Stone Barrington 27 - Doing Hard Time

you give Billy Burnett a message.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You have the wrong number.”
    “Don’t hang up until you have the message, and you should write it down.” There was no reply, so Harry continued. “Yuri Majorov is landing at three-ten PM at Santa Monica Airport. He is aboard a Gulfstream 450.” He recited the tail number. “There is reason to believe that he is coming to Los Angeles to harm Billy.”
    “I know your voice—this is Harry Katz, isn’t it?”
    “Pete Genaro asked me to get the message to Burnett.”
    “Does Majorov know our address?”
    “No, he does not. Only Pete and I know it. I saw you shopping in Beverly Hills and followed you home—that’s how I got the address. I got the number through a friend at the phone company.”
    “Why was Pete looking for Billy?”
    “At Majorov’s behest. He seemed to want badly to find Billy, but Pete has now ousted Majorov from his ownership position at the casino and taken over as CEO. He despises Majorov and wants no harm to come to you and Billy.”
    “Are you in Los Angeles?”
    “No, I’m in my office at the casino. No one is looking for Billy, except Majorov. I don’t know what resources he has in L.A., but if I learn anything else, I’ll call this number.”
    “Let me give you a cell number,” she said. “I may not be here when you call again.”
    Harry wrote it down.
    “Give me your cell number.”
    He gave it to her.
    “Thank you, Harry. Goodbye.” She hung up.
    Harry called Pete.
    “Yes?”
    “Mission accomplished,” Harry said.
    “Keep me posted,” Pete replied, then hung up.

Teddy was on time at Peter Barrington’s bungalow for his first day. Peter greeted him and waved him to the sofa.
    “I’m looking forward to my first lesson in your airplane tomorrow,” Peter said.
    “I think you’ll enjoy the airplane,” Teddy said. “By the way, I’ve found you a hangar at Santa Monica Airport.”
    “It’s a little early, isn’t it?” Peter asked. “I don’t even have an airplane, yet.”
    “I’m told that hangars for sale at Santa Monica are rare, and this is a very good opportunity. The hangar belongs to a rock singer named Craig Livingston.”
    “Sure, I know who he is.”
    “It’s big enough to hold a jet and two smaller airplanes. Livingston is having financial problems, and he wants out of the hangar badly. He’s already sold his two smaller airplanes.”
    “How much does he want for the hangar?”
    Teddy told him. “I think he’ll take half that and be glad to get it.” He handed Peter Livingston’s attorney’s card.
    “Tell me about the track to learning to fly a jet,” Peter said.
    “What kind of jet?”
    “A Citation Mustang.”
    “You’ll need your instrument rating and a multi-engine rating, and probably some turbine time, before they’ll accept you for training at Flight Safety. Livingston’s pilot is also a mechanic and a flight instructor. He could give you a lot of dual time in a Mustang.”
    “I got a multi-engine rating when I was at Yale,” Peter said. “Relax for a minute while I make a phone call.” Peter went to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.
    Teddy flipped through a flying magazine that was on the coffee table.
    •   •   •
    “Dad?
    “Good morning, Peter.”
    “I’m sitting here with Billy Barnett, talking about my flight training, and Billy has found a hangar at Santa Monica Airport that I can buy.”
    “Why do you need a hangar?” Stone asked. “You don’t have an airplane.”
    “I thought I might remedy that. You’ve got the new Citation M2 on order. What are you going to do with your Mustang?”
    “Well, I was going to sell it.”
    “Then sell it to me.”
    “Do you know what’s involved with learning to fly a jet?”
    “Yes, Billy has briefed me on all that.”
    “And you’re willing to take the time to train?”
    “I can start now, and then do it more intensively when we’ve finished this film.”
    “Then I’ll make you a gift of the airplane,” Stone said.
    “Dad, I can afford to buy it from you.”
    “And I can afford to give it to you.”
    Peter grinned. “All right, I accept.”
    “And you want to buy this hangar?”
    “Yes, and I think it’s a really good deal.” Peter explained the circumstances and Livingston’s need to sell quickly. He gave his father Livingston’s attorney’s number. “Will you negotiate the deal?”
    “I’ll call him now and get back to