Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

watched the gray fin cut through the water between them and the beach. “The son of a bitch is back,” he said. Dino and Genevieve were headed for the beach at top speed.
    â€œI hate that thing,” Holly said.
    â€œIt’s nothing personal,” Stone replied, not taking his eyes off the fin. “He’s just doing what sharks do.”
    â€œWell, I wish he’d do it somewhere else.”
    â€œYou want to make for the beach?”
    â€œNot while that beast is between us and home.”
    â€œOkay, we’ll just wait here for him to come out and take a look at us.”
    â€œWe’re not splashing; we’re not bleeding; maybe he’ll just go away.”
    â€œI hope so.” Stone involuntarily reached down and held onto his genitals.
    â€œAre you holding what I think you’re holding?” Holly asked.
    â€œUh, yes.”
    â€œYou think he might find it attractive?”
    â€œI’m not taking any chances; could be a girl shark.”

    O nce in his car, Lance dialed Holly’s satphone number again. Still no answer. He switched off the phone and tossed it back into his briefcase. There was going to be nothing for her to report, anyway; he felt it. Carolyn would get her the message about the jet, and he could go over everything with Holly on Monday.

    F inally, the shark left the area, headed out to sea, and Stone and Holly made for the beach.
    â€œI’d better go call Lance,” she said, toweling herself off and heading for the cottage.
    â€œKiss him for me,” Stone said.
    Holly went into the cottage, got out her satphone, walked outside and dialed Lance’s satphone number. No message, and no voicemail. She dialed his number at Langley; maybe he was working on a Saturday. She got his voicemail. “Lance, it’s Holly; we’re done here, and we’ve come up dry. No leads, no nothing. Get us out of here, will you?” She hung up, then noticed that the message light on the room phone was blinking. She pressed the message button and waited.
    â€œMs. Heller and Mr. Barrington,” a woman’s voice said, “this is Carolyn Reese, calling for Lance Cabot. Lance would like you to know that a Hawker jet will pick up your party at the St. Marks airport at noon tomorrow, that’s Sunday noon, and he asks that you let the Peppers know. Good-bye.”
    Holly called the Peppers.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œBill, it’s, ah, Ginny. We’re out of here at noon tomorrow, in a Hawker; meet us at the airport?”
    â€œWell, that’s a relief. You made any progress on the other thing?”
    â€œNone, and I don’t think we’re going to.”
    â€œSee you at noon tomorrow, then,” Pepper said, then hung up.
    Holly showered and put on some clothes, then went outside. Stone, Dino and Genevieve were lying on the beach a few yards away. “Hey, everybody!” she yelled. “We’re out of here at noon tomorrow, and there’s nothing to do but have a farewell dinner tonight!”
    She got a round of applause from the beach. “I guess she spoke to Lance,” Stone said.

53
    T homas greeted them warmly at the bar, produced an ice-cold pitcher of vodka gimlets from his freezer and poured each of them one, then another for himself. He raised his glass. “To a safe trip home,” he said.
    They all drank.
    â€œHow did you know we were leaving tomorrow?” Holly asked.
    â€œThe ban on travel has been lifted; could your departure be far behind it?”
    â€œYou’re right,” Holly said.
    â€œI hope you were able to achieve the purpose of your visit.”
    â€œThere were two purposes,” Holly said, “and they were mutually exclusive. We achieved one of them.”
    â€œThen your visit doesn’t sound like a failure.”
    â€œNo,” Holly said, “it wasn’t. I’m satisfied, and I hope my boss will be.”
    â€œThomas,” Stone said, “are you aware that there’s a large hammerhead shark stalking your beach?”
    â€œOh, that’s just Fred; he comes and he goes. He’s never attacked anyone.”
    â€œMaybe he just hasn’t seen anyone tempting enough,” Stone said.
    â€œYou want to lead an expedition to kill the thing?”
    â€œUh, we’re leaving tomorrow, remember? I’ll leave you to deal with the consequences of Fred’s finding someone to his taste.”
    Thomas went to serve