Victor Marius, entered the Ritz looking like the Cat’s Pajamas. Spying Polly he crosses the room and sits down. Raising his forefinger to a waiter he orders.

“Victor, so nice to see you again. Lunch the other day—that was keen.” I sip my gigglewater, with interest. He looked handsome, and tired. Slightly rumpled like he’d been slapping the leather all over the streets of Paris. “Pull up a chair. Tell me how things are in the land of mystery and sleuthing.”

He looks at Polly with speculation, as if he was not sure how much to reveal to Polly. Finally he settles on a very small amount preferring Polly to know only enough to help without putting her in a heap of danger. She was a civilian after all. And a hotsy-totsy too. The vision of the beautiful brunette he ran into on the street floated unbidden before his eyes at that moment obliterating the image of the dame in front of hum. The gumshoe’s attention focused back somewhat reluctantly on the strawberry blonde in front of him.

"Polly, would you be willing to help me find the people with these initials "N.N." and "M.P."? I have hunch that if we find them, we have our art thieves. I know what I am asking of you is dangerous- but if you would be willing to help I would be grateful."

Excitement mingled with trepidation fills Polly’s curvaceous breast. “I said earlier I was all in. What is this a line? I have heard the name of a N.N bandied about some art museums around town. A guy with those initials was suppose to have an installation at a local gallery, but got shot in the arm, cancelled the show and disappeared form Paris as far as the art gallery people know. Don’t know any MP though. I wonder if that is what you mean? And danger?....” her eyes reflect a bit of reservation for the first time since she arrived in the city of lights. “What do you think will be dangerous? I am just gathering rumors for you, right? Or is there something more you want of me?” What trouble and I getting myself into she asked herself when the little gibber-gabber speech ended.

The challenge charged with double entandre stood still in the air, until the silence was broken by a waiter refreshing our drinks. Victor’s face was unreadable.