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The man’s thin lips broke into a smile "I was told you had your father’s sense of humor" His dark eyes remained cold as he studied her "And that you have your mother’s eyes"

Despite the circuuard "You knew my mother?"

"I knew of her," he corrected "She was a very talented woman I’m told she too was like a cat That is what you prefer to be called, is it not, Katarina?"

His English bore a faint accent she couldn’t place--not entirely Italian--as if he were a citizen of the world

"You have very good sources," she said

"I have the best of everything" The man smiled "My name is Arturo Taccone"

"What do you want?"

"I thought I estured around the interior of the beautiful antique car, but Kata cab"

He laughed "But that would be such a waste Besides, this way, you and I can have a nice talk And along the e can even pick up s if you’d prefer"

"I don’t have theht sound "My father doesn’t have theht equal believability "Look, he didn’t do it You’re staking out the wrong guy He was doing a gallery job in Paris that night Stop Get a paper It’s on the front--"

"Katarina," Taccone interrupted, his whisper s are very important to me I came to Paris to explain that to your father, but at the ht about the Interpol officers watching her father’s every move "So it is s back, Katarina I areat et them back You will tell your father this for me?"

As Kat sat across from Arturo Taccone, sandwiched between the two massive men who never left his shadow, she had yet to hear the stories She was ignorant of his dealings in the Middle East She hadn’t heard about the explosions at his warehouse near Berlin or the er in Zurich She knew only what she saell-dressedstick with an ornately carved pewter handle, two guards, and absolutely no way out

"He can’t return what he didn’t steal," Kat pleaded, but the elegant h and called to the driver

"Teeks should be enough time, don’t you think? Of course, it should take less, but out of respect for your enerous"

The lioons opened the doors, and as Arturo Taccone stepped out into the sunshine of the Paris street, he said, "It was a pleasureyou, Katarina" He laid a business card on the seat beside her "Until we ain"

It wasn’t until the door slah the busy streets toward the airport, that Kat felt herself begin to breathe in slow ragged breaths She stared down at the white card that bore Arturo Taccone’s name printed in plain black letters And the handwritten words: Teeks

"He didn’t do it"

Kat spoke froure in the hts flash on, stinging her eyes But she was far too tired to blink against the glare

"Kat," Hale groaned, then fell back onto the pillows "Funny, I didn’t hear a doorbell"

"I let myself in; hope that’s okay"

Hale smiled "Or the alar of tools onto the bed "You’re due for an upgrade"

Hale propped hiainst the antique headboard and squinted up at her "She returns" He crossed his arms across his bare chest "You know, I could be naked in here"

But Kat didn’t allow herself to think about what Hale was or was not wearing underneath those Egyptian cotton sheets "He didn’t do it, Hale" She dropped into a chair by the fireplace "My dad has an alibi"

"You believe higed and admitted, "Maybe not" She looked down at her hands "But I’ job in Italy on the sa a small job in Paris"

Hale let out a slohistle of admiration, and Kat remembered that, for all of his resources and talent, theabout W W Hale the Fifth was that, when he grew up, he really wanted to be her father

"He’s still in Paris?" Hale asked Kat nodded He swung his bare feet to the floor and looked at her "Sowhat? He’s got the loot stashed so hi like that"

"What’s he gonna do?"

"Nothing"

Hale shook his head "You Bishopsone of you won’t leave"--he cut his eyes at her--"and one of you won’t stop running away"