Stone Barrington 27 - Doing Hard Time

on the back.
    “Mike Freeman.”
    “Mike, this is Billy Barnett.”
    “Hello. Good to hear from you so quickly. I hope you are calling to accept my offer.”
    “I’m giving that very serious thought, and I think it might be a favorable alternative for me, but there’s something in the way, something I thought that you, and perhaps some of your acquaintances, would like to know about.”
    “Please tell me about it. I have about fifteen minutes before a meeting is convening in my office.”
    “If this conversation is being recorded, please turn it off.”
    “This is an ordinary cell phone, and no recording is being made at this end.”
    “Good. Have you ever heard of a Russian named Yuri Majorov?”
    “I have. I am under the impression that the gentleman is now deceased.”
    “Mr. Majorov is not only alive, but he appears to be the person who sent two men to track a certain Porsche Cayenne and kill Peter Barrington and his two friends. Fortunately I overheard a conversation the two men were having in Russian when they stopped for gas at the garage in New Mexico where I was working.”
    “Perhaps you could enlighten me on the subject of what happened to those two men? I was told you, quote, ‘had a word with them, and they turned around and went home.’ I found that story implausible.”
    “Quite right,” Teddy said. “I think they suspected me of overhearing their conversation, and they came after me. They are now buried inside their large SUV in the New Mexico desert and are extremely unlikely ever to be found.”
    “Now,” Mike said, “I find
that
story to be extremely plausible.”
    “As a result of that incident, Mr. Majorov sent two other men, separately, to find and kill me.”
    “And what happened to those two?”
    “The bodies of both were discovered, on separate occasions, in the trunks of their rental cars in the garage of a Santa Monica hotel.”
    “So is your trail now free of Majorov’s employees?”
    “I fear not. There are indications that another is now sniffing around. It occurs to me that now would be a good time to accept your offer, adopt a new identity, and join Strategic Services, in whatever capacity you deem best.”
    “I’m extremely glad to hear that, Billy,” Mike said. “What’s holding you back?”
    “I don’t think I should do that while Majorov is still dispatching his minions to find me and do me harm. Eventually, somebody would turn up at Strategic Services, looking for Billy Burnett.”
    “A good point,” Mike said. “Why do I think you have a plan to prevent that happening?”
    “As it happens, I do. I considered cutting off the head of the snake, but there would, no doubt, be other snakes involved who might be as tenacious as their colleague.”
    “A reasonable assumption. Do you have an alternative plan?”
    “It seems to me that you have connections with people who would be pleased to see Mr. Majorov not only out of business, but out of breath, as it were.”
    “That is entirely possible,” Mike replied.
    “I thought that, rather than my taking on the Majorov task personally, it might be better for everyone involved to have him brought to heel in a more legally satisfying manner. Do you think that it might be in the best interests of your acquaintances if you initiated that process with a phone call to someone I don’t need to know about?”
    “I think that is a very sensible suggestion,” Mike said. “Is there a number where I can reach you?”
    Teddy gave him the number of a new throwaway phone. “That should be operative within the hour, whereas the number I’m now calling from will terminate shortly.”
    “Got it,” Mike said. “I’ll get back to you when I can. Oh, can you tell me the present whereabouts of Mr. Majorov?”
    “I believe him currently to be an honored guest of the New Desert Inn hotel and casino, in Las Vegas.”
    “Thanks, and goodbye for the moment.”
    Teddy hung up, hoping that he had done the right thing. Still, he had one more call to make. He called the New Desert Inn and asked for Pete Genaro. “Tell him it’s Billy Burnett,” he said to the operator.
    Genaro was on the line in a flash. “Well, hello, Billy. How are you?”
    “I’m very well, Pete, although I realize that may not be good news to you.”
    “I don’t know what you mean,” Genaro said, sounding wounded.
    “Pete, you and I have had a cordial relationship up until now, but I suspect that you may be in cahoots with Mr. Majorov in