Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(16)
Dino had put on a headset. “Everything okay up there?”
“Everything’s fine,” Stone said. “We’re cleared direct to Manassas.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Dino replied, then went back to his book.
* * *
—
ANOTHER TWO HOURS PASSED, and Washington Center cleared them for their descent into Manassas. The weather was clear below twelve thousand feet, and Stone made a visual approach. As they touched down, he saw a black SUV waiting for them on the ramp in front of the FBO, with two large men standing by. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady,” he said, “complete with muscle.”
They parked, unloaded Holly’s luggage, then he took her in his arms. “Let me know what you decide to do with the rest of your life,” he said.
“You’ll be the first,” she replied. “I’m scared, you know.”
“I know, but you’ll get over it.”
* * *
—
STONE PICKED UP a new clearance for Teterboro, and they were back at Jet Aviation in forty minutes, with Dino’s car waiting for them. Another forty-five minutes, and they were at Stone’s house. Bob greeted him at the door and made the usual fuss. Stone had a message waiting from Meg Harmon: she was throwing a housewarming at her new apartment that weekend.
Meg was a Silicon Valley zillionaire, who served with Stone on the Steele Group’s board of directors. They had been seeing each other for a few weeks, but she had been at home in San Francisco when Stone had flown south, so he had not found it necessary to explain his trip to her. He texted her and accepted her invitation.
There was also, surprisingly, a message from Senator Joseph Box. Stone had no real reason to return the call, but he did so out of curiosity and was put through immediately.
“Stone!” Joe Box shouted, as if they were long-lost friends. “Did you get my little gift?”
“I did, Joe, and thanks. We used it to tour the island when the streets were clear enough.”
“How did you manage to get out of Key West?”
“We got a clearance to take off and fly north,” Stone said.
“I got myself on a C-130 out of the Naval Air Station as far as Savannah,” Box said, “and I hitched a ride on a friend’s Gulfstream from there.”
“Good for you,” Stone replied.
“I understand you and I have a mutual friend in Meg Harmon,” Box said.
“Do we?”
“I expect I’ll see you at her housewarming this weekend.”
“Perhaps you will.”
“Just wanted to check in. I’d better get back to work!” The senator hung up.
Stone hung up, too, and now he wasn’t looking forward to Meg’s housewarming quite so much.
Joan buzzed him. “Dino on one.”
“Didn’t I just spend several days in your company?” Stone asked.
“I figured you were thirsting for more, so I thought I’d find out if you’re going to make Meg’s housewarming?”
“I thought I would, then I had a call from Joe Box, saying he’d be there, too, and I was reconsidering.”
“Jesus, that guy is everywhere, isn’t he?”
“It would appear so.”
“Come by our place for a drink a few minutes before.” Dino and Viv lived in the same building as Meg’s new apartment.
“Okay, see you then.” They both hung up.
Joan brought him a sandwich from the kitchen, and Bob his kibble, and they lunched together.
As Stone ate his sandwich, he wondered how Holly’s ambitions were going to affect his life. Not much, he thought, especially if she won. If she lost, well, they’d have to reexamine the relationship. He was a little surprised at how much the thought of her winning depressed him.
13
STONE TURNED UP at Dino’s place for a drink, and it didn’t take long for the pouring to be done. Dino took a seat across from him at the fireplace. “When I called in this afternoon, I had a message from Lance Cabot,” Dino said. Lance Cabot was the director of Central Intelligence.
“What did Lance want this time?” Stone and Dino had both signed open-ended contracts as consultants to the CIA years before. Thus, Cabot felt he could call on them at any time.
“Who knows? I didn’t return the call. His message said he’d see me tonight at Meg’s party.”
Stone took a gulp of his bourbon. Meetings with Lance always seemed to end up complicating his life.
“Did you hear from him?” Dino asked.
Stone brightened. “No, I didn’t. I guess Lance is your problem.”
“He always wants something, doesn’t he?” Dino asked glumly.
“Always.”
Viv appeared, looking smashing, and the three of them took the elevator up to Meg’s apartment, where they were let in by what Stone assumed was a rent-a-butler wearing a white jacket and black bow tie. A jazz pianist and a bassist were playing across the living room, which was more crowded than Stone had expected. He spotted Arthur Steele of the Steele Group and half of his board of directors, and there were other familiar faces, as well. A passing waiter, well informed, turned up with Stone’s bourbon, Dino’s scotch, and Viv’s martini, and they began to mingle.