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needed,” she said. “Everything will be delivered in an hour.”
    â€œLunch?”
    â€œGreat.”
    â€œAn omelet?”
    â€œPerfect.”
    Stone went to the kitchen and gave Marie their order.
    He went back to the living room, found his cell phone, and reinstalled the SIM chip, then put it into his pocket. Less than a minute passed before it rang. He checked the caller ID window, but got nothing. “Hello?”
    â€œThis is Leonardo Casselli,” a voice said.
    Stone hung up. He removed the SIM chip, then used the landline to call Joan in New York.
    â€œYou got there okay?”
    â€œI did. I’d like you to do something for me.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œPlease go to the Apple store and buy me a new iPhone, with a new number. Get it authorized and working, then FedEx it to me in Paris.”
    â€œYou lose the old one?”
    â€œNo, I just don’t want to use it. I’ll back up the new one to the iCloud and get all my files and apps onto the new phone.”
    â€œWill do.”
    Stone put his phone and the SIM chip into his briefcase; he could live a day without using it.
    The omelet wasperfect.

16
    A fter lunch, Hedy took her easel and paints into the mews, picked a spot, set up, and began to paint. Stone found a half-finished book next to his easy chair and set about finishing it. He read until the shadows outside were long, then he put his head back and dozed for a while.
    He was awakened by the slamming of the front door. Hedy came into the room, wiping paint from her hands, and kissed him on the forehead. “Sorry about the noise, the door got away from me.” She held up the painting.
    â€œWonderful!” he said. “And sold!”
    â€œIt’s my gift to you for keeping me entertained and safe, not necessarily in that order.”
    The phone rang, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”
    â€œIt’s Dino. We’re booked on a late plane, and we should be at your house by ten tomorrow morning.”
    â€œThen I’ll put sheets on the bed. See you then.” He hung up.“My friend Dino Bacchetti and his wife, Viv, are joining us for a few days. They’ll be here mid-morning tomorrow.”
    â€œOh, good. He’s the cop, right?”
    â€œNew York City’s top cop.”
    â€œThen I’ll feel even safer. When’s dinner?”
    â€œAt seven.”
    â€œThen I’m going to have a bath and change.” She kissed him again and went upstairs.
    Stone went into the kitchen and asked Marie to get a guest room ready. She nodded, then went on cooking.
    â€”
    T he following morning Stone was awakened by the doorbell, and a moment later Marie knocked on the door and entered. “Federal Express,” she said, handing him a package.
    â€œIt’s my new phone,” he said to Hedy, who was stirring.
    â€œWhy a new phone?”
    â€œBecause Casselli doesn’t have the number.”
    They had breakfast in bed, then showered and went downstairs to greet their guests. At the stroke of ten, the gate bell rang, and Stone buzzed in the car carrying the Bacchettis. He embraced them both, then introduced them to Hedy, while the driver and Marie made their luggage disappear.
    â€œBreakfast?” he asked them.
    â€œWe had it on the plane,” Dino said. “Just coffee, after we’ve cleaned up a little.”
    â€”
    T hey came down looking brighter, and Stone gave them his new phone number. “Put that in your phone,” he said to both of them.
    â€œWhy the new number?”
    â€œBecause Casselli has the old one, and I got tired of hanging up on him.”
    They settled into the living room for coffee.
    â€œI’ve done a little research on Casselli,” Dino said. “He has a record in New York going back to his teens, but about fifteen years ago he came over all respectable and started giving money to hospitals and museums.”
    â€œSounds like he was using Eduardo