“I can do that.”
“And before you start buying sable coats and diamond necklaces, remember that you’re planning a European tour with some of that money.”
“Oh, yeah. Can I borrow your airplane for that?”
“Yes, but I’ll have to come along and see that you don’t scratch the paint.”
“You will be welcome,” she said.
Joan stuck her head through the door. “Fred is waiting in the garage for Vanessa.”
“You are psychic,” Stone said.
“I phoned her before I came down,” Vanessa interjected. She gave him a big, wet kiss and ran for the garage.
“Joan, will you get me Mike Freeman, please?”
“Sure thing, boss.” She went back to her office. A minute later she buzzed. “Mike Freeman on one.”
Stone pressed the button. “Good morning,” he said.
“Good evening,” Mike replied.
“Where are you?”
“Just left Dubai, now over the Indian Ocean, bound for Singapore.”
“Ah, I forgot you’re doing your annual office tour.”
“Not annual, exactly; just when I get bored. Want to join us in Singapore and fly home with us?”
“It’s too far to the airport,” Stone replied. “Have you heard about the hit list?”
“Of course, I have. I’m not that far away.”
“The other day we had a technician in the house to go over my security system,” Stone said. “Did you hear about that?”
“No, and what’s more, we don’t do your security system anymore.”
“That’s why Lance Cabot told me to shoot the man when he heard about him. He was sporting a Strategic Services ID, probably fake.”
“It’s impossible to fake our ID,” Mike said.
“I thought maybe he might have once worked for you.”
“Name?”
“I’m afraid we failed to make note of that.”
“Description?”
“Too ordinary to remember.”
“You’re very unhelpful.”
“Next time you call the office, could you ask if you have an ex-employee with the animus and skills to screw up my security system?”
“Sure. I’ll be calling in tomorrow.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Oh, someone has just handed me your hit list.”
“Does it interest you?”
“It certainly does. All the people whose names—”
The phone sputtered and went dead. Stone buzzed Joan. “Yes, sir?”
“I was cut off speaking to Mike Freeman. Can you get him back for me?”
“Of course.”
Stone tapped his fingers on his desk while he was waiting.
“Boss?”
“I’m here. Mike?”
“He’s not on. I tried several times and then got a message saying—hang on, I’ve got it right here. ‘This satellite telephone cannot be accessed at this time, due to satellite realignment. Please try again in a few hours.’ Shall I try again later?”
“Never mind,” Stone said. “Get me Viv Bacchetti, instead.”
“Sure thing.” Minutes passed. “Boss?”
“Viv?”
“No, sir. She’s en route from Hong Kong to Singapore, and I got the same message when I tried her satphone.”
“Oh, the hell with it,” he said, then hung up.
Dino called. “Dinner?”
“Sure, can I bring Vanessa?”
“I’d much prefer it if you did. I’d rather look at her than you. Seven at Patroon.” He hung up.
11
Stone and Vanessa arrived at Patroon to find Dino waiting for them. She gave him a big kiss on the forehead.
“Hey, baby,” he said. “Hey to you, too,” he said to Stone, “but no kissing.”
“Not even on the forehead?” Stone asked.
“Shut up and drink.” Dino had already ordered for them, and their drinks arrived and were attacked.
“You make any progress on the 30 Rock shooting?” Stone asked.
“Oh, I love hearing sentences like that,” Vanessa said. “It’s like reading Raymond Chandler or Elmore Leonard.”
“Stone can’t talk that good,” Dino said.
“And to answer my question . . . ?”
“Your answer is: not much.”
“Does that mean a little or nothing at all?”
“Take your pick.”
“Oh, you’re such tough guys!” Vanessa laughed.
Dino patted her hand. “We’ve had thousands of hours of rehearsal in patrol cars,” he said.
“Seems more like millions,” Stone said. “I tried to call your wife today, and . . .”
“And you got a recorded message about satellite realignment,” Dino said. “Personally, I think the North Koreans have shot down a couple of those birds over Asia. Why did you want to talk to my wife? Are you two having an affair?”
“She’s in Singapore by this time. How could we be having an affair?”
“Phone sex,” Dino said.
“Better than no sex at all,” Vanessa chimed in.
“I was talking to Mike when the sat system went down, so I tried her, instead. He was about to say something meaningful about the hit list when we were cut off.”
“What was he saying?”
“How would I know? We were cut off.”
“What did he say before you were cut off?”
“He said he’d heard about the list, and then he started to say something about it, and then, pfffft!”
“Well,” Dino said, looking at his watch. “It’s tomorrow morning—or this morning—over there. I can never remember which.”
“That’s what Viv said.”
“You said you couldn’t reach her,” Dino replied.
“I spoke to her before she left Hong Kong,” Stone said. “Phone sex.”