Royal Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

ready to start first grade, and I thought it would be good for Dante to attend some kind of preschool.”
    “The Renaissance Academy is only a ten minute drive from here. They don’t start classes until late September, and they do have a preschool.” She gave a definitive nod. “And it’s about time we have children running around here again.”
    “I’m glad you think so.” Janessa grinned at her and then motioned to the clock hanging on the wall. “I’d better get going, or I’ll be late. Garrett said to tell you he should be home by lunchtime, and Stefano should arrive sometime this afternoon.”
    Patrice nodded. “When will your friend arrive?”
    “Hopefully next week.”
    “I’ll speak with housekeeping about preparing quarters for them,” Patrice told her.
    “You’re a gem.” Janessa leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Then she grabbed a napkin and scooped up the rest of her croissant to take with her. “I’ll see you tonight.”
    * * *
    Garrett studied the remains of the marble-sized transmitting device in his hand. Yesterday his father had raised concerns that something wasn’t right with their finances, and now Garrett was faced with the likely possibility that someone had been spying on his family in their own home. He looked up at Martino, the man who managed the chateau’s day-to-day operations as well as its security. “Where was this found?”
    “This one was located within the framework of a curtain rod in the dining hall. Levi found seven others at various locations around the chateau,” Martino said, referring to the CIA operative who had worked with Janessa to enhance the chateau’s security over the past few months.
    Garrett glanced around his office and lowered his voice. “Do you think it’s safe to talk here now?”
    Martino nodded. “We checked out all the offices actively being used, and they were clean.”
    “Do we have an assessment yet of how much sensitive information could have been compromised?” Garrett asked.
    “We believe it to be minimal. All of the listening devices were found in common areas.” His tone turned apologetic. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. Levi suggested we do a full security sweep when he arrived in May, but we didn’t feel it was as important as enhancing our other safety measures.”
    “It’s not your fault, Martino,” Garrett assured him. “The last few months have been stressful for all of us, and we’ve all been doing the best we can.” He considered for a moment. “Is there any way to know where these were made or how long they’ve been here?”
    “Levi believes the technology to be somewhat outdated, but because these bugs are difficult to detect, they are still popular. He said the battery power in them indicates they would have been placed about two years ago,” Martino told him. “We had some remodeling done around that time, along with some painting and a deep cleaning. Maybe one of those contractors planted the listening devices.”
    “I want you and Levi to start looking through those contracts and run the names of all the people who worked here during that period,” Garrett told him. “Did Levi say anything else about who might have made them?”
    “No. They’re common enough that they’re hard to track, but Levi did say this type of listening device needs a transmitter nearby to operate properly. We might have more luck identifying the origin of that.”
    “Has a transmitter been found?”
    “Not yet, but we’ll keep looking.”
    “Let me know if you find anything.” Garrett closed his hand around the metal fragments in his palm and prayed that this was simply a souvenir from the people who had orchestrated a recent kidnapping, people who were no longer in a position to threaten his family.
    * * *
    Stefano leaned back against the soft leather seat in the back of the limousine that would take him from the palace overlooking the capital city of Calene to his family’s summer home in Bellamo. The two-hour