by Stuart Woods
“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.”
—
The 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.
28
Rick 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.
—
Stone had a progress report from both men; no trace of the cell phone. He hung up and stared out th
e 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.”
29
Hedy woke up on a blanket in what felt like the trunk of a car. Her hands and feet were tied, and she was blindfolded and gagged. She remembered the door being kicked in and the struggle but not much after that; she assumed she had been drugged. She had been stupid, leaving the house early to go to the grocery, instead of following Stone’s instructions. She wondered what had happened to whoever was supposed to be following her.
The car came to a stop, and she heard the trunk lid unlatch. A man’s voice, heavily accented, said, “You want toilet?”
“Yes,” she said, and he hustled her to her feet and dragged her across a floor. “You’ll need to untie my hands,” she said.
He did so. He set her down on a toilet seat. “You got two minutes.”
“Close the door, please.”
To her surprise he did so. She got her jeans and underwear down and retrieved her cell phone, then while she peed, she lifted a corner of her blindfold, went to her contacts, and pressed the speed-dial button for Stone’s number. Busy signal. Shit! She texted him: I’m okay but—
The man hammered on the door. “Time up.”
She replaced the phone, got dressed, stood up, adjusted her blindfold, and groped for the doorknob. The door opened, knocking her back onto the toilet. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m not going to scream. Please don’t gag me again, I can’t breathe well through my nose.”
He didn’t, but he retied her hands in front of her and threw her over a shoulder. She was carried a few yards, then up some stairs and dumped into a seat. A safety belt was fastened around her, and a moment later she heard a door being slammed shut. She assumed she was on an airplane. A moment later the airplane began to move slowly. She realized that she was in a hangar, and that the aircraft was being towed outside. She felt warm sun on her face.
An engine whined to a start. A jet, or maybe a turboprop; she knew the difference. Then a second engine. Someone put a headset over her ears, but it didn’t seem connected to anything; she couldn’t hear voices now, but the noise of the engines was muted to a whisper. One of those electronic headsets. She wriggled a bit in her seat. Snug. Not a big airplane like a Gulfstream; she had ridden in her stepfather’s. A smaller airplane, maybe like Stone’s. A Cessna, or a King Air, maybe. Someone plugged the headset into a socket, and she heard classical music: Mozart. It was pleasant.
The airplane began to move again, this time under its own power. It taxied for what seemed a very long time. A big airport? She decided it was a jet, not a turboprop. Less noise. Then it stopped again for some time. Finally it moved and turned and she felt pressed back into her seat with acceleration. The airplane was taking off. After a while it seemed to level off, and she dozed.
—
Stone’s cell phone vibrated. He retrieved it, turned it on, and saw Hedy’s message: I’m okay but—
“Contact!”
Dino, who had been dozing in his chair, sat up. “What contact?”
“She tried to send a message but was interrupted, just said she was okay, but.”
“But sh
e’s been kidnapped.”
“Exactly, but she has access to her cell phone.”
“They must have let her go to the toilet,” Viv said, “but they didn’t give her much time.”
“You were right, Viv,” Stone said.
“It seems so.”
Stone texted back. I hear you. Try again when you can.
—
Hedy didn’t wake up until the plane touched down. She pretended still to sleep. There was more taxiing, then the plane stopped, then was towed again, this time for a longer ride. Finally, her headset was removed, her seat belt unbuckled, and she was hoisted to her feet and slung over a shoulder again. Men were speaking in Italian, which she understood. She resolved to speak and respond to only English. It might give her some sort of edge. Shortly, she was placed in another car trunk, and the car drove away. Although her hands were now tied in front of her, she made no attempt to reach her cell phone again, because she didn’t know how long she would have before she was interrupted, and she didn’t want to lose the cell phone. She dozed again, and when she woke, she didn’t know how long she had been out. She must still have some of the drug in her. Now they were driving more slowly and making very sharp turns in both directions.
Hedy remembered a road like this: the Amalfi Coast. After an hour or so the car came to a stop, and doors opened and slammed. She was taken out of the trunk again and slung over what felt like the same shoulder. There were steel-like clangings, and she felt the gravity increase and heard the whine of machinery. An elevator, probably some sort of industrial one, hence the louder-than-usual noise as they climbed.
They climbed for what seemed a long time.