Stone Barrington 06-11

hadn’t had a clean record the first four years. Did he suddenly go bad? Did he do some time? If he did, would it show up in your criminal-records search?”
    “We searched the Pentagon database, too; if he’d done time in a military prison, it would have turned up.”
    “Maybe a hardship discharge? Sick mother, something like that?”
    Dino got back on the phone again and asked for the reason for Block’s discharge from the navy.
    Shortly, the detective called back. “Okay, here’s all I can get. The record of Block’s discharge from the navy is unavailable, and we’ve been unable to find any trace of him for the year following—no phone listing, address, employment, nothing. There’s no history for a year; it’s a blank.”
    “Thanks,” Dino said, and hung up. “What do you think?” he asked Stone.
    “I think we’re going to need Lance,” Stone replied.

45
    WITH GREAT RELUCTANCE, Stone called Lance.
    “Yes?”
    “It’s Stone.”
    “Where are you?”
    “That’s not important; I need your help.”
    “You bail out of a secure location that I went to great trouble to provide, go out into the world unprotected, endanger this operation and you want my help?”
    “I just need some information,” Stone replied.
    “You want information from me? After…”
    “I knew you’d be like this,” Stone said.
    “I ought to have you shot on sight.”
    “Lance, we both know you’re not going to do that, so just calm down and…”
    “I ought to bring charges against you. If there weren’t a civilian in jeopardy, I’d…”
    “Lance, I’m a civilian.”
    “No, you are a contract consultant, and as such…”
    “I’m still a civilian, so will you just shut up and listen to me?”
    Lance sighed deeply. “I’m listening.”

    “It occurred to me that there might be fingerprints on the alarm system in my house, and…”
    “There could be dozens of prints on it.”
    “No, my own tech wiped it down the last time he worked on it. There were just three sets—your tech and two others.”
    “And I suppose you got Dino to run the two others?”
    “I did. They belong to a guy named Bocca who has done time for burglarizing homes after installing their alarm systems…”
    “That’s interesting.”
    “Not very. The other set of prints belongs to a Martin Block, who owns an electronics business in Queens. He is more interesting.”
    “Why?”
    “Because there are questions about his background.” Stone explained about Block’s unusual discharge from the navy and the blank year in his history.
    Lance was quiet for a moment. “How do you spell his last name?”
    Stone spelled it.
    “I’ll get back to you.”
    “Lance, there’s something else.”
    “What?”
    “I’ve heard from Billy Bob again.”
    “The message about a meeting this afternoon? I heard it.”
    “Oh. Well, get back to me. I don’t want to have to take that meeting, if I can possibly help it.”
    “Goodbye.” Lance hung up.
    “So?” Dino asked. “He’s going to help?”
    “If he can find a way to help himself without helping me, he’ll do it.”
    “He’s pissed at you, huh?”
    “He’s pissed.”
    Dino’s phone rang. “Yeah? Well, keep him in sight.” He hung up. “Block’s on the move in the Lexus.”

    Stone looked at his watch. “Eight-thirty; he’s going to work.”
    “Probably. They’ll let us know.”
    Ten minutes later, Stone’s cell phone rang. “Yes?”
    “It’s Lance. Block was recruited from the navy by the Agency and sent to the Farm for further technical training. After a year, he got drunk and told a girl who he worked for and how he was being trained; he told her about several devices that we used at the time.”
    “And you caught him?”
    “The girl worked for us, too; it was a test, and he failed it. He was bounced within days.”
    “Anything else?”
    “Yes. His roommate at the Farm was Jack Jeff Kight.”
    “Bingo.”
    “I’m going to put people on Block immediately,” Lance said.
    “No need to; Dino’s got people on him now. He left home a few minutes ago in his car, and we think he’s going to work.”
    “He has offices and a warehouse on Queens Boulevard,” Lance said.
    “Then that’s where Billy Bob is holding Arrington,” Stone said.
    “That’s a big leap, and if you’re wrong and we go in there, we could get her killed.”
    “You have a point. We’ll have to confirm that she’s there, before we can go in.”
    “My man, Sandy, who did the work at