Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

clear?”
    â€œYou’re buying into all of that?” Holly asked.
    â€œYes, I am,” Lance said, “and you would be wise to accept it, too. You and I have other work to do, and we’ve already devoted too much time to Teddy Fay.”
    Holly thought it impolitic to mention Stone’s sighting of the small airplane when they took off from St. Marks. “What work do we have to do?”
    â€œI’m making you my assistant at Langley; you won’t have a title for a while. There’ll be some carping among the people there about your not having enough training or experience.”
    â€œBoth true,” Holly said.
    â€œYou have lots of training and experience, just not what Agency personnel think of in that regard. After a time, when you’ve had an opportunity to win over some folks, and they’ve decided we’re not sleeping together, we’ll see what work we can find for you to do.”
    â€œWorking at Langley sounds very restful,” Holly said, leaning back in her seat. “Shall I sell my New York apartment?”
    â€œI wouldn’t do that just yet; you never know when you might need it. For the time being, we’re housing you in an old inn near Langley, where we sometimes keep visitors.”
    Holly glanced at Daisy.
    â€œThe inn is dog-friendly,” Lance said.
    â€œYou think of everything, Lance.”
    â€œI try.”
    Holly put her head back on the seat and began to doze.
    â€œOh,” Lance said, “something else happened in St. Marks while you were in the air: a woman was attacked and partly eaten by a big hammerhead shark on a sandbar just off the beach of the English Harbour Inn. Her companion lost an arm trying to rescue her.”
    Holly stayed awake all the way to her new quarters.

    T hat night, Stone and Dino were having dinner at Elaine’s.
    â€œHolly called,” Stone said. He told Dino about the loss of Harold Pitts and his yacht, and about the nonexistent ultralight.
    â€œFigures,” Dino said.
    â€œYeah.”
    Dino pointed at the television, which was tuned to CNN but with no sound. “Look at the crawl,” he said.
    Stone looked up. “ WHITE HOUSE SOURCES SAY THAT PRESIDENT LEE WILL ANNOUNCE HIS CANDIDACY FOR REELECTION TOMORROW MORNING ,” the crawl read.
    Stone smiled. “I think I’ll sleep well tonight.”

    END

AUTHOR’S NOTE
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