Stone Barrington: The Short Forever Part 3

"One of the Boston Cabots?"

She shook her head. "Denies all knowledge of them. He's from California, but his family came from Canada, not over on the Mayflower."

"And what kind of offer did Lance make you?"

"A thoroughly indecent one, thank you, and I accepted with alacrity. I've been living with him for the better part of a year."

"What does Lance do?"

"He's an independent business consultant, on both sides of the Atlantic."

Yeah, I'll bet, Stone thought. "Wait a minute," he said, "Burroughs, Greenwich; do you have an uncle named John Bartholomew?"

She shook her head. "Nope. No uncles at all; both my parents were only children. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, forget it; someone I know said he had a niece from Greenwich, and I thought the name was Burroughs."

"Not this Burroughs," she said.

Very strange, he thought. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Do you always ask women their age?"

"Always. Their age isn't important; it's whether they'll tell you that's important."

"I'm twenty-two and a half," she said. "And now, shall I tell you why I picked you up at Harrod's?"

"Is that what you did?"

"Didn't you notice? Your following me made it very easy."

"All right, tell me."

"As I told you, I'm spoken for, but I have a very nice girlfriend who's not, and she's on the other side of thirty, which I should think would appeal to you more than a twenty-two-and-a-half-year-old."

"Is she as beautiful as you?"

"Though it pains me to say it, she is more beautiful than I."

"I would like very much to meet her."

"You free this evening?"

"I am, as it happens."

"Suppose we meet you in the Connaught bar at eight o'clock?"

"I'll be there."

"Wear a suit."

"Will do."

"And now," she said, gathering her packages together, "I must run. You stay and finish your bitter; I'm walking from here; it's quite nearby." She hopped off the stool and pecked Stone on the cheek. "Bye-bye." And she was gone.

Stone sipped the now-warm ale and wondered what the h.e.l.l was going on with John Bartholomew and his "niece."

5.

STONE LEFT THE GRENADIER AND walked back up the mews to Wilton Crescent. No cabs. He walked a bit farther and found himself at the Berkeley Hotel, where the doorman found him a taxi.

"Where to, guv?" the cabbie asked.

"There's a chemist's shop across from the American Emba.s.sy. You know it?"

"I do." He drove away. Ten minutes later, Stone was having his photograph taken by a man with a large studio Polaroid camera, which took four shots simultaneously. He paid for the photos and walked across the street to the emba.s.sy. As he climbed the steps outside, he saw a familiar-looking form perhaps twenty yards ahead of him. The man went into the emba.s.sy, and Stone quickly followed.

As he entered the main door, he saw the man get onto an elevator. Although he got only a glimpse, it seemed to be John Bartholomew. He started for the elevator, but a uniformed U.S. marine stepped in front of him.

"You'll have to check in at the desk," the marine said, pointing to a window surrounded by what appeared to be armored gla.s.s.

"Do you know the man who just pa.s.sed?" Stone asked. "He got onto the elevator."

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't notice."

"Can you tell me where to get my pa.s.sport renewed?"

"Yes, sir. You go out the main door, turn left, walk around the corner to your left, and the pa.s.sport office is right there."

Stone went to the window first. "Can you tell me if there's a Mr. John Bartholomew in the building?" he said to the woman behind the gla.s.s. "I think I just saw him go up in an elevator."

The woman looked at a computer screen that Stone couldn't see, typed something, and turned back to him. "I'm afraid we don't have a Bartholomew working here," she said. She consulted what appeared to be a sign-in sheet. "And no one by that name has entered the building this morning."

"Thank you," Stone said. He wished he could have read the sign-in sheet. He followed the marine's instructions and found the pa.s.sport office. He filled out a form, gave it and two photos to the clerk, and was told to wait.

"How long should it take?" he asked.

"We're not very busy; perhaps twenty minutes," the clerk replied.

He took a seat and found a magazine.

In a room several floors higher in the emba.s.sy, two men studied a television monitor set into a wall with many other monitors.

"Is that he?" one asked.

"Yes, but I think it's all right," the other replied. "I think he's just here to renew his pa.s.sport."

Stone heard his name called. He was given a form to take to the cas.h.i.+er, where he paid the fee, then returned and collected his new pa.s.sport. He reflected that what had taken less than half an hour in London would have taken most of a day in New York.

Outside, he couldn't find a cab, so he began to walk back toward the Connaught. He walked down South Audley Street and turned left onto Mount Street. He had gone only a few steps when he saw a familiar name on a shop window across the street. HAYWARD, the gilt lettering said. He crossed the street and entered the shop, shaking his wet umbrella behind him at the door.

A large, well-dressed man got up from a couch. "I recognize the suit, but not the man in it," he said. "I'm Doug Hayward." He offered his hand.

"My name is Stone Barrington, and you're quite right; the suit belonged to Vance Calder. After his death, his wife, who is an old friend, sent all his suits to me. There were twenty of them."

"The cost of alterations must have been fierce," Hayward said.

"They didn't need altering; his clothes fit me perfectly."

"Then I don't suppose I can sell you a suit," Hayward said, laughing.

"I could use a couple of tweed jackets," Stone replied, "and a raincoat. I foolishly didn't bring one."

"Have a look at the rack of raincoats over there, and I'll get some swatches." Hayward departed toward the rear of the shop, where men were cutting cloth from bolts of fabric.

Stone found a handsome raincoat and an umbrella, then he sat down and went through the swatches. A few minutes later, he had been measured.

"How is Arrington?" Hayward asked.

"I saw her in Palm Beach this past winter, and she was well; I haven't spoken to her since then."

"I was very sorry to hear of Vance's death. Did they ever convict anyone of the murder?"

"A woman friend of his was charged and tried, but acquitted. If she really was innocent, then I think it will remain unsolved."

"Very strange. I liked Vance, and, of course, he was a very good customer." Hayward handed him his receipt. "But I suppose he's bequeathed you to me."

Stone laughed. "First time I've ever been a bequest." He shook hands with Hayward, put on his new raincoat, picked up his new umbrella and the Connaught's as well, and walked outside into a bright, suns.h.i.+ny day. "Not a cloud in the sky," he said aloud, looking around him. Suddenly, he felt exhausted. Jet lag had crept up on him, and all he wanted was a bed. He turned and walked the half-block to the Connaught, went upstairs, undressed, and, leaving a wake-up call for seven, climbed into bed and slept.

The two men in the emba.s.sy sat across a desk from each other.

"You really think this can work?" one asked.

"I checked him out very carefully," the other replied. "He's perfect for us."

"If he can make it work."

"Let's give him some time and see. If he can do it, he'll save us a great deal of time and effort and, possibly, ah, embarra.s.sment."

The first man sighed. "I hope you're right."

6.

STONE ARRIVED AT THE CONNAUGHT bar downstairs promptly at eight o'clock, showered, shaved, and dressed in a freshly pressed, chalk-striped blue suit. The nap had cleared his head, and he was sure that, with one more good night's sleep, he would be over the jet lag. The bar consisted of two oak-paneled rooms filled with comfortable sofas and chairs, one room with a small bar at one end. He had only just sat down when his dining companions arrived.

Erica had not lied; her friend was even more beautiful than she. "Stone," Erica said, "may I introduce my sister, Monica? And this is Lance Cabot."

Stone shook hands all around. Monica Burroughs was perhaps five-ten, nearly as slim as Erica, and had deep auburn hair and green eyes. "I'm very pleased to meet you," he said, and he was not lying.

"Shall we have some champagne?" Lance asked. His voice was deep, and he seemed to have a mid-Atlantic accent. A waiter appeared and took the order. A moment later, they were sipping Krug '66.

"I'm astonished to see this on a wine list," Stone said.

"It isn't on the list," Lance replied. "It's a secret, and I'm sure they have only a few bottles left. Erica tells me you're a lawyer."

"That's correct."

"And with Woodman and Weld?"

"I'm of counsel to the firm."

"Not a partner?"

"No, most of my work for them is done outside the firm."

Lance regarded him gravely. "It sounds as though you're as much of a secret at Woodman and Weld as this wine is at the Connaught."

"I'm not quite a secret," Stone said. "Like the champagne, I'm available on request."

"Tell me, Stone," Lance continued, "have you ever done government work of any kind?"

"I worked for the government of New York City as a police officer for many years."

"Did you? Erica didn't mention that. What sort of police officer?"

"Every sort, at one time or another. I began as a patrolman and finished as a homicide detective."

"Finished rather young, didn't you?"

"I was retired for medical reasons."

"You look reasonably fit."

"I took a bullet in the knee."

"That's very romantic."