Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(62)
“Very wise,” Jan replied.
“Are you at the embassy?” Kelly asked her.
“Sort of,” Jan replied.
“How long are you at this?”
“Nine years. You?”
“Going on fourteen,” Kelly said.
“Really?” Jan asked. “You don’t have the look.”
“What look is that?”
“The hunted look. Every woman I’ve met on this job, who’s been on as long as you, looks hunted.”
While Kelly was reflecting on that the sales assistant returned with two dresses and showed her to a changing room. The size two fit perfectly. She went back to the showroom and modeled it for Jan.
“Very nice,” Jan said. “It must be an important dinner.”
“Maybe,” Kelly replied. “I thought I’d aim high.”
Kelly sat down while the dress was boxed and wrapped. Jan was as watchful as a German shepherd.
The sales assistant returned with the package and handed Kelly the bill. She paid from her stack of fifties.
“Don’t tell me Lance is paying for that,” Jan said as they waited for her change.
“You bet your sweet ass he isn’t,” Kelly said.
“Ah, Barrington,” Jan said. “He’s very good looking.”
“He’s very good,” Kelly replied.
“I’ll bet he is,” Jan said.
“In every way, not just that one.”
“Whatever you say,” Jan replied. The change came. “We’ll take the stairs down,” she said.
“As you wish.”
“I don’t like elevators,” Jan said darkly, “bad things happen in elevators.”
Kelly followed the signs to the stairs and they walked down three floors, with Jan stopping at each landing and doing a 360.
“Joe’s at the south entrance,” Jan said, nudging Kelly in that direction, like a sheepdog.
Joe wasn’t at the south entrance, nor visible in either direction.
Jan coughed into her fist and said something into the microphone concealed there, with the antenna running up her sleeve. She spoke again. “Joe’s out of the game,” she said to Kelly. “Stay close to me, and keep your eyes open.” Jan started down the street, then stopped and listened. “He’s around the corner,” she said. “Let’s take a look at the windows.”
The two moved slowly along, taking in the window displays. Kelly glanced at Jan’s reflection in the glass and realized she was using it as a mirror to display the street.
“Here we go,” Jan said, as the Range Rover glided to a stop. They got inside. “Where the fuck have you been?” Jan said to the driver.
“Sorry, some of the Royal Family decided this was shopping day, and the bobbies held everyone at a halt while they unloaded from one of those big, old Daimlers.”
“Is your radio broken?” Jan demanded, unsatisfied.
“I thought it best not to use it, crammed as I was between other cars and pedestrians. Give me a fucking break, will you?”
“What I’d like to give you is a bullet behind the ear,” Jan replied, settling into her seat, still steaming slightly.
* * *
—
THEY TURNED ONTO Wilton Row and pulled up to Stone’s garage. Kelly waited while Jan rang the bell and inspected the interior, then the Range Rover pulled in, and Kelly got out. “Thank you both for your company today,” she said. “Good job.” Then she went upstairs.
“We’ll be around,” Jan called after her.
49
STONE GOT into his dinner suit, slipped on the waistcoat and took his Patek Philippe pocket watch and its chain from the safe, tucked the watch and one end of the chain into his waistcoat pocket, and snapped a fouled gold anchor to the center ring as a fob.
Kelly came into his dressing room. “I’ve been authoritatively advised that we should go armed while wandering around London.” She held up her purse. “That’s why I’m carrying a bigger bag.”
Stone took Lance’s little 9 mm from the safe, slipped it into the soft, suede shoulder holster, tucked the weapon into it and slipped the silencer into a hip pocket. He got into his jacket and inspected the result in the full-length mirror; he could detect no bulge. He folded a white silk pocket square and tucked it into his breast pocket.
“Very nice,” she said, standing on tiptoe and kissing him on the ear.
“Thank you,” he replied. “I love the dress.”
They went downstairs.
“Chilly tonight,” Kelly said, picking out a coat from the closet.
Stone got into a black cashmere overcoat and a soft black hat. They walked down to the garage where Henry waited with the new Bentley.
* * *
—
HENRY PULLED INTO the motor court of the duke’s big house in Kensington, and a pair of uniformed footmen opened the car doors. Inside, a butler greeted them and a maid took their coats. They were escorted into a large drawing room, where the butler announced: “Mr. Stone Barrington and Ms. Kelly Smith.” Four gentlemen got to their feet, while their ladies looked Stone and Kelly up and down.
The duke came forward and shook their hands, then he turned to the group. “Mr. Barrington, Ms. Smith, may I present the prime minister, James Howard, and Eloise; the home secretary, Sir Phineas Wellborn, and Dorothy; and Commander Jock Gillespie of Special Branch, and Mary. And, you know Dinah, of course.”