“When does nosy turn into espionage?” Viv demanded.
“About where you are now.”
Viv changed the subject. “Where did you get that lovely diamond necklace?”
“I stole it, while on an assignment.”
Viv’s mouth dropped open.
“Rocky,” Stone said, “if you keep answering Viv’s questions, you’re going to end up in jail.”
“Oh, all right,” Rocky said, “I got it from a man, which was pretty much the same thing as stealing it.”
Viv managed a laugh.
“What do you do, Viv?”
“I’m chief operating officer of Strategic Services.”
“The second largest security company in the world,” Rocky said, nodding. “I’ve heard good things about their work.”
“If you ever get tired of government work, come see me,” Viv said, sliding her card across the table.
“Now this has gone from an interrogation to a job interview,” Dino said.
Rocky tucked the card where her bra would have been, if she wore one. “I’ll call when that happens,” she said, ignoring Dino.
Dinner arrived.
“Interview concluded,” Stone said, “dining now to begin.”
* * *
—
They tucked in and ate voraciously without ever stopping talking.
“Why do you think this extortionist picked Stone?” Dino asked Rocky.
“People like this have two broad categories of victims: One, they send thousands of such e-mails to those on a list of wealthy people, such as subscribers to some financial magazines. Two, they read something about the potential victim that makes him look like an attractive target, and go from there. Stone might look like a particularly interesting target if they’ve established a link between him and an intelligence service. I’m inclined to think the second category for Stone.”
“Why?”
“Because they wouldn’t go to the extreme of killing or maiming some ordinary civilian. That sort of action they would reserve for the connected. They want to be taken seriously, for next time.”
“Why do you think there’ll be a next time?” Viv asked.
“Because it’s what they do for a living, and they probably do very well at it.”
“Are they likely to come back at me, physically?” Stone asked.
“‘One never knows, do one?’ as a great man used to say.”
“I’m impressed that you know who Fats Waller is,” Stone replied.
“Doesn’t everybody?”
“Not everybody of your youth,” he replied.
“I think you’ll be gratified to know that your extortionist has committed a serious tactical error in trying to harm you. He and his accomplices are now on a list of people sought by the Agency. If anything pops up anywhere in the world that even vaguely resembles the attack on you, the Agency will be all over it, and we never give up.”
“That’s comforting to know,” Stone said. “I hope these people are aware of the Agency’s attitude.”
“If they’re not, they soon will be,” Rocky replied.
* * *
—
They were on dessert when Rocky’s phone rang. “Excuse me, I’d better take this.
“Go,” she said into the phone, then she listened for about a minute. “Take a look around, then reset.” She hung up. “Your security system says that someone tried to enter your house without a key through the kitchen door to the garden.”
“Is there anything I should do?” Stone asked.
“No, they’re doing it. If they don’t find a culprit, they’ll reset the system, and that should be it.”
“I hope so,” Stone said.
“You should know that, while the monitoring of your system used to be done by a commercial service, it is now monitored by an Agency facility in the city, which will be much more attentive to your needs.”
“I hope they haven’t installed cameras,” Viv said wryly.
* * *
—
Back at the house, they walked around and checked out things. “All seems well,” Stone said.
“If all wasn’t well, my people would still be here, rummaging around.”
“And planting cameras?”
“Let’s go upstairs and check,” she said.
Rocky stood in the center of the master suite and looked around. “Nothing here that I can see.”
“Is it possible that there is something here that you can’t see?”
Rocky produced her cell phone and tapped on an app. “Nothing here,” she replied.
“I want an app like that,” Stone said.
“I’ll set up your phone for that tomorrow,” Rocky said.
“Will you stay the night?”
“Is there somewhere a girl can rinse out a few things?”
“There’s a mini-combo washer/dryer in a cupboard in your dressing room, and a pop-out ironing board, too. But my recollection is that all you have to rinse out is a thong.”
She smiled. “I’d like to rinse out my blouse, too,” she said, starting to unbutton.
Stone helped as much as he could.
8
Stone and Rocky were reading the Times the following morning when his cell phone rang, caller unknown. “Yes, Lance?” Stone said.
“I’m the only person who blocks calls, right?”
“To this number, yes.”
“May I speak to Rocky, please?”
“Just a minute, I’ll have to do a search for her.”
“Just turn your head to the right and say, ‘It’s for you.’”
Stone handed the phone to Rocky.
She pressed the speaker button. “Yes, Director?”
“Are you enjoying your work?” Lance asked.
“Always, sir.”
“I think that, given recent events, you should perhaps spend a good deal more time in Mr. Barrington’s company.”
“That’s okay with Mr. Barrington,” Stone said.