Chapter 20
The funeral service was being held at St. Luke’s & Christ Church in Chelsea.
Stone could see a line of cars ahead of the Maybach, waiting to enter the circular driveway in front of the entrance, where passengers were to be dropped off.
He lowered the partition that separated them from their driver and said, “We’ll get out here.”
“Very good, sir,” the driver said.
As the car veered closer to the curb, Stone donned the earpiece and opened the special app on his phone, tapping the Start button.
Other than the label on the button changing from Start to Stop, there was no indication of whether or not the camera was working.
“It’s safe to exit now, sir,” the driver said.
“Thank you,” Stone said. “I’ll call you when we’re ready to be picked up.”
As Stone stepped onto the sidewalk, he heard Felicity’s voice in his ear, saying, “I see you’ve made it.”
“I have,” he said, then realized Carly hadn’t said if they would be able to hear him.
“You have what?” Dino asked.
“I was talking to Felicity. Though I’m not sure she can hear me.”
“I can hear you fine,” Felicity said. “The camera has a mic. And please, Stone, refrain from saying my name like that while you’re there.”
“Oh right.”
“Oh right, what?” Dino asked.
Stone grimaced. “We can’t keep doing this.”
“We can’t keep doing what?”
“May I make a suggestion that won’t make you look so suspicious?” Felicity said.
“A suggestion would be appreciated.”
Dino started to say something, but he stopped and nodded in understanding when Stone motioned to his ear.
“If you need to say something to me,” Felicity said, “either pretend to be talking on your phone or find someplace where you can be alone and not overheard.”
“I can do that.”
“You know,” Dino said, “if you keep talking to yourself like that, you’ll look suspicious.”
“So I’ve been told,” Stone said.
“I have a suggestion.”
“To pretend to be on my phone?”
“Bingo.”
“Thanks, Dino.”
“Always happy to help.”
The funeral may have been private, but from the crowd working its way into the church, the invitations MI6 sent out must have gone to anyone who had even a tangential connection to Felicity. All were clad in black or gray, and conversations were held in hushed, respectful tones.
“Turn to your right,” Felicity instructed Stone.
He did so.
“Left,” she said.
He turned again.
“The bald man two meters in front of you, try to get his face on camera.”
He frowned and did what she wanted without seeming suspicious.
He had barely accomplished the feat when Felicity said, “The woman you just passed, in the gray Chanel dress.”
He tilted his head down and whispered, “I’m not a pinball.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” she said.
His complaint seemed to have done the trick, however, as she stopped giving him directions.
Now that he wasn’t being pulled every which way, Stone was able to scan the crowd in a more natural manner. He saw a news anchor from BBC, several high-ranking members of the British government, and a few people he’d met at dinner parties Felicity had thrown over the years.
He and Dino entered the nave, where the pews were quickly filling up. Standing near the front was the prime minister, talking with an older gentleman who Stone didn’t recognize.
“Of course he’d show up,” Felicity said.
“The prime minister?” Stone whispered.
“What? No. Well, I mean, yes. Of course, the prime minister is there. But I wasn’t talking about him.”
She didn’t offer any further explanation.
Soon, Stone and Dino were settled in a row near the middle, between an older couple who seemed to be ignoring each other and a man in his forties, with fidgety hands.
“Who’s that?” Felicity asked.
To Dino, Stone said, “The next time we see our friend, remind me to tell her that without a bit more information, I have no idea who she was talking about.”
“If I must,” Dino said, catching on this time.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Felicity said. “The man sitting on your left. He was only in the frame for a moment.”
Stone turned in the direction of the man sitting alone, then he looked toward the back of the church, as if he was searching for a friend.
“You’re too close,” she said. “Lean back a little.”
Stone tilted back into Dino’s shoulder.
“Huh,” Felicity said noncommittally.
“You know I’m sitting here, right?” Dino asked.
“Sorry,” Stone said, straightening back up.
Since Felicity didn’t say anything else, Stone assumed she’d gotten what she wanted.
“I don’t see Lance anywhere,” Dino said.
As Stone scanned the pews in front of them, Lance leaned in from the row behind him and said, “I’m happy to see you gentlemen were able to make it.”
“It’s like saying your name summons you,” Dino said.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lance said.
“I thought you would be sitting in front with the other dignitaries,” Stone said.
“I will be. I just wanted to see how you two were doing.”
“I’m suspicious that you would care so much,” Dino said.
“Ditto,” Stone said. “By the way, I understand you’re staying at Windward Hall.”
“Where else would I stay?”
“I can think of a dozen places.”
“That reminds me. You don’t mind if I ride to the burial with you, do you?”
“I suppose we can make room.”
“Thank you, Stone. I appreciate it.” Lance stood. “The service will be starting soon, so I should go. I’ll meet you out front after.”
As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, Dino said, “I wonder if Lance is here.”
Stone looked at him, brow creased. “Are you feeling all right?”
“I feel fine.”
“Then why did you ask where Lance was? He just left.”
“I know that. I was just testing if saying his name brought him back. You know, like Beetlejuice.”
“Sometimes I worry about you.”
“Back at you, my friend.”
The funeral started at eleven a.m. on the dot and lasted a little more than an hour.
The prime minister himself gave the eulogy, praising Felicity for her service to the country and describing her death as a national tragedy. Given that he was one of the few who knew she was still alive, Stone deemed his performance Oscar worthy.
When it was over, the dignitaries sitting in front exited first. After they had passed, the rest of the mourners crowded into the central aisle and slowly made their way out of the church.
Stone made sure his button camera took in as many of the other attendees as possible.
Once outside, he and Dino gathered up Lance and went to the Maybach for the return ride south.
“I would call that a success,” Lance said, when they were on their way and the partition between the back seat and their driver was up.
“I wasn’t aware funerals were graded on a success/fail scale,” Stone said.
“No one stood up and shouted, ‘Dame Felicity is still alive,’ did they?”
“Well, I guess there is that.”
“I would have liked to have seen that,” Felicity said in Stone’s ear.
“So would I,” Stone said.
Lance narrowed his eyes at him. “Is the camera still on?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You’re wasting battery. Turn it off.”
“Don’t pay attention to him, Stone,” Felicity said. “He just doesn’t want me listening in.”
“Felicity says you don’t want her listening in.”
Lance kept his lips pressed together as he mimed turning off the app.
Stone rolled his eyes, then opened his phone and tapped Stop. The camera shut off and his earpiece went dead.
“Lance, why did I have to come if you were going to be here? You could have worn the camera.”
“Really, Stone. You can’t figure that out for yourself?”
“It’s because you can walk around without drawing attention,” Dino told Stone. “Lance can’t.”
“See?” Lance said. “Dino understands.”
Stone frowned. “I suspect the real reason is that you didn’t want to be bothered.”
“Believe what you will,” Lance said.
Dino motioned at Stone’s suit coat. “Any chance I could get a few of those button cameras?”
“I suppose I could look into it for you,” Lance replied.
“You’re the head of the Agency,” Stone said. “What’s there to look into?”
Stone’s phone buzzed. He looked at the screen, but as he suspected, the number was blocked.
He accepted the call on speaker. “Hello, Felicity.”
“You cut me off,” she said.
“Orders from above.”
“If you wanted to talk to us, I didn’t want Stone to have to be a go-between,” Lance said.
“Always looking out for my welfare,” Stone said.
“I suppose I would feel the same,” Felicity admitted.
“How did you enjoy your funeral?” Dino asked.
“A problematic dress rehearsal at best.”
“I thought it was very nice,” Stone said.
“The music was all wrong, and I would have expected more flowers. Also, could the eulogy have been more generic?”
“I think you’re being overly critical.”
“Am I? I suppose that could be true.”
“Did you notice anyone interesting in the camera feed?” Lance asked.
“Two, actually,” she said. “My uncle, for one.”
“Your uncle?” Stone said.
“Lord Bernard. He was talking to the prime minister before the service. Older, rotund.”
Stone remembered the man he’d seen. “I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned him before.”
“For good reason. He’s an entitled ass, who I haven’t spoken to in decades, and is no doubt trying to get his hands on as much of my estate as he can.”
“Please, don’t hold back,” Dino said. “Tell us how you really feel.”
“Do you think he might be the one trying to kill you?” Stone asked.
“I’m sure news of my death brought a smile to his face, but he’s too inept to be behind this. He would have made an unsuccessful attempt long ago and done something stupid that would have given him away.”
“Who was the other one?” Lance asked.
“The man sitting next to Stone.”
It took Stone a moment to remember who that was. “The middle-aged guy with the receding hairline?”
“That’s him. He works for me. An analyst, I think.”
“Do you know his name?” Lance asked.
“His surname starts with a P, but I can’t recall what it is off the top of my head. I have no idea what his first name is. Not sure I ever did.”
“What about him put him on your radar?” Stone asked.
“I don’t believe he and I have ever had any direct interaction.”
“He works for you, so perhaps he was just paying his respects.”
“It’s possible,” Felicity said. “I’m not saying he’s involved, I’m just saying his presence struck me as odd.”
“No one else?” Lance asked.
“I need to go through the video again. I’m sure there were a lot of faces I missed while watching in real time. I’ll let you know if I spot anyone who sets off alarms. And Stone?”
“Yes?” Stone said.
“Make sure you turn the camera back on for the burial.”
“Your wish is my command.”
“And it would be really nice if someone were to toss a flower on my coffin as it descends.”
“Goodbye, Felicity.”
Stone disconnected the call.