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〃As you wish。〃 She hugged Pier again。
〃I'm so happy to see you。 e into the kitchen。 I will make some coffee for us。〃
In the kitchen； Mama exclaimed； 〃Benissimo！ How did you meet him？ He looks very rich。 And that bracelet you are wearing。 It must have cost a fortune。 My goodness！
Tonight I will cook a big dinner。 I will invite all the neighbors so they can meet your…〃
〃No； Mama。 You must not do that。〃
〃But cara； why should we not spread the news of your good luck？
All our friends will be so pleased。〃
〃Mama； Mr。 Jones just wants to rest for a few days。
No party。 No neighbors。〃 Mama sighed。
〃All right。 Whatever you wish。〃 I'll arrange for him to be picked up away from the house； so Mama will not be disturbed。
Carlo had noticed the bracelet； too。
〃That bracelet。 Those are real emeralds； huh？ Did you buy that for my sister？〃
There was an attitude about the boy that Robert did not like。
〃Ask her。〃 Pier and Mama came out of the kitchen。 Mama looked at Robert。
〃You are sure you do not want to sleep with Pier？〃
Robert was embarrassed。
〃Thank you。 No。〃 Pier said； 〃I'll show you your bedroom。〃 She led him toward the back of the house to a large； fortable bedroom with a double bed in the middle of the room。
〃Robert； are you afraid of what Mama might think if we slept together？ She knows what I do。〃
〃It's not that；〃 Robert said。
〃It's…〃 There was no way he could explain。
〃I'm sorry； I…〃 Pier's voice was cold。
〃Never mind。〃 She felt unreasonably offended。 Twice now he had refused to sleep with her。 It serves him right that I am turning him over to the police； she thought。 And yet she felt a small； nagging sense of guilt。 He was really very nice。 But fifty thousand dollars was fifty thousand dollars。
* * * At dinner Mama was talkative； but Pier and Robert and Carlo were silent and preoccupied。 Robert was busily working out his plan of escape。 Tomorrow； he thought； I'll go down to the docks and find a ship out of here。 Pier was thinking about the phone call she was planning to make。 I'll call from town； so the police cannot trace it here。
Carlo was studying the stranger his sister had brought to the house。 He should be an easy make。
When dinner was over； the two women went into the kitchen。 Robert was alone with Carlo。
〃You're the first man my sister has ever brought here；〃 Carlo said。
〃She must like you a lot。〃
〃I like her a lot。〃
〃Do you？ Are you going to take care of her？〃
〃I think your sister can take care of herself。〃 Carlo smirked。
〃Yeah。 I know。〃 The stranger seated across from him was well dressed and obviously rich。 Why was he staying here when he could have stayed at some fancy hotel？ The only reason Carlo could think of was that the man was in hiding。 And that brought up an interesting point。 When a rich man was in hiding； somehow； some way； there was money to be made from the situation。
〃Where are you from？〃
Carlo asked。
〃From no place in particular；〃 Robert said pleasantly。
〃I travel a lot。〃
Carlo nodded。
〃I see。〃 I'll find out from Pier who he is。
Somebody will probably be willing to pay a lot of money for him； and Pier and I can split it。
〃Are you in business？〃
Carlo asked。
〃Retired。〃
It would not be hard to force this man to talk； Carlo decided。
Lucca； the leader of the Diavoli Rossi； could crack him open in no time。
〃How long will you be staying with us？〃
〃It's hard to say。〃 The boy's curiosity was beginning to get on Robert's nerves。
Pier and her mother came out of the kitchen。
〃Would you like some more coffee？〃
Mama asked。
〃No； thank you。 That was a delicious dinner。〃 Mama smiled。
〃That was nothing。 Tomorrow I will prepare a feast for you。〃
〃Good。〃 He would be gone by then。 He stood up。
〃If you don't mind； I'm rather tired。 I'd like to turn in。〃
〃Of course；〃 Mama said。
〃Good night。〃
〃Good night。〃
They watched Robert as he walked toward the bedroom。
Carlo grinned。
〃He doesn't think you're good enough to sleep with him； eh？〃
The remark stung Pier； as it was meant to。 She would not have minded it if Robert were a homosexual； but she had heard him talk to Susan； and she knew better。 I'll show the stronzo。
Robert lay in bed thinking about his next move。 Laying a false trail with the homing device that had been hidden in the credit card would give him a little time； but he was not depending too much on it。
They probably would have caught up with the red truck by now。 The men who were aiter him were ruthless and smart。 Were heads of world governments involved in the massive cover…up？ Robert wondered。 Or was it an organization within an organization； a cabal in the intelligence munity acting illegally on its own？ The more Robert thought about it； the more feasible it seemed that the heads of state might be unaware of what was going on。 And a thought struck him。 It had always seemed odd to him that Admiral Whittaker had suddenly been retired from ONI and relegated to some Siberia。 But if someone had forced him out because they knew he would never be part of the conspiracy； then it began to make sense。 I have to contact the admiral； Robert thought。 He was the only one he could trust to get to the truth of what was happening。
Tomorrow； he thought。 Tomorrow。 He closed his eyes and slept。
The creaking of the bedroom door awakened him。 He sat up in bed； instantly alert。 Someone was moving toward the bed。
Robert tensed； ready to spring。 He smelled her perfume then and felt her slide in bed beside him。
〃Pier…What are you…？〃
〃Ssh。〃 Her body pressed against his。 She was naked。
〃I got lonely；〃 she whispered。 She snuggled closer to him。
〃I'm sorry； Pier； I…I can't do anything for you。〃 Pier said； 〃No？
Then let me do something for you。〃
Her voice was soft。
〃It's no use。 You can't。〃 Robert felt a deep frustration。
He wanted to spare both of them the embarrassment of what was not going to happen。
〃Don't you like me； Robert？ Do you not think I have a beautiful body？〃
〃Yes。〃 And she did。 He could feel the warmth of her body pressing closer。
She was stroking him gently； rippling her fingers up and down his chest； moving lightly toward his groin。 He had to stop her before the humiliating fiasco was repeated。
〃Pier； I can't make love。 I haven't been able to be with a woman since…for a long time。〃
〃You don't have to do anything； Robert；〃 she said。
〃I just want to play。 Do you like being played with？〃
He felt nothing。 Goddamn Susan！ She had taken more than herself away from him； she had taken a part of his manhood。 Pier was sliding down his body now。
〃Turn over；〃 she said。
〃It's no use； Pier。 I…〃 She rolled him over； and he lay there cursing Susan； cursing his impotence。 He could feel Pier's tongue moving along his back； making tiny； delicate circles； moving lower and lower。 Her fingers were gently flicking over his skin。
〃Pier…〃 〃Ssh。〃
He felt her tongue spiraling down deeper and deeper； and he began to f