nasty about Grove。 Grove had friends in high places； and the next thing Frederick knew he'd been fired。 The poor fellow couldn't find a job foryears 。〃
〃When did the dinner party break up？〃
〃After midnight。〃
〃Who left first？〃
〃I was the first to stand and announce my departure。 I have always required a great deal of sleep。 The others rose at the same time。 Grove was most reluctant to see us go。 He kept pressing after…dinner drinks on us； coffee。 He was most anxious that we stay。〃
〃Do you know why？〃
〃He seemed frightened of being alone。〃
〃Do you recall his precise words？〃
〃To a certain extent。〃 Fosco broke out into a high…pitched； upper…class drawl that was startling in its realism。 〃My friends！ You're not going already？ Why； it's just midnight！ e； let's toast our reconciliation and bid good riddance to my years of misguided pride。 I have an excellent port that you must try； Fosco…and he plucked my sleeve…a Graham's Tawny； 1972 vintage。〃 Fosco gave a sniff。 〃I was almost tempted to stay when I heard that。〃
〃Did you all leave together？〃
〃More or less。 We said our good…byes and straggled out across the lawn。〃
〃And that was when？ I'd like to know as precisely as possible； if you please。〃
〃Twelve twenty…five。〃 He looked at Pendergast for a moment and then said； 〃Mr。 Pendergast； forgive me if I observe that； among all these questions； you haven't asked the most important one of all。〃
〃And what question would that be； Count Fosco？〃
〃Why did Jeremy Grove ask us； his four mortal enemies； to be with him on the final night of his life？〃
For a long time； Pendergast did not answer。 He was carefully considering both the question and the man who had just posed it。 Finally he said simply； 〃A good question。 Consider it posed。〃
〃It was the very question Grove himself asked when he gathered us around his table at the beginning of the dinner party。 He repeated what his invitation said： that he invited us to his house that night because we were the four people he had most wronged。 He wished to make amends。〃
〃Do you have a copy of the invitation？〃
With a smile； Fosco removed it from his shirt pocket and handed it over…a short； handwritten note。
〃And he'd already begun to make amends。 As with his reappraisal of Vilnius's work。〃
〃A splendid review； don't you think？ I understand Vilnius has just landed Gallery 10 to show his work； and they've doubled his prices。〃
〃And Lady Milbanke？ Jonathan Frederick？ How did he make amends to them？〃
〃While Grove couldn't put Lady Milbanke's marriage back together； he did give her something in pensation。 He passed her an exquisite emerald necklace across the table； more than enough to replace that dried…up old husk of a baron she lost。 Forty carats of flawless Sri Lankan emeralds； worth a million dollars if a penny。 She practically swooned。 And Frederick？ He was a long shot for the position of president of the Edsel Foundation； but Grove arranged the job for him。〃
〃Extraordinary。 And what did he do for you？〃
〃Surely you already know the answer to that。〃
Pendergast nodded。 〃The article he was writing forBurlington Magazine。 'A Reappraisal of Georges de la Tour'sThe Education of the Virgin 。'〃
〃Precisely。 Proclaiming himself in error； making appropriately abject apologies； beating his breast and affirming the glorious authenticity of the painting。 He read the article aloud to us over the dinner table。〃
〃It remained beside his puter。 Unsigned and unmailed。〃
〃Only too true； Mr。 Pendergast。 Of the four of us； I was the only one cheated by his death。〃 He spread his hands。 〃If the murderer had waited a day； I would be forty million richer。〃
〃Forty million？ I thought it had been put up for sale at fifteen。〃
〃That was Sotheby's estimate twenty years ago。 That painting would go for at least forty million today。 But with Grove on record that it's one of the Delobre fakes 。 。 。〃 Fosco shrugged。 〃An unsigned article beside a dead man's puter means nothing。 There is one good thing： I'll have the lovely painting to look at for the rest of my life。I know it's real； andyou know it's real； even if no one else does。〃
〃Yes；〃 Pendergast said。 〃Ultimately that's all that matters。〃
〃Well put。〃
〃And the Vermeer that hangs beside it？〃
〃Real。〃
〃Indeed？〃
〃It has been dated to 1671； between the period ofLady Writing a Letter with Her Maid andThe Allegory of Faith 。〃
〃Where did it e from？〃
〃It's been in my family for several hundred years。 The counts of Fosco never felt the need to trumpet their possessions。〃
〃I'm truly astonished。〃
The count smiled； bowed。 〃Do you have time to see the rest of my collection？〃
Pendergast hesitated for only a second。 〃As a matter of fact； I do。〃
The count rose and went to the door。 Just before they exited； he turned to the mechanical cockatoo； still on his perch。
〃Keep an eye on the place； Bucephalus； my pretty。〃
The bird gave a digitized squawk in reply。
14
D'Agosta moved fast through the trees； seeking the darkestarea of the park…a dense growth of trees and shrubs along an embankment leading down to the West Side Highway。 He paused just long enough to glance back。 Two figures were running after him； guns gleaming in their fists。
Staying low； weaving between the trees； D'Agosta unsnapped the holster of his Glock。 He withdrew the weapon； racked the slide。 It was the chosen weapon of most modern police departments； and D'Agosta hadn't been given a choice about carrying it； on duty or off。 It didn't have the punch of his personal 。45； but it was light and reliable； and best of all； it held fifteen rounds。 He'd left his extra clip in his desk drawer that morning…who needed an extra clip for a day of interviews？
The men were already into the woods； moving fast。 D'Agosta ran on； heedless of the noise he was making…the brush wasn't heavy enough to conceal him for more than a minute or two； at best。 He headed south； twigs crackling underfoot。 If he could lose them； even temporarily； maybe he could get back onto Riverside Drive and head toward Broadway。 They wouldn't dare follow onto such a busy street。 He quickly checked off his options。 The nearest precinct house was located at 95th between Broadway and Amsterdam…that's where he'd head for。
He could hear the men running behind him。 One shouted out to the other； and a fainter response came back。 D'Agosta immediately understood what had happened： they had divided and were still pursuing； one on either side of the narrow strip of park。
Shit。
Keeping low； he ran through the woods； gun in hand。 No time to stop and strategize； no time to use his radio； no time for anything but a flat…out run。 The faint lights of Riverside Drive flickered through the trees on his left； to his right lay the long； brush…filled slope running steeply down toward the West Side Highway。 He could hear the droning rush of cars far below him。 He briefly considered running down the embankment and trying to get out on the highway； but it would be easy to get hung up in the nasty bracken that clogged the slope。
If that happened； he'd be a sitting duck； fired on from above。
The stretch of woods ended abruptly； and he burst out into a moonlit scene of parallel walkways overlooking the river； gardens and trees between them。 It was exposed； but he had no choice but to keep moving。
Who the fuck's chasing me？ Muggers？ Cop haters？It didn't make sense。 He was no longer just a target of opportunity。 These killers were determined。 They had followed him uptown。 They were after him for a reason。
He ran past the first formal garden； behind rows of iron benches； keeping low。 Suddenly he saw something off to his left： a red spot of light chasing him； dancing around like an agitated firefly。
Laser sight。
He threw himself to the right as the shot came。 It hit the metal bench with a sickening ricochet and hummed off into the darkness。 D'Agosta fell into the flower bed； rolled clumsily； and rose on his knees in firing position。 He saw a dark shape moving fast against the dimness of the open grass and fired…once； twice…rolled to the side； rose to his feet； and took off running again； cursing himsel