Foreign Affairs by Wood Stuart

Author:Wood, Stuart [Wood, Stuart]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2015-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

30

Jim Lugano answered his cell phone. “Lugano.”

“It’s Lance. What news of the girl?”

“Stone called, he’s had a partial text. She said she’s all right, but she was cut short. She’s a smart girl, apparently, she’s hidden her phone.”

“Smart indeed. Why haven’t we bagged these people? Couldn’t her position be nailed from the call?”

“Not enough time. We don’t yet know how they’re traveling. I hope they’re not in a car or truck, that would make it much more difficult. Rick has expanded his airport survey to every airport inside of fifty miles of Paris. We’re doing the same in Rome and Naples, but they could have landed anywhere—in a field, if they have the right plane—and switched to a vehicle. Confidence is not high.”

“I don’t like hearing that.”

“I don’t like feeling it.”

“Have the girl’s family been contacted?”

“Stone spoke to her stepfather, who turns out to be Arthur Steele, of insurance fame.”

“That makes me wonder why I haven’t heard from a senator or two.”

“He apparently has enough confidence in Stone to let him handle it.”

“Or enough indifference not to care much what happens to the girl.”

“I don’t think that. She has a mother he has to live with.”

“What’s our best hope, given what we know?”

“Another cell call or text, on the air long enough for us to locate. We don’t know how much cell reception she has at her destination, wherever that is, or how much of a charge she has left on the phone. It’s going to be dodgy.”

“Everything is always dodgy,” Lance said. “Keep in touch.” He hung up.

—

Stone looked up and was surprised to see Mike Freeman stride into Marcel’s living room. “What brings you across the Atlantic?” he asked.

“My two most important clients and my insurer’s daughter,” Mike said, sinking into a chair. A butler approached and inquired of everyone’s refreshment choices. A bottle of San Pellegrino satisfied them all.

Stone brought Mike up to date on the text message and Viv’s theory on where the phone was housed.

“Smart girl,” Mike said. “Stone, is she smart enough to keep her cool until we find her?”

“I think she’s already shown us that. I’ve sent her a text, so the next time she’s able to check the phone, she’ll know we’re looking for her. I hope we’ll get more information, too.”

“I hope she’s doesn’t end up in some remote farmhouse with no cell reception,” Mike said.

“I hadn’t thought of that. I guess I just take reception for granted, and I shouldn’t in this case.”

“It’s a thickly enough populated country to give us hope.”

—

Hedy woke up in a darkened room. She let her eyes become accustomed, then had a look around. She was no longer blindfolded but her hands and feet were tied. She was on a single bed in a small room, like a maid’s room. She spied a door ajar and hopped over to it, finding a small bathroom. She got her jeans down, retrieved the phone, and peed. She switched on the phone and got one dot of reception, on and off.

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