Chapter 24

We found Stanley in his office and immediately heard the thumping of Robert’s tail against the inner sides of the desk. Stanley rolled his chair back and let him escape. He scrambled out to look at Johnny, slid down into his sphinx position, and silently watched Johnny’s every move.

Johnny reached down and gave him a pat. “Stanley, you wished to have a word?”

“Yes, I did.” He got up and shut the door. “Please sit down.”

We made ourselves comfortable.

Stanley sat back down and began, “I will make this brief, as I have a great deal to do.

“I have done some checking. Besides his financial dealings, the baron is a collector of antiquities, particularly those with occult properties. He has recently been in contact with Lord Bromley, who told him all about the small figurine, the jewel, and other artifacts. The baron is eager to acquire any of Lady Bromley’s treasures, whether openly in a purchase or covertly through other means. It’s become an obsession of his.

“Of course, whether a person can possibly harness any of the supposed powers inherent in such objects is questionable, but in the minds of those who are conversant and knowledgeable, the fact that one is known to possess such items has a dual result. It gives others pause if they should plan to make a move against the owner, and second, it makes them want to be on the same side. It’s good insurance, and a few choice stories circulated here and there enhance the effect. We’re on the list of those who possess more than a few. The baron finds owning such things to be beneficial, and he’s here, in part, to get a feel for how easy it might be to obtain as many as possible.

“The influence of the von Hofmanstals has grown significantly over the last few years in no small way due to his daughter’s ability to engineer faster access to capital, structure entities that mask their real ownership, and move funds secretly and easily wherever they are needed. In addition, he has developed his own private intelligence network.

“There are ties between this house and theirs going back several generations, but the possibility of a move against Dodge Capital is greater now than a year ago, when such a move would have been out of the question. There are no outward signs of this, of course, but it’s always best to be aware of the potential. If you see or hear something that does not seem right or is relevant, let me know as soon as you can.

“I also found out that the baron has also been in contact with Bonnie Leland. She and Mr. Dodge have a profound animosity between them that spans many years. I can hardly imagine what she’s planning, but put her, the baron, and Lord Bromley in the same camp, and no good can come of it.

“Therefore, I would like to say the following: Have a care with the daughter. She is extremely clever. Do not underestimate her. Also, the baroness may appear like window dressing, but she’s not. He consults with her regularly. I advise as well that you be very circumspect about entering the secret library, unless you are certain of not being observed. Lastly, watch what you say and don’t allow any of our guests to slip away and roam around unobserved. Now, I must get back to work. Any questions?”

“What about during the night?” asked Johnny.

“I have made arrangements. Anything else?”

“Yes,” I said. “I showed the daughter the west wing apartment. She picked up the picture of Alice with the necklace. Other than that, she simply looked around.”

“I doubt there was any harm done. They’re aware that Alice was in the possession of many items, including the necklace, but I would rather that area remain off-limits to our guests. Besides, they may get more than they bargained for if the past is any indication of the future.” Stanley smiled at the thought.

We all departed the office, Johnny and I to take Robert for a walk and Stanley to see to the dinner service.