Hit List (Stone Barrington #53)(22)

“Oh, well,” she said.

Dino found the TV’s remote control and turned up the volume on his cricket match.”

“We won’t have to talk to Dino for a while now,” Viv said.

“How long do these matches last?” Vanessa asked.

“Hours,” Stone replied.

“Forever,” Viv echoed.

The match finally ended and Dino switched to CNN International, instead.

A photograph of a man came onscreen.

“Uh-oh,” Dino said.

“What?” Stone asked.

“Quiet!”

“This man,” the newsreader said, “an American tourist in London named Mark Wiseman, was shot dead earlier today while he waited at a luxury hotel in Mayfair for the doorman to get him a taxi. His name appeared on a so-called hit list of ten people that was delivered anonymously to a New York lawyer some days ago, along with a warning that the ten would all be murdered. Dr. Mark Wiseman, a dermatologist at New York Hospital, was the third on the list to be killed, all by shooting. He leaves a wife and two grown children.”

“I take it this confirms our spotting of Sig Larkin,” Dino said.

“Indeed,” Stone said.

“So, you’re not both crazy?” Vanessa asked.

“At least one of us is not,” Stone replied.

There was a long silence. “Where are we meant to be dining this evening?” Viv asked.

“At Le Gavroche,” Stone replied. The restaurant was one of only a few in Britain that was rated three stars in the Michelin Guide.

Viv got out her phone and left the room briefly. When she came back she said, “I’ve doubled our security team at the restaurant,” she said.





18


When they got out of the Bentley at Le Gavroche, they were sheltered by men with large, black umbrellas, though it was not raining.

Once inside, while Stone was being greeted by the ma?tre d’, Derek from Strategic Services approached the group. “We’ve thoroughly swept the restaurant for weapons,” he said, “and as you enter, we’ve temporarily installed a very sensitive metal detector that picks up any object larger than a pack of cigarettes.”

“Turn it off while I walk through,” Dino said.

Derek did so, then the others entered the dining room. They were seated at a large table at one end. An enormous floral display had been placed a few feet away, blocking the view of them from most of the room.

“Are the flowers bulletproof?” Vanessa asked.

“Unseen, unshot,” Stone said.

“Is that Shakespeare?” Dino asked.

“Gun Digest,” Stone replied, and ordered a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame champagne for the table.

Dino’s eyes darted around what they could see of the room.

“Dino,” his wife said. “Look at me, and if that’s too hard, look at Vanessa.”

“I’m just being vigilant,” Dino replied.

“You’re more fun when you are conversant.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever dined under these circumstances,” Vanessa said.

“In a French restaurant?” Stone asked.

“In a French restaurant while under the protection of armed guards,” she replied.

“Count Dino among them,” Viv said. “He’s always armed.”

“Even on airplanes?”

“I’m an honorary air marshal,” Dino said, “and anyway, I hardly ever fly on an airplane that doesn’t belong to Stone.”



* * *



—

They dined sumptuously, which was the only way available at Le Gavroche, then left the restaurant, again shielded by men with umbrellas, but this time it was actually raining.

“I’m glad we’re in an armored car,” Vanessa said.

“I’m afraid we’re not,” Stone replied. “I bought this one off the floor at the dealer’s in Barclay Square.”

“Drive faster,” Dino said to the driver.



* * *



—

    The garage door was opened with the remote control, the car driven inside, and the doors closed behind them, before they all got out and went upstairs and settled in with coffee and brandy.

“I suggest,” Stone said, “that we go back to Windward Hall early tomorrow morning, say seven o’clock.”

No one said anything.

“If you’re all shopped out,” Stone said, just to get their attention. “I don’t think Larkin is done in London yet. He lucked out to get two of his victims here at the same time, and I think we’re likely to be safer there than here. In London it’s too easy to follow us. We can decide tomorrow whether to go on to Paris for a bit or back to New York.”

“Breakfast at six?” Viv asked.

“Sounds good to me,” Vanessa said, “if I can eat and sleep at the same time.”

Dino nodded.



* * *



—

They drove back to Hampshire in the pouring rain in a cloud of road mist from their lead car and their tail, but Stone was still very interested in any car that passed them. Once, he saw a man pass who looked a little like Larkin without a beard, driving a Mercedes station wagon, but the man showed no interest in them.