The Lone Ranger asked, «What time does the patrol come by again?»

Captain Midnight replied, «FourA. M. »

«It's nice of them to keep to a schedule for us, isn't it?»

«Yeah.»

Captain Midnight removed a painting from the wall and dropped it onto the oak floor with a loud noise. The two men stopped what they were doing and listened. Silence.

The Lone Ranger said, «Try it again. Louder.»

Captain Midnight took down another painting and threw it heavily against the floor. «Now let's see what happens.»

In his bedroom upstairs, Gary Winthrop was awakened by the noise. He sat up in bed. Had he heard a sound, or had he dreamed it? He listened a moment longer. Silence. Unsure, he rose and stepped out into the hallway and pressed the light switch. The hallway remained dark.

«Hello. Is anyone down there?» There was no answer. Downstairs, he walked along the corridor until he reached the door of the drawing room. He stopped and stared in disbelief at the two masked men.

«What the hell are you doing?»

The Lone Ranger turned to him and said, «Hi, Gary. Sorry we woke you up. Go back to sleep.» A Beretta with a silencer appeared in his hand. He pulled the trigger twice and watched Gary Winthrop's chest explode into a red shower. The Lone Ranger and Captain Midnight watched him fall to the floor. Satisfied, they turned and continued to remove the paintings.

II

DANAEVANS WAS awakened by the relentless ringing of the telephone. She struggled to sit up and looked at the bedside clock, bleary-eyed. It was five o'clock in the morning. She picked up the phone. «Hello?»

«Dana…»

«Matt?»

«See how fast you can get down to the studio.»