Double Jeopardy (Stone Barrington #57)(45)

He resisted the temptation of another drink, since he had to be able to run another twenty yards pretty quickly. Finally, he peeped over the instrument panel and at the twins’ house. Nobody on the wraparound porch, nobody visible inside.

“What the hell,” he said aloud to himself. He stood up, grabbed the bucket and carryall, then placed his other hand on the gunwale and vaulted onto the dock. He ran and simultaneously yanked the small pistol from its holster. He made the porch and stood with his back flat against the front door, panting. The door was locked. He knocked sharply on it. “Sally? Open up!”

He heard the latch work, then the door opened, and she yanked him inside by his belt. They wrapped around each other. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” she said.

“I’ll work on that,” he replied.

“You need a drink.”

“You’re right.”

Still keeping low, they both had a drink.

“The lights are off over there,” Sally said, getting to her knees and looking toward the twins’ house. “I expect they’ve gone to bed.”

Ed got up, closed the blinds, and turned on one small lamp. Then it came to him: the twins’ bed. He emptied his carryall, fished around, and came up with the little radio controller for the detonators. He took a breath and pushed the button. Nothing. The little red light had not illuminated. Well, the thing had just taken a swim in salt water, hadn’t it?

He found some batteries, tossed the old ones, then went into the bathroom and rinsed the radio thoroughly, then pointed the hair dryer at the radio until it was dry and warm to the touch, then he inserted the fresh batteries. Waited a minute. He wanted to see this happen. He went back into the living room, switched off the lamp, then pulled back the curtains. “Watch this,” he said to Sally. “I hope they’re in bed.” He pressed the button on the radio. The red light came on and stayed on. Nothing else happened. “Shit!” he screamed.

“What’s wrong?” Sally asked.

“The house was supposed to explode.”

“Well, that was uncooperative of it, then.”

“The duct tape,” he said.

“What duct tape?”

“I dropped it in the hurry to get out. They found it and figured out what it was for.”

“What was it for?”

“To hold a block of plastique in place under their bed.” The phone rang and Ed grabbed it, half expecting it to be the twins. “Yeah?”

“It’s Stone. Is something supposed to happen?”

“Yeah,” Ed replied, “only I fucked up, and in a big way.”

“Explain, please.”

Ed explained.

“I thought the pros knew to clean up after themselves when they’ve left a bomb under somebody’s bed.”

“I believe they covered that in explosives class, but in my haste not to get shot, I neglected to check off that box.”

“I take it you didn’t get shot?”

“No, but I had to slide down a drainpipe, run thirty yards, dive into sixty-degree water, then swim in the dark over to my dock, none of which I’m in shape for. I’ll spare you the rest of the details.”

“Did your controller get wet?”

“Yes, but I dried it.”

“Well, at least you’re okay.”

“Sure, but now the twins have four ounces of C-4 in their possession, and I have a feeling they’re going to figure out how to use it.”

“Well, they’re not going to figure out how to use it tonight, so you might as well get some well-earned rest. That’s what I’m going to do.”

“What a good idea,” Ed said, then hung up.

“I suppose that was Stone,” Sally said.

“Yes, and he didn’t berate me.”

“You took care of that yourself.”

“Do you think you could get my clothes off and get me into bed?” Ed asked. “Because I think I’m going to collapse.”

“One of my favorite things to do,” she said, and began to work at it.

Three minutes later Ed was snoring.





40

The following day, Stone flew Carly and Primmy to New Haven for Carly’s Yale Law commencement. Once on the ground, Stone put them into a cab. “I have a stop to make,” Stone said. “I’ll catch up with you.”

Stone took another cab to a location where he had earlier made a purchase over the phone. His package was ready, and he headed for Yale.

The graduates were lined up in their black gowns with blue sleeves and filing into the building. He found Primmy and they managed to get seats.

“We thought you were going to miss the ceremony,” she said. “Carly was nearly distraught.” Primmy pointed. “There she is!” Waves were exchanged.

Stone had not been to a graduation since his own from NYU, and he had forgotten how exciting they were for the graduates. They listened to speeches, including Carly’s valedictory address. Then the thing broke up, and Stone took them out to the parking lot. He handed Carly a key. “You drive.”

“Drive what?”

“Right there.” He pointed to a metallic blue BMW convertible with the top down. “Happy graduation!”