Stone - 25 - Collateral Damage

it?”
    “Got it.” He led the way down the hall, opened the door, and closed it behind her.
    Holly found Kelli Keane sitting at the table, trying to use her iPhone. She recognized her from having seen her at The Arrington hotel in Los Angeles, but they had not met. “Your phone won’t work,” she said.
    Kelli put the phone back into her purse. “You look familiar,” she said. “Were you in L.A. a couple of weeks ago?”
    Holly sat down. “While you were there, some unusual events occurred, and Stone Barrington had a conversation with you about them. Remember?”
    “Of course I remember.”
    “Then stop remembering,” Holly said. She took a pad from her jacket pocket and uncapped her pen. “I want the names of everyone to whom you have spoken about those events.”
    Kelli looked her in the eye. “Stone asked me not to speak of that, and I have not spoken of it.”
    “How about your boyfriend, James Rutledge? What did you tell him?”
    “I told him I had a grand time at The Arrington, nothing else.”
    “What about Graydon Carter at Vanity Fair ?”
    “I don’t work directly with him, but I haven’t spoken with my editor about it, either. I just turned in my piece, which mentioned nothing about it.”
    “Who else have you not told about those events?” Holly asked.
    “The entire world,” Kelli said. “They are all among the people I have not told about that experience. One of the men who brought me here said that this was my first destination. What did he mean by that? Where is my next destination?”
    “You have two choices,” Holly said. “One is wherever you wish in Manhattan. The other is the Guantanamo naval base, on the island of Cuba, for an indeterminate time.”
    “I’ll take Manhattan,” Kelli replied, “never mind the Bronx and Staten Island, too.”
    Holly allowed herself a small smile. “I appear to have made my point.”
    “You certainly have,” Kelli said.
    “One other thing,” Holly replied.
    “What’s that?”
    “For the remainder of your life on this planet, you will not experience a remembrance of those events.”
    “What events?” Kelli asked.
    Holly got up, rapped on the door, and it was opened from the outside. “Take the elevator to the basement,” she said to Kelli. “A car is waiting for you.”
    “And my destination?”
    “Anywhere in Manhattan. Back to the restaurant, if you like.”
    Kelli consulted her watch. “My friend will either be gone by now or very drunk. Home will do.”
    “Home it is. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Keane.”
    “Don’t mention it.”
    “You neither,” Holly said, pressing the elevator button.

Holly used an empty office and called Kate Lee on a secure line.
    “How was the helicopter ride?” Kate asked.
    “Spectacular.”
    “And your mission?”
    “Accomplished. The lady has suffered a complete and permanent memory loss regarding those events. I believe she fully appreciates that necessity.”
    “Keep an eye on her anyway,” Kate said. “I’m sending the chopper back for you tomorrow morning for a ten A.M. departure, sharp. I’d like you to bring Stone Barrington, Dino Bacchetti, and Mike Freeman with you.”
    “I’ll get right on that,” she said, thinking of Stone.
    “There’ll be a quick lunch and a briefing at the White House. The chopper will take you directly there.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Holly said.
    “Confirm ASAP that the others will arrive with you. Good-bye.” The director hung up.
    Holly dialed Stone’s office and got Joan, his secretary.
    “Hey, Holly,” Joan said, “always glad to hear from you.”
    “Thanks, Joan. Is he available?”
    “Certainly.”
    He picked up. “Stone Barrington.”
    “It’s Holly. How are you?”
    “As well as can be expected,” Stone said.
    Holly laughed. “If you can scrape up the energy, I have two invitations for you.”
    “I’ll manage.”
    “The first: you’re invited to take me to dinner tonight, then do terrible things to me in bed.”
    “I can handle that.”
    “The second: please call Dino and Mike Freeman and ask them to be at the East Side Heliport tomorrow morning for a ten A.M. departure for Washington. There will be lunch at the White House, followed by a briefing.”
    “What sort of briefing?”
    “Don’t ask.”
    “Oh, that kind of briefing.”
    “Right. And don’t tell, either. Make sure that Dino and Mike know that. Top secret. They’ll be back for dinner.”
    “You intrigue me.”
    “Of course I do, silly,