This in turn led him to refine an idea that had been in the back of his mind for some time: a series that featured the homes of the rich and famous. Now, he thought, the robberies could add another dimension to that idea. It was obvious that the victims of those robberies were, if not famous, certainly rich. And the mysterious circumstances surrounding the robberies had the makings of the kind of story that the readers of Salut! would find irresistible. The problem, of course, would be persuading the owners to give him access to their homes. His old ally, human nature, would help; he was still astonished that the lure of celebrity was potent enough to make people agree to all kinds of invasions of their privacy. But this time, he would probably need something more, a rational excuse for them to throw open their front doors. It was time, he decided, to share his thoughts with Sam. It was the morning after the swimsuit fashion show at Saint-Tropez when they met for coffee at Le Pharo. “How was it?”
