Shoot First(Stone Barrington #45)(39)

“Stone, your country needs only your assistance. It does not seek advantage of you.”

Here it comes, Stone thought, reflexively crossing his legs. “What sort of assistance are we talking about, Lance?”

“Your relationship with Mr. Bellini gives you certain advantages in dealing with him,” Lance replied.

“Lance, I have no relationship with Gino Bellini. I have never clapped eyes on the man.”

“Of course you have, you dined at the same restaurant only a few nights ago.”

“He was not pointed out to me, so I didn’t know he was there until later.”

“Still, he recognizes you as someone who might deal for Ms. Harmon.”

“Deal? With someone whose company’s most valued possession he has stolen?”

“Stone, you are surely aware that when a thief has stolen something of great value—and, incidentally, has been prevented from selling it abroad—his most likely market is the victim of the theft. Or, perhaps, its insurer.”

Now Stone was beginning to see. “And I just happen to serve on the board of Meg Harmon’s insurer.”

“My, you are quick, Stone.”

“And you are just a bit slow, Lance.”

“Oh? And how is that?”

“Harmony Software has not filed a claim with the Steele Group, so why would Arthur Steele wish to involve himself in buying back something he has not been asked to pay for?”

“Do you think he would prefer to pay a claim in full, or to forestall the claim by buying back the stolen goods at a substantial discount?”

Stone had recently been involved in such a transaction with Arthur Steele involving a stolen work of art. “Perhaps the latter,” he said.

“With that in mind, don’t you think that Arthur Steele might be willing to get into bed with a whore? I mean, he would just be haggling over the price, would he not?”

“Lance, I don’t think that is a metaphor Arthur would appreciate.”

“Then don’t put it to him that way, Stone. Speak to the man as a lawyer and a member of his board.”

“And who is going to speak to Gino Bellini?”

“Why, you are, of course. Who better to operate in medias res?”

Stone did not immediately reply.

“Oh,” Lance said apologetically, “would you like to look that up?”

“I know what it means, Lance,” Stone replied with some heat.

“So you’ll get in touch with both parties?”

“I don’t exactly have Mr. Bellini’s phone number, Lance.”

Lance placed a card on the desk. “As a matter of fact, earlier today Mr. Bellini got himself down to the Apple Store and bought a new phone with a new number, and he is likely to be very impressed to learn that you already have it. That might put him off balance just a bit, don’t you think? Give you a leg up in the negotiations?” Stone looked at the card as if it were a coiled viper. Lance pushed it closer to him. “Can’t hurt to give it a try, can it?”

“Lance, how the hell do you get information like this so quickly?”

“I have twenty-one thousand six hundred and sixty employees to do the research,” Lance replied.

“How much did the Chinese offer Bellini for the crown jewels?” Stone asked.

“That information is a bit more difficult to come by, but I should think somewhere in the region of twenty-five to fifty million dollars,” Lance said. He shrugged. “Just a guess, of course.”

“I think that Arthur Steele is going to find that a difficult starting point for a negotiation,” Stone replied.





30




Stone and Meg had dinner in his study. Bob, now bereft of Sugar’s companionship, dozed fitfully beside the fire.

“You know,” Meg said, “I think I prefer dining in this room to any restaurant I have ever gone to.”

“Thank you,” Stone said.

“I should thank Bob, as well. He makes it feel like home. Why have you deprived the poor dear of Sugar?”

“Sugar, alas, is a member of a family across the street, and I don’t think they would accede to Bob’s wishes in the matter.”

“I’m sure Sugar misses Bob, too.”

“Then she will have to find a way of expressing her desire to her family before we are likely to enjoy her company again.”

“Maybe dogs should be acquired in braces,” she said.

“As fond as I am of Bob, I’m not sure I could handle two of him.”

“Oh, well.”

“There’s something I have to tell you about,” Stone said.

“Uh-oh.”

“Not something bad, necessarily, just something I think you would prefer to know about now rather than later, when you might blame me for keeping it from you.”

She looked at him suspiciously. “Does this knowledge involve another woman?”

“No, no,” Stone replied quickly. “It’s entirely a business matter.”

“Oh.”

“I had a visit from a fr . . . an acquaintance late this afternoon who has managed to learn that Gino Bellini left Harmony Software with more than his talents and skills in his pocket.”

“What, did he steal the silver?”