“We need to go over the place again and be sure that the only bomb was in the computer.”
“You two come with me,” Stone said to Joan and Rocky. He led them to the kitchen where Helene made them smoked salmon sandwiches, and Stone opened a bottle of chardonnay.
“Sorry about that,” Rocky said.
“You don’t need to be sorry. You got us out in time,” Stone replied. “Tell me, why did you call Joan, instead of me?”
“Because I didn’t want an argument.”
“An argument?”
“You’re not the kind of person to just act immediately on a warning. You’d want a full explanation of what was happening, and by the time I finished telling you, you’d have been missing a hand or two.”
“I like my hands where they are,” Joan said, “at the end of each arm. I got the hell out.”
“And you finally called me,” Stone pointed out.
“And in plenty of time, too,” she said.
“I wouldn’t call less than a minute plenty of time.”
“It was enough.”
Stone had to admit she was right. “Well, thank you both for the parts you played in keeping us all safe.”
“What makes you think we’re safe?” Joan asked.
Rocky broke in. “I think it’s very likely that you’re safe,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Joan said, “but ‘very likely’ safe isn’t safe enough for me.”
“By the time my people finish up, you’ll be very safe,” Rocky replied. “They’re very good at what they do.”
“How good?” Joan asked.
“May I point out that they’re still alive?”
“Good point.”
“What about the kid in Iowa?” Stone asked.
“He was at school, and his parents were at work. I’ll call later and find out if there was an explosion.”
“Did my computer blow up?” Joan asked.
“No, I saw it on the way in, and it was intact. The boys are checking it out to be sure.”
As if on cue, the boys entered the kitchen. “All clear,” one of them said. “The other computer and the backup hard drive weren’t wired to explode.”
“You fellas sit down and have a sandwich,” Stone said. “I want to survey the damage again.” He got up and walked back to his office, followed by Joan and Rocky. He looked around. “Joan?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Buy me a new computer and have Rocky bulletproof it. Then you and Helene clean this place up.”
“I’ll stop by tomorrow and download all the data from Joan’s computer to yours, then you’ll be back where you were,” Rocky said.
“Rocky, come with me, please.”
He led her out of the office and to the elevator. “I didn’t give you the house tour the other evening,” he said.
“No. I guessed there was a bedroom somewhere.”
He led her into the master suite. “Your suspicions were justified.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her. “I couldn’t think of a better way to thank you,” he said.
She put her arms around his neck. “I can think of a better way,” she said, kissing him back. “And I believe I’m getting a favorable response.”
“You are, indeed,” Stone said, kicking the door closed.
“Will we be undisturbed here?”
“Yes, unless there’s another explosion.”
They began working on each other’s buttons.
* * *
—
They were at it for a half hour, then took a break.
“You’re welcome,” Rocky said.
“I felt welcome.”
“You feel better than welcome,” she said, fondling him. That led to another half hour of effort, this time more slowly and thoughtfully.
They napped for a while, then Rocky moseyed around the master suite, naked. “This has everything you need,” she said approvingly.
“That’s a perfect way of putting it,” Stone agreed.
“I like the way you look naked,” she said.
“Same here,” he replied.
“I don’t know if I’m up for another round.”
“Thank God. Why don’t we keep that for after dinner?” Stone replied. “I’ll ask some friends to join us, if that’s all right.”
“For dinner, but not bed,” she said.
“That was my thought.”
“I like the way you think.”
7
On the way to dinner, Stone explained about the Bacchettis—Dino and Viv. “Dino and I were cops together, and partners. He stuck with it, and now he’s the police commissioner. Viv was a detective, but she retired when she married Dino.”
They met at Patroon, a favorite restaurant of Stone and the Bacchettis. The owner, Ken Aretsky, sent over drinks and, after they had ordered dinner, a bottle of wine.
Viv bored in. “What do you do, Rocky?”
“I work for the government, in computer science.”
“What sort of background do you need for that?”
“For me, a master’s in the subject at MIT and a few years in the lab, a sort of internship, you could say.”
“Does your work include defusing bombs?”
“No, when I run into something like that I call somebody else, who does that kind of work and who, if he’s lucky, still has all his fingers.”
“Dare I ask what government agency you work for?” Viv dared.
“It’s okay, Rocky,” Stone said, “Dino is a consultant to the Agency, too, and anything he knows, Viv learns five minutes later.”
“The CIA,” Rocky replied.
“So you know Lance Cabot?” Viv persisted.
“We’ve met, but I work in the New York station, so I don’t often bump into him in the hallways.”
“If you did, would Lance know who you were?”
“He did the last time we met, but I can’t vouch for his memory.”
“Okay, Viv,” Stone said, “if you keep going you’ll end up in jail for espionage.”