Chapter 7
On Friday morning, Stone and Dino played nine holes at the Tarratine Golf Club, then had lunch at the club restaurant.
Ed Rawls walked in while they were eating and stopped by their table to say hello.
“How’s life, Ed?” Stone asked.
“Quiet. Just like I like it. I hear you’ve been keeping busy, though. Something about taking a dip in the ocean.”
“If you’re thinking about doing the same, I would recommend doing so much closer to shore than he did,” Dino said.
“I understand the owner didn’t make it. A friend, I’m guessing.”
Stone nodded. “And a client.”
“My condolences. Did I hear that it was a new yacht?”
“Brand spanking. Trenton had taken possession only the week before.”
“I assume the company that built it did a shakedown cruise.”
“That’s what Trenton told me.”
“No one noticed anything wrong before the accident?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
Ed grimaced. “Seems kind of fishy, don’t you think? A new yacht sinking like that.”
“I agree with Ed,” Dino said.
“If there was anything suspicious, there’s no way to know now,” Stone said. “The Amanda Jae’s on the bottom of the ocean.”
“Maybe the Coast Guard can send down a submarine,” Dino suggested.
“Do they even have submarines?” Stone said.
“They do not,” Ed said. “That’s strictly a Navy thing.”
“Maybe they can ask them,” Dino said.
“I doubt it would make it onto the Navy’s priority list,” Stone said. “I’m afraid the reason the boat went down will likely remain a mystery.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Ed said. “Well, I’m glad it didn’t take you with it.”
“You and me both,” Stone said.
He glanced at Dino, waiting.
“What?” Dino asked, playing dumb.
“Nothing to add?”
“Fine. I’m glad you made it, too.”
“Your compassion knows no bounds.” Stone looked back at Ed. “Why don’t you join us for dinner tonight? I’ll have Mary prepare steaks.”
“Sounds great. What time?”
“Seven?”
“See you then.”
As Stone and Dino were finishing up lunch, Stone received a text from Susan Vest.
Mr. Barrington, I’ve arranged for a sub next Wednesday, so I’ll be at the meeting.
Stone replied:
Glad to hear it. See you then.
He called Joan. “Susan Vest can make Wednesday, so we are officially on.”
“I’ll alert the media.”
“Please don’t.”
“Fine. I’ll let the others know.”
“Better. Everything okay there?”
“It’s catastrophe after catastrophe,” she deadpanned. “I don’t know how we survive without you.”
“If it’s that bad, perhaps I should head back now,” he said, having no intention of doing so.
“Save your blustering. I’m not fooled by idle threats.”
“Goodbye, Joan.”
“As they say in the movies, don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
It began raining shortly after Stone and Dino returned home, scuttling their plan to take Stone’s Hinckley boat out for a cruise.
Instead, they spent a quiet afternoon reading and, in Stone’s case, taking a nap.
At six-thirty, Stone was in his bedroom, getting ready for dinner, when Dino called from downstairs, “Stone! Get down here!”
Stone hurried down the stairs, his shirt half buttoned.
Dino’s eyes were glued to the TV.
“What is it?” Stone asked.
Dino pointed at the screen.
On it was a video of a burning car, and in the corner was the CNN logo. A banner across the lower third read: Car Bomb In London.
In a voiceover, a reporter said, “According to eyewitnesses, two people were in the vehicle when the bomb went off.” The video switched to a still shot of Felicity.
“Government sources have confirmed the Mercedes sedan belonged to Dame Felicity Devonshire. She’s the head of MI6, the British intelligence service, analogous to the CIA in the U.S.
She reportedly left her home in the vehicle with her driver shortly before the incident occurred. ”
Whatever was said after that, Stone didn’t hear as he tried to process the fact that Felicity was dead.
Despite the nature of her job and that she had survived several dangerous situations, including a few with Stone, he had never considered the possibility of a world in which she was no longer around.
Someone knocked on the front door.
“That’s probably Ed,” Dino said.
“What?” Stone asked.
“The front door.”
“What about the front door?”
The visitor knocked again.
“Oh, that.”
Stone went to the door and opened it, then stared at the person standing on his porch, dumbfounded.
“May I come in?” Felicity asked. “Or do I have to stand in the rain all night?”
Stone looked at her, then over his shoulder at the TV, then back at her again.
“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” she said.
“I’m beginning to wonder if I have.”
“Nonsense. There are no such things.”
“Not from where I’m standing.”
“Really, Stone. Are you feeling all right?”
“I think that’s a question I should be asking you.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” She smiled. “So, about me coming in…?”
“Oh, sorry.” He stepped out of the way and motioned for her to enter.
Dino was still watching the TV as Stone and Felicity entered.
“The prime minister is going to make a statement in a few minutes,” Dino said without looking back. “I don’t think he’d do that if Felicity wasn’t in the car.”
“You may be surprised,” Felicity said.
Dino’s head whipped around, and his eyes narrowed. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
“Good to see you, too, Dino.”
“If you’re here, who was in your car?”
Felicity sighed. “A pair of excellent agents, I’m afraid.” She glanced at Stone. “Can I have one of those whiskeys you’re so fond of?”
“Of course.” Stone walked over to the bar.
“Make it a double,” Felicity said.
She took a seat and gratefully accepted the glass of Knob Creek that Stone handed her.
“I suppose you want to know what’s going on,” she said, once she’d taken a sip.
“If it’s not too much trouble,” Stone said. “After all, it’s not every day the assassinated head of MI6 shows up at my doorstep, fully intact.”
“The short of it is, someone is trying to kill me.”
“I think we deduced that already,” Dino said.
“Yes. I guess the whole world has at this point.” She set her glass down.
“Earlier this year, we got wind of a possible operation against me. We didn’t know where the attempt was going to happen, nor did we know when.
We just knew whoever was behind it wanted me dead.
So, I decided to try and force their hand. ”
“Your retirement announcement,” Stone guessed.
“My retirement announcement,” she confirmed.
“I thought if the opposition believed I wouldn’t be around much longer, they’d speed up their plans or drop them completely.
Given that there had been no attempts on my life since the party, I assumed it was the latter.
In light of what’s transpired this evening, however, it appears I was wrong. ”
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here and not…” Stone nodded at the TV.
“Just because I thought they’d given up their plans to kill me didn’t mean I didn’t want to find out who they were.
I came to the States to discuss potential options for handling the situation.
Naturally, I didn’t want anyone to know what I was up to, so I arranged for one of my people to pretend to be me.
Unfortunately, she seems to have done her job too well. ”
“You came to discuss options with Dino and me?” Stone asked.
Felicity huffed a laugh. “I will grant that you are both very intelligent men, most of the time, but this is not a topic on which I’d expect you to be much help.”
“I’m not sure if I should feel grateful or insulted,” Dino said.
“If not to see us, what are you doing here?” Stone asked, gesturing to the room.
“The bombing occurred while my plane was on approach to Boston. That’s where my meeting was to take place. It was decided someplace less populated would be a better location for me to, as you Americans say, lay low.”
“And my Maine house was the first thing that came to mind?”
“You have to admit, it is perfect.”
“Who were you supposed to meet with?”
Someone knocked on the front door.
“That’s got to be Ed,” Dino said.
“Ed who?” Felicity asked.
“Rawls,” Stone said.
“Right. I forgot he was your neighbor.”
“I invited him for dinner, but I’ll see if I can get rid of him.”
Stone went to the door and opened it.
“Good evening, Stone,” said Lance Cabot, the director of the CIA.
“Hello, Lance.”
“Has your guest arrived yet?”
“Come in, Lance,” Felicity called from the living room.
“I see she has.” Lance squeezed by Stone as he stepped inside.
Stone shut the door and followed.
“Excuse me,” he said. “What exactly is going on here?”
“I thought that would be obvious,” Felicity said. “The person I’m meeting with is Lance.”
“And you’re doing it here?”
“What better location?” Lance said.
“Did it occur to either of you to ask me first?”
Lance waved a hand in the air. “Not only are you a high-ranking Agency consultant, but this house is particularly suited for our needs.”
“Agree to disagree.”
There was another knock at the door.
“Who’s that?” Lance asked.
“I’m not even going to try to guess this time,” Dino said.
“Are you expecting someone?”
“Ed Rawls,” Stone says.
“Maybe you should get rid of him.”
The words were barely out of Lance’s mouth when lightning flashed and thunder crashed above the house.
“You can tell him to drive home in this weather,” Stone said. “I’m not going to do it.”
“Oh, all right. I suppose it can’t be helped.”
Stone answered the door, and this time it was Ed.
“Did you see the news about Felicity?” Ed asked.
“We were just discussing that.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“Hold that thought.”
Stone led him inside.
Upon seeing Felicity, Ed stopped in his tracks. “You’re dead.”
“And you’re wet,” Felicity said.
Ed noticed Lance next. “Stone, your house is full of spooks.”
“So I’ve noticed,” Stone said. “Give me your jacket.”
Ed took it off and handed it to Stone, who hung it on the coatrack by the door to dry.
“You know, I almost stayed home because of the storm,” Ed said. “Now I’m beginning to wish I had. What’s going on here?”
Stone brought him up to speed.
“How many people know you’re alive?” Ed asked Felicity.
“Other than the people in this room, my assistant and my second-in-command at MI6,” she said. “Oh, and the prime minister, of course.”
“And I think that’s the way it should stay for now,” Lance said.
“Agreed,” Felicity said.
Lance eyed Stone, Dino, and Ed. “That means no mentioning it to anyone else.”
“For how long?” Stone asked.
“For however long it takes to catch whoever is behind this.”
“You have a plan on how to do that?” Dino asked.
“I have a team coming in the morning to figure that out.”
Stone blinked. “Here?”
“Where else?” Lance asked. “They can stay in the apartment above your garage.”
“Do I get a say in this?”
“Don’t quibble, Stone,” Lance said. “It doesn’t become you. I assume I’m in my regular room. I have some calls to make.”
Without waiting for a response, he headed upstairs.
“This weekend is suddenly getting very crowded,” Dino said.
“You’re telling me,” Stone said.
“I don’t know about any of you,” Felicity said, “but I’m famished. What are the chances that fine cook of yours might whip something up for me?”
Mary entered the living room. “Mr. Barrington, I take it there will be more than just three of you for dinner.”
“My apologies for the unexpected guests, Mary. One more at the table, and I suppose you should take something up to Lance in his room.”
“I only have enough steak for four. I could whip up a pasta for Mr. Cabot, if you think he wouldn’t mind.”
“Honestly, I don’t care if he minds or not, but that sounds like the perfect solution.”
Dinner was served soon after.
While they were eating, Ed asked Felicity, “What are the chances someone will come here looking for you?”
“Nonexistent, at least until whoever is after me finds out I’m not dead.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for anyone suspicious.”
“You think everyone is suspicious until proven otherwise,” Stone said to him.
“And it’s saved our lives multiple times, I believe,” Ed said.
“He’s right about that,” Dino said.
“If you do see someone who shouldn’t be on the island, please let me know right away,” Felicity said.
“Exactly how long do you plan on staying here?” Stone asked.
“That’s an excellent question,” she said, then took a drink of her wine without answering.
By the time they finished eating, the rain had all but stopped.
“Can I interest anyone in a glass of port?” Stone asked.
“I think I’ll take advantage of the calm in the storm and head home,” Ed said.
“Are you talking about the rain? Or Felicity’s situation?” Dino asked.
“Both.”
“I would love one,” Felicity said, “but I’m still on London time, so I should call it a night.”
Stone turned to Dino. “It looks like it’s just you and me.”
Dino’s phone began to ring.
“Sorry, pal. Just you. It’s morning wherever Viv is, and she just woke up.” He accepted the call. “Good morning.”
As Dino headed off, Stone said to Felicity, “I’ll walk you up.”
When they reached her door, Felicity said, “I’d invite you in, but I’m afraid I don’t have the energy for anything extracurricular tonight.”
“I would have been unavailable to fulfill those desires, even if you had them,” he said.
“Are you hiding someone in your room I don’t know about?”
“Not at all, but someone is joining me tomorrow.”
“That sort of thing hasn’t stopped you in the past.”
“Perhaps I’m maturing.”
Felicity laughs. “Stone, please. Men stop maturing in their teens. But tell me, is the someone in question the lovely Tamlyn Thompson?”
“One and the same.”
“In that case, I forgive you.”
“You’re forgiving me for not sleeping with you tonight when you already told me you weren’t going to?”
“Exactly.”