by Stuart Woods
When Tim had left, Teddy called Stone Barrington on his cell phone.
“Yes?”
“You recall a couple of people we spoke of?”
“I do.”
“It’s my understanding that they are no longer a factor.”
“Your understanding?”
“My certainty.”
“That is good to hear.”
“I thought you might think so. Goodbye.” He hung up.
Teddy went upstairs to make sure Betsy was awake. She was drinking coffee in the kitchen.
“Hey, there. How about some breakfast?” she asked.
“Stick with your coffee. I’ll toast myself a muffin.” He did, then sat down with her.
“You look well rested,” she said. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“You should know,” Teddy replied. “I was right beside you the whole night.”
Stone was getting dressed when Emma came out of the bathroom. They had spent half the morning making love, and she seemed aglow.
“You all packed?” he asked.
“Yes, and I just got off the phone with Tessa. She’s staying—oh well—in Hollywood. I made some calls to my New York office, too, and got some volunteers for a move to L.A.”
“I’m happy for everybody concerned,” Stone said. “What time do you want to leave for the airport?”
“In half an hour, I think. I’ll have lunch in the first-class lounge.”
Stone’s Strategic Services driver was finishing a cup of coffee in the kitchen when Stone came down. He stood up.
“Ready to go out, Mr. Barrington?”
“Dick,” Stone said, “I think I’ll drive myself today—and every day from now on. You can report back to Mr. Freeman.”
“As you wish, Mr. Barrington.”
Stone walked into the dining room and found Peter’s keys to the Cayenne on the table where Stone had left them earlier that morning.
He read the papers until Emma came down, followed by the butler carrying her bags. They got everything into the Cayenne and drove to LAX.
“How long before you’ll be back?” he asked, as a porter loaded her luggage onto a cart.
“Give me a month or so to sort out the personnel changes, and I’ll be back in New York with you. Or will you be here?”
“In New York, I think. It’s time I let the kids get on with their lives.”
“You’re no longer concerned about their safety?”
“I’m told that the problem has been resolved,” Stone said.
They kissed, then she followed the porter, and Stone got back in the Cayenne and headed for Centurion Studios.
• • •
Stone found everybody on the set, including Billy and Betsy. He watched as they shot a setup, then broke while the lighting was changed for the next shot.
Peter came over, and Stone handed him the keys to the Cayenne. “Okay, kiddo, you’re on your own again.”
“Should I go armed?”
“Unnecessary, I should think.”
“That’s good news,” Peter said, grinning.
“I’ll let your security detail know,” Stone said, glancing over to where the two guards were chatting up a pretty extra. He walked over and cleared his throat to get their attention. “Fellas, I’m afraid your careers in the film business are over. You can stand down, just as soon as you’ve given me a lift back to The Arrington.”
“As you wish, Mr. Barrington. Will Peter be needing us tomorrow?”
“No, Peter is going to be just fine on his own. We all have to let go.”
As he was walking from the building, Billy Barnett caught up with him.
“Good morning,” Stone said.
“Morning to you.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Everything went about as it should,” Teddy replied.
“Both of them?”
“Vlad will get the attention of the LAPD,” Teddy said. “Majorov will be attended to by the Moscow morgue, when he arrives there.”
“Do I need to know anything else?”
“I don’t think there’s anything else you want to know,” Teddy said. “And it’s best to forget what you already know.”
“Are you going to work for Mike Freeman at Strategic Services?”
“Probably, eventually. First I have to get your boy an instrument rating and see that he’s at home in his new airplane. That will take a few weeks, and then my work here will be done, and Mike and I will talk again. You can tell him that for me.”
Stone shook his hand. “Thank you for my son’s life,” he said, “and those of Hattie and Ben, too.”
“You’re very welcome,” Teddy replied.
Stone left him, walked out to the car, and got into the rear seat. “Let’s take a turn around the lot before we go back to the hotel,” he said to his escorts.
“Yes, sir. Anything in particular you want to see?”
“Maybe the New York street. No, let’s see it all. I’ve done some hard time in this place, and I want one more look at it before I go.”
• • •
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