a dozen police divisions, and now each of them is back in his office, plotting with his staff to see how many ways they can harass the Casselli family and the others. Here are a few things we are already doing. One, vehicles identified as belonging to the families and their associates will be routinely followed and many of them stopped by the police for an examination of the vehicles and their documentation. Minor traffic and document infractions will be punished. Two, all known Mafia members with the rank of
capo
and above will be surveilled, with no attempt to hide our attentions. We want them to feel harassed. Warrants are being prepared to tap the telephones of those key men that are not already tapped, and noises will be made on the lines to let them know we're listening. And, of course, you will be glad to know, Stone, that we have posted large notices in certain neighborhoods in Naples and Rome that a five-million-euro reward and a new passport and resettlement help is being offered to anyone with information that can put Casselli in prison.”

“Euros?” Stone asked. “Not dollars?”

“The euro is our currency.”

“Oh, never mind, Mr. duBois and I will find a way.”

Dino seemed to be suppressing a laugh.

“And we have placed uniformed policemen on the site of your hotel construction to protect it from criminal vandalism.”

“Why,” Stone asked, “are you going out of your way to let these people know they're being surveilled?”

“Because they have such a sense of entitlement over many years that they believe themselves invulnerable to law enforcement. We want to show them that is no longer so, unsettle them and make them nervous, because when they are nervous they will make mistakes. Casselli, for instance, has already had two of his most trusted associates murdered since your luncheon with him. Unfortunately, one of them has turned out to be already helping us, but the other has been a thorn in our flesh for years. We expect that now anyone who Casselli has the slightest reason to doubt will meet with the same fate.

“The tax authorities are also undertaking extensive audits of Casselli's legitimate businesses, as well as others thought to be part of his empire. Before today is out, a factory surreptitiously owned by him which produces olive oil falsely labeled as extra virgin will be shut down by the health authorities. A network of used-car lots owned by one of his associates and thought to be dealing in stolen vehicles will have each vehicle examined for signs of theft or lack of proper documentation, and if even
one is found, the lot offering it for sale will be shut down and its inventory confiscated.”

“That is all very encouraging,” Dino said.

Jim Lugano spoke up. “Dante, we have facilities that may be useful to you in analyzing the wreck of Massimo's car for tracing the origins of bomb fragments, and they are available to you. We are also pressing those of our assets in the country who might be able to offer intelligence to report anything of interest.

“Dino, you are the guest of the Italian police, and they will be responsible for your personal safety, but our station will work with Strategic Services to protect Stone and Vivian. Our director was insistent on that.”

“Thank you,” Stone replied.

“Is there any other way we can be of service while you're in Rome?” Lugano asked.

“I'll think about it and let you know.”

Lugano gave him a card. “These are all my numbers. I already have yours. Incidentally, I've been told that a while back you lost an airplane to a bomb in England.”

“That is so.”

“Our hangar at Ciampino is very secure, so you may rest easy about that. In any case, before you decide to depart, I will have your aircraft thoroughly inspected.”

“Thank you.”

—

T
he courtyard at Marcel's offices was guarded by uniformed policemen, as well as Mike Freeman's personnel, in their dark suits. Marcel greeted them at the door and escorted them upstairs to their suites in his apartment.

He took Stone aside. “I have never seen such a surge of security in all my years,” he said. “I have been to the building site this morning, and it is ringed by policemen. Oh, and Stone, I must tell you how much I enjoyed the video of your luncheon with Casselli.”

Stone threw up his hands. “Is there anyone on the planet who hasn't seen it yet? Next thing I know, it will be showing in cinemas!”

Stone's cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“It's Hedy.”

“Oh, hi, we just got to Marcel's offices. You okay?”

“I'm fine. I went out and did some grocery shopping early this morning, so I'm settled in.”

“Hedy, I asked you not to leave the house until noon today, do you remember that?”

“But why?”

“I thought I explained it: Casselli is tracking my cell phone, and as soon as he sees that I'm in Rome, you'd be safer. Have you spotted any of Rick LaRose's people around you?”

“No, and the people on the roof are gone, too.”

Stone heard a loud noise at her end of the phone. “What was that?”

“I don't know. Oh, somebody is kicking at the front door.”

Stone thought fast. “Hedy, hang up and hide your cell phone in your crotch, and silence it. Hang on to it at all costs.”

“Stone, they're going to get in!”

“Hang up and hide your phone in your crotch RIGHT NOW! We can trace you with it!”

The line disconnected, and all was quiet.

Stone called Rick LaRose.

“Yes?”

“It's Stone. Somebody is breaking into my Paris house as we speak. I think Casselli's people are taking Hedy.”

“I've just tried to reach the man on her, and I'm getting no reply.”

“I told her to hide her cell phone in her crotch—you can use it to trace her.” Stone gave him the number.

“I've just heard: my man on Hedy was found unconscious by his relief man. He's on the way to the hospital. I'll trace Hedy.”

“And cover Le Bourget. They may be trying to fly her here. I'll get this end covered. Call me with news.” Stone hung up, found Jim Lugano's card, and called his mobile.

“Lugano.”

“Jim, it looks as though my girl, Hedy Kiesler, has been taken from my Paris house. I've notified Rick LaRose, and he's covering Le Bourget, in case they try to move her here. I'd appreciate it, since you have a presence at Ciampino, if you'd cover that
end. We've got to try to get her back before they have a chance to spirit her off to Naples or somewhere else.” He told Lugano about her cell phone and gave him the number.

“I'm on it, Stone. I'll be in touch.”

Stone hung up the phone with a sinking heart. He had no doubt that Casselli would kill her or worse, if he felt like it.

Dino came over. “Your face is white. What's wrong?”

“It looks as though Casselli's people have taken Hedy from the Paris house.”

“Oh, shit.”

“I told her not to go out until I reached Rome, but she went grocery shopping this morning. Rick's man who was on her is down.” He told Dino about her cell phone.

“That was a smart move,” Dino said.

“I hope to God they don't find it,” Stone replied, and he meant
it.

R
ick LaRose pressed a button on his phone that rang a dozen other phones, the users of which punched on and waited for instructions.

“This is a Mayday,” Rick said into the phone, “this is not a drill. Our surveillance subject, one Hedy Eva Marie Kiesler, has been taken from the Barrington house in Saint-Germain. I want a full-blown alert in the neighborhood, and team one to Le Bourget, all FBOs covered,
now
. I want a list of every aircraft taking off from that airport today, whether a flight plan is filed or not, its destination and time en route, with particular attention paid to flights to Italy or near the border. All teams: she's probably in the trunk of a car or in the back of a van, and that will be tough. Use firearms as necessary, but be careful. Any questions?”

No one spoke. Rick hung up and called Jim Lugano and told him what he'd done.

“We've already got Ciampino covered,” Lugano said, “and
we're extending to the other Rome and Naples airports as we speak.”

“I'm going to ask the French to do vehicle checks of suspicious cars and trucks at the French/Swiss border,” Rick said.

“I'll do the same at the Swiss/Italian border,” Jim responded.

“Our confidence is not high,” Rick said.

“Neither is ours.”

“Avoid telling Stone that, until we know more.”

“Right.” Both men hung up.

—

S
tone had a progress report from both men; no trace of the cell phone. He hung up and stared out the window.

“You know the chances of getting her back are slim,” Dino said.

“Casselli will respond to money,” Stone replied. “I'll ransom her back, no matter what it takes.”

“Stone, Casselli didn't do this for money, his motives are two: leverage or revenge—or both. What happens to her is going to be decided by which is more important to him.”

Stone knew that Dino was right, but he couldn't bring himself to agree with him.

“Now we wait,” Dino said. “They'll be in touch.”

“Or they'll dump her body somewhere they know we'll find it.”

“There is that. We'll do better at this if we try to remain optimistic.”

“I'll try. It bothers me that we're not getting anything on her cell phone. Would they have searched her that carefully?”

Viv spoke up for the first time. “They will, but if Hedy's smart, the phone is not just in her underwear.” She walked out of the room before they could respond; two minutes later, she was back.

“If Hedy's smart,” Viv said, “the phone is inside her. I tried it—it's uncomfortable, but it works.”

“Good going, Viv,” Dino said, beaming at her.

“Her hands will be tied behind her back,” Viv said. “She'll just have to relax until they reach their destination and cut her loose. Then we may get a signal. Stone, shouldn't you think about notifying her family?”

“Jesus, I hadn't even thought of that. Her stepfather, Arthur Steele, is a client of mine.”

“He should be notified,” Viv said. “It's possible that they may go to him for ransom, if they find out who Hedy is.”

“How would they find out?”

“If they got her handbag, she may have the name in her passport as a person to notify. Steele is a very prominent American businessman. Casselli may even know who he is.”

Stone sighed and got out his phone. He checked his watch: it was mid-morning in New York. He pressed the button on the contact.

“Mr. Steele's office,” a woman said.

“This is Stone Barrington. May I speak to Mr. Steele, please?”

“Hello, Stone.”

“Hello, Arthur. Have you heard from your stepdaughter recently?”

“If you mean, do I know she's been seeing a lot of you, yes. Her mother had a note.”

“Arthur, I have some difficult news.”

“Is she dead?” He was alarmed.

“No, I have no reason to think that. We believe she's been kidnapped in Paris.”

“By whom, and what was she doing in Paris? We thought she was in Rome.”

“She was, but I found it necessary to leave Rome, and I thought she should come with me. I'm back in Rome, but I thought it safer for her to remain at my house in Paris.”

“Safer from whom?”

“Marcel duBois and I are building a new Arrington Hotel in Rome, and the local Mafia have made attempts to extort us to pave the way. We've resisted and have earned the enmity of the Italian Mafia chief, a man named Leo Casselli.”

“I remember that name. Didn't he used to be in New York?”

“He had to leave the country, and he returned here.”

“But why would he want to kidnap Hedy?”

“In order to put pressure on me to accede to his demands.”

“This is all very confusing, Stone.”

“Arthur, I want you to know that the relevant law
enforcement agencies in both countries are working hard on this, and so is the United States government. They are pulling out all stops to recover Hedy and will continue to do so. I'm monitoring the situation on a minute-by-minute basis from Rome. If they demand a ransom, I will pay it.”

“Stone, I know you well enough to know that you would not have deliberately placed Hedy in harm's way, and her mother and I, once I have explained things to her, will trust your judgment as to how to handle it. I would appreciate being kept informed, of course, but if you have to make any quick decisions, to help Hedy, please do so, and be assured of our support.”

“That's very good of you, Arthur, and I'll do everything I can to help her and return her to her mother and you safely. In the meantime, I'll call you at least daily.”

The two men said goodbye and hung up.

“How did he take it?” Dino asked.

“Better than I could have expected,” Stone replied. “Arthur is not an excitable man. He remained cool. Who knows, that could change if things get worse. At any rate, I'm glad I'm dealing with Arthur and not her mother. I'm not sure I could handle that.”

“Listen, pal,” Dino said, “you're doing as much as anybody could in the circumstances.”

“It reassures me to know you think so,
Dino.”