Stone Barrington 27 - Doing Hard Time

except I was a little wild when moving.”
    “Get better at that,” Stone said.
    “That’s what Billy said.”
    “Listen to Billy.”
    “I do.”
    “We all do,” Hattie said. “Ben and Peter are packing now, and I have instructions to run if I see this man.” She handed Stone the photograph Billy had given her. “He’s called the Viper.”
    Stone sucked his teeth. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
    “Who does?” Mike asked. “I assume you’re packing, yourself?”
    “I will be, starting tomorrow.”
    “The Viper is staying at the Bel-Air with Majorov.”
    “You’re so comforting,” Stone said. “How do you feel about the security at The Arrington?”
    “It’s excellent. Strategic Services provides it, if you recall. I had a word with our team leader this afternoon, and I circulated that photograph in your hand.”
    “Where did the photograph come from?”
    “From Billy Barnett.”
    “And how did he get it?”
    “He photographed them when they got off Majorov’s airplane at Santa Monica.”
    “How is Billy so on top of this?”
    “I don’t know, and I don’t much care, but I’ll say this: I’m glad I offered him a job, and I’ll be very pleased if and when he accepts it.”
    “Dad,” Peter said, “thank you for suggesting I hire Billy. I’m very glad I did. We’re going to start working on my instrument rating tomorrow, in his airplane. He has a JetPROP, like your old airplane, but newer and better equipped.”
    “And your Mustang will be here by dark,” Stone said. “The pilot called from his last refueling stop.”
    “And the pilot I hired is going to give me dual in the Mustang,” Peter said.
    “As far as I’m concerned,” Stone said, “the more time you spend in the air for the next week or two, the better.”

Teddy and Betsy showered together, as had become their habit, then had breakfast.
    “Betsy,” he said.
    “You sound serious.”
    “Don’t I always sound serious?”
    “Well, you have a sense of humor, you know.”
    “Right now, I’m serious.” He showed her the photo of the Viper. “This man is in town with Majorov, and he’s very dangerous. If you see him, avoid him and call me.”
    “All right.”
    “I’ve told you before that we might have to move on short notice.”
    “You have.”
    “That time may be near. I want you to come to the airport with me this morning and see where we’ll be moving, if we need to.”
    “All right.”
    “And I want to make a stop along the way.”
    “I’m yours for the day.”
    “Okay, give me a hand with a couple of bags, will you?” Teddy went to a locked closet, opened it, and handed Betsy a duffel and a small suitcase. He grabbed another, heavier duffel and a briefcase, and they took the elevator down to the garage and stowed the things in the Speedster’s tiny trunk and behind the two seats. Betsy held one duffel in her lap.
    Teddy drove to a large office supply depot and bought a roomy safe with a digital combination, then paid extra to have it delivered to the airport immediately.
    He was at the hangar by ten o’clock, where he found Peter’s Mustang parked alongside his own airplane, and the keys on Tim’s desk. Then, while they waited for the safe to be delivered, Teddy showed Betsy the apartment.
    “This is nice,” she said, checking out the modern kitchen and the view of Santa Monica from a large window. “I could live here.”
    A truck’s horn blew downstairs, and Teddy went to show the driver where to put the safe, which was in a closet in the pilot’s lounge. He tipped the man, then gave Betsy the car keys. “You have two assignments this morning,” he said. “While I’m flying with Peter, I’d like you to buy some things for the apartment—whatever it needs—and get it ready for us to move in.”
    “That’s easy—what else?”
    “I want you to buy a car.”
    “What kind of car?”
    “Whatever you want.”
    “New or used?”
    “Whatever you want, but it should be large enough for us to make a move in, maybe an SUV.” He went to the large duffel he had brought, which was full of cash, and gave her ten bundles of $100 bills. “Here’s a hundred thousand dollars,” he said. “That’s your budget.”
    “I don’t think I’ll need that much.”
    “Then keep the change.” He unpacked the rest of the cash, put it into the safe, along with his briefcase and a suitcase, set a new combination, and locked it. “If we need to leave, the money is what we take