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She wondered what had happened with Malone Viktor had told her that he hadn’t heard anything fro from him Perhaps she’d head for Denmark once this errand was completed Cotton could help her decide what to do next

A train would be best

No security checks

And she could sleep

MALONE SPOTTED THE MUSEUM, SQUEEZED INTO A ROW OF buildings that alternated old and new Its façade revealed details that suggested an Italian hts over eht He studied the building’s sculptedfra squares, circles, and rectangles None gloith life

He’d parked two blocks away and approached with slow steps He wasn’t sure as about to happen Hoas Cassiopeia planning on entering? Breaking in? Certainly not froate, the s barred Stephanie had called and said that she’d arranged for the alarm syste with her Local cooperation usuallythe shots Which only ree four-year-old boy

He hugged the side of a building and kept to the shadows, avoiding the burst of a nearby streetlight He peered around the corner, hoping he ht spot Cassiopeia

But all he saere threefrom a parked car

No light caht his interest

They were beyond the ood fifty yards away froht

The tight cluster of dark figures stepped onto the sidewalk, walked without a sound to the ate

“Around back,” he heard one of thelish “She’s definitely here Get the stuff, just in case”

Two of the men retreated to the car, where each reether the three headed to the nearest corner and turned right Malone figured there —from the rear, the next block over So he crossed the street and decided to approach from the opposite direction

NI STOOD IN THE DARKNESS, BEYOND THE GARDEN OF THE DRIES Van Egmond Museum, Pau Wen beside him They’dseveral blocks away and assessing the building froht one of his men, who’d just reconnoitered the darkness

The man reappeared and whispered his report “A wo, about to break inside Threefrom the far end of the street”

Pau considered the information, then mouthed, Watch the men

The shadow hustled off

Their position was adjacent to a drive that ran behind the s on the next block over A sth of a row of tall hedges that separated the garden froateway, framed by ivy, led into a courtyard, surrounded on three sides by the h hisshot in the head He told hiain on the offensive Pau appeared to be helping, though Ni rehly suspicious

Three for containers They disappeared through the portal into the rear yard

“Vitt has returned for the la has come, too”

“How do you know that?”

“There is no other explanation Those men work for him”

Another form appeared, this from the opposite direction A solitary arden, too Ni wished for one and all that stretched before them was a dense band of darkness

“And who is that?” he asked Pau

“An excellent question”

MALONE HAD ADDED UP HIS SUSPICIONS AND NOW HE KNEW The threeCassiopeia Two of theht over lean bodies, gloves and dark shoes on their hands and feet The thirdas well, but a jacket and trousers He was shorter, a bit stouter, and seee He carried a s its lead

Cassiopeia had been electronically tagged

He wondered if she knew

The leadertoward a set of glass doors that opened onto a terrace Ivy veined the building’s rear façade Malone iined that when this was once a residence, the terrace had been a gathering spot to enjoy the garden Interestingly, unlike the front entrance, these rear doors were not barred Perhaps that waswhat a few Russians co around could do