Hit List (Stone Barrington #53)(72)

“I’m not that . . .”

“Yes, you are, you just won’t admit it.”

“I just drove it to Brooklyn and back, and it behaved beautifully! Me, too.”

“I don’t want to hear about it. I’ll have nightmares!”

“Let’s make a pact,” he said. “Let’s never mention the motorcycle again.”

“I can’t do that! I’d explode. Besides, what would I give you a hard time about?”

“Okay, how about just until the election. If you win, I’ll retire the motorcycle, and you won’t have to worry.”

She sighed. “That’s the best deal I’m going to get, isn’t it?”

“Maybe not, but it’s the best deal on the motorcycle you’re going to get.”

“Okay. Did you get your invitation for Tuesday night?”

“I did, and I’m very grateful for the access.”

“We’re going to have this period between when the polls close and when, maybe, the media will announce that I’ve won, and during that period I’m going to fuck your brains out,” she said.

“Promise?”

“I vow it, because if I win, it will be our last time until I’m a free civilian again and can do whatever I want.”

“I’ve got news for you, kiddo,” he said, “you’re going to do whatever you want, anyway, and to hell with the media. As long as we don’t do it in the street, they’ll never lay a glove on you, because Americans want their president to have a sex life, one that they can fantasize about, and you’re going to give them that, with all the help from me that I can muster.”

She giggled. “And we know how much that is, don’t we?”

“That said, I support your suggestion that we have those hours and minutes to be wanton, while you’re still, technically, a non-president. And I look forward to every minute of it.

“Set your watch,” Stone said. “I’ll see you at the stroke of nine o’clock on Tuesday, in your suite.”

“Dinner will be waiting, then me,” she said. She made a big smooching noise and hung up.





57


Stone called Dino.

“Bacchetti.”

“It’s Stone.”

“I thought you’d be in bed all day after the adrenaline dump.”

“Speak for yourself. I was up at my usual hour, feeling great.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Anything wrong with me was cured by my first ride on the Norton.”

“Already? Have you insured the thing yet?”

“I self-insure.”

“Liability insurance is cheap, and you’re bound to get sued by somebody, if you keep riding it in the city.”

“You have a point,” Stone admitted, if reluctantly. “I’ll call Arthur Steele.”

“What, you call the chairman of the board about motorcycle insurance. Is that just to piss him off?”

“You have another point,” Stone said. “I’ll get Joan to do it.”

“As long as you don’t let her ride it.”

“Can you imagine Joan on a motorcycle? In one of her tweed suits?”

“Just barely. Don’t leave the keys lying around, though.”

“You have another point. You’re scoring well today.”

“I score well every day. You just don’t pay attention.”

“Has there been any flak about the cars we shot up last night?”

“Of course there has, but we’re handling the claims as usual. I did tell them to prioritize cars parked on that block.”

“I hope there weren’t any Lamborghinis or Ferraris among them.”

“We can hope,” Dino said.

“Did you get your tickets to Holly’s election-night bash at the Carlyle?”

“Yeah. We’ll be there. Where’s the action?”

“Everywhere. They’ve booked the whole hotel.”

“I bet I know where your action will be.”

“If you do, avoid it. We’ll be busy.”

Dino gave a coarse laugh. “You’ll be high and dry for women after that,” he said.

“Don’t count on it. Shouldn’t a single president be able to have a sex life?”

“Okay by me,” Dino said, “as long as she runs the shop right.”

“Holly is not a lazy person. You needn’t worry about that.”

“Viv gets back this afternoon. Dinner tonight?”

“Patroon? Seven-thirty?”

“Done.” Dino hung up.

Stone buzzed Joan.

“Yes, boss?”

“I’m going to need liability insurance on the motorcycle.”

“How much?”

“Ten million.”

“Not nearly enough. If you get sued, the plaintiff will go for the moon, once his lawyer figures out who you are. A good lawyer would tell you to register it under a corporate name. And I’d go for fifty million.”

“You think Arthur will go for that?”

“I’ll take care of it with his secretary. He’ll never know.”