Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

Martin?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œThis is Cornwall Shipping Agents; the shipment you told us to expect arrived this morning. It should clear customs by noon tomorrow.”
    â€œOh, good; what’s the tariff going to be?”
    â€œAround eight hundred dollars.”
    â€œAll right; charge it to the credit card number I gave you.”
    â€œDo you want it delivered?”
    â€œHow large is it?”
    â€œTwo wooden crates, one about eight feet long, the other about five feet. Not all that heavy, though.”
    â€œI’ll pick them up tomorrow afternoon, then. Will they be ready to go?”
    â€œYes, sir, just back up to our loading dock and tell the man on duty you want shipment number 00028, and make sure he gives you both crates.”
    â€œSee you then.” Teddy hung up. This was all coming together very well, he thought. His purchase ostensibly included all the tools he would need, but he was going to have to buy a chain saw.
    Right now, though, all Teddy needed was a drink.

14
    K ate Lee was dropped by her driver at the White House entrance, and, led and followed by her Secret Service agents, she took the elevator to the family quarters. The two agents remained at the downstairs elevator door. It was nearly eight o’clock, and she was exhausted.
    As she got off the elevator she was grateful for the smells coming from the family kitchen. She flung her coat at a living room chair, dropped her bulging briefcase on the floor beside it, then walked into the kitchen.
    â€œExcuse me,” she said to the man in the apron with his back to her, “who do I have to fuck around here to get a drink?”
    Will Lee looked over his shoulder, turned the steaks on the grill of the Viking stove and came toward her. “You’re looking at him,” he said, kissing her and dragging a stool up to the kitchen island for her. He went to the freezer and extracted a full bottle of premade, very dry martinis, poured her one in a crystal glass and dropped in two olives. He handed her the drink. “My new speciality,” he said, picking up his own glass. They raised their glasses, gazed into each other’s eyes and took large sips.
    â€œMmmmm,” she said, “and what is the secret of this libation? What gives it that interesting something ?”
    â€œThat interesting something is that the olives are stuffed with anchovies.”
    â€œBut I hate anchovies,” she said.
    â€œThat’s why it was a secret.”
    â€œThis is the second time you’ve fooled me with anchovies: the first was when you put pureed anchovies into a hollandaise sauce.”
    â€œYou’re forgetting the caesar salad dressing,” Will said. “Anchovies are an important ingredient of that. I think that what you are learning here is that you absolutely love anchovies.”
    â€œOnly when I don’t know I’m eating them,” Kate said.
    Will turned the steaks. “How was your day?”
    â€œLike all my days: unrelenting.”
    â€œAnything special?”
    â€œI spoke with Lance Cabot about the business in St. Marks.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œHe says things are going swimmingly. Holly Barker has made contact with Irene Foster; in fact, she and the others are having dinner at her house, presumably as we speak.”
    â€œWell, I’m glad they’re all getting along together so swimmingly. Is this going to help find Teddy Fay?”
    â€œMaybe, and we should never speak that name. The Republicans may have bugged our kitchen.”
    â€œI find a little paranoia a good thing in a director of Central Intelligence,” Will said, “but not that much paranoia.”
    â€œI’ll try to tamp it down,” Kate said.
    Will put the steaks on large plates, added baked potatoes and haricot verts and motioned for Kate to follow. He led her into the living room to a table for two in an alcove overlooking the White House grounds, their favorite place for dining alone. He seated her, lit the candles and poured the California cabernet that he had already opened, then sat down. They raised their glasses and dug into their food.
    â€œThis is the best steakhouse in the world,” Kate said.
    â€œYou certainly know the way to a fellow’s heart,” Will replied.
    â€œDid the new polls come in today?”
    â€œYes, and we’re looking good. I’ve got at least a twelve-point lead over any one of the three likely Republican