Hit List (Stone Barrington #53)(5)

“I’ll try not to be too trigger-happy,” she said, then went back to her office. She came back almost immediately. “There’s another guy here from Strategic Services, says he wants to check all the security equipment to make sure it’s working.”

“Check his ID, then set him loose in the house.”

She left. A moment later a man in coveralls, carrying a toolbox, came into his office and unceremoniously began checking the phone and electrical boxes, working from a plan of the house. When he was done, he left the office without a word and began to work his way around the house.

Stone’s iPhone rang and he picked it up.

“Scramble,” Lance Cabot said. The man was the director of Central Intelligence, and Stone had recently been appointed a personal advisor to him, holding the rank of deputy director.

“Scrambled,” Stone replied.

“What kind of mess have you got yourself into now?” Lance asked pleasantly.

“I’m not sure what kind of mess it is,” Stone replied, “except I’m advised by the NYPD that it could be fatal. I know only that I have no idea what’s going on.”

“You’re a constant source of amusement to me, Stone.”

“I’m so happy to hear that, Lance. I’m glad to provide you with amusement.”

“Are the press reports accurate?”

“For once, and regrettably, yes. I think Dino must have thought it in the interests of keeping the people on that list, including me, alive.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“No, but he and I and Joan are the only people of my acquaintance who were aware of the list. Except you, of course; you seem to be aware of everything.”

“And now that knowledge has been expanded to the world at large.”

“Exactly.”

“You shouldn’t leave the house, you know.”

“Lance, I’ve already had that conversation with Dino, and I think he covered all the bases. And there are two armed people from Strategic Services in the house, and one of their technicians, as well, to check all the security equipment.”

“You should locate that technician immediately,” Lance said, “and shoot him.”

“Why would I do anything so inhospitable to a person who is trying to protect me?”

“Stone, if you can remember as far back as a few weeks ago, you may recall that Agency people replaced all your security equipment with our own.”

“I guess Strategic Services didn’t get the memo,” Stone replied.

“And before that, all your equipment was installed and managed by your friend Bob Cantor. It has been some years since Stratigic Services has had anything to do with it.”

Stone thought for moment. “Oh, shit,” he said.

“I called to tell you that my people will be there within the hour to perform that service. Now, go find that tech guy and shoot him.” Lance hung up.

“Joan!” Stone yelled.

Joan stuck her head inside the door. “Yes, sir?”

“Tell the Strategic Service people that there’s an intruder in the house, disguised as one of their technical service guys, and they should apprehend or shoot him right now!”

“Holy shit!” Joan yelled, as she ran back to her office.

Stone, who had not bothered to carry a weapon, since he had had no intention of leaving the house, now opened his office safe, retrieved a Sig Arms 9mm pistol, racked the slide, grabbed a spare magazine, and sat down at his desk again, the pistol in his hand.

Joan entered, waving her .45 around. “They’re on it, boss!” she said.

“I asked you to check his ID,” Stone reminded her.

“I did. It looked good to me.”

“Lance is sending some CIA people over to check everything out. Don’t shoot them, and compare their faces to the photos on their IDs.”

“Right!”

“And keep them in your office until Frank and his partner check back with us. We don’t want them shooting the Agency people and vice versa.”

“Right.”

The outside doorbell rang. Joan ran back in that direction and then came back a couple of minutes later. “It’s the Agency people,” she said. “I checked them out, then called Lance to confirm.”

“Just sit them down, for the moment.”

Five minutes later, there was a shout from the other side of the door to the garage. “Mr. Barrington?”

“Who are you?” Stone shouted back.

“It’s Frank. May I come in?”

“Holster your weapon before you do,” Stone yelled.

The door opened, and Frank stuck his empty hands inside.

“All right,” Stone said, “come in.”

Frank entered the room, followed by a woman in a business suit. “This is my partner, Grace,” Frank said. “We’ve cleared every room. The kitchen door to the garden was ajar. Is there a way to the street from the garden?”

“Yes, across the garden, on the Second Avenue side there’s a gate.”

“Then he must have left that way. You’re going to need to have the people who installed your equipment come back and take a look at it.”

“They’re waiting in Joan’s office,” Stone replied. “Don’t shoot them.”