Fred took the seat next to the woman. “Of course, I’ll stay.”
Stone’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, saw it was a call from Mike Freeman. “Hello, Mike.”
“There’s a situation with your car,” Mike Freeman said.
Stone covered his phone, and said to his companions, “I’ll be right back.” He found a quiet spot near the restrooms and brought his phone back up. “What kind of situation?”
Mike told him about Fred and the woman, then said, “After they went inside, a man approached your car and crawled underneath it. I’ve been told he just left.”
“Describe the man.”
Mike did.
“That sounds like Bozo. And before you say anything, no, not the clown.”
“I’m going to send one of my people to check his handiwork.”
“Good idea. Let me know what they find.”
“I will.”
Stone returned to his friends.
Chapter 23
Stone’s dinner of pan-seared halibut had just been set in front of him when Mike called him again.
“It appears Bozo has ill will toward you. He has attached a car bomb to your Bentley.”
Stone excused himself from the table again. “Can it be removed?”
“I am told it can.”
“Without any harm to your agent?”
“I don’t think she would have suggested it if that was a possibility.”
“I suppose not.”
“Would you like her to remove it?”
“I would,” Stone said. “Very much.”
“I’ll let her know. We’ll get it someplace safe and—”
“Actually, Mike, I have something else in mind.”
He told Mike what he was thinking, then, after they hung up, he messaged Fred with some instructions before heading back to eat.
An automated voice came through the earbud in Janet Hutto’s ear, announcing she had a call from Mike Freeman. She verbally accepted and Mike was put through.
“Are you still near the bomb?” he asked.
“It’s right above me,” she said, from her position lying underneath the Bentley.
“Excuse me for double-checking, but you are sure you can remove it without accidentally setting it off?”
She’d gone over the specifics before, but she appreciated his caution. “Yes, I’ve stabilized it and can safely transport, so it should be a snap.”
“Then do it. I’ll stay on the line.”
Hutto cut the tape holding the bomb in place and scooted out from under the Bentley with the device cradled in her arm.
“I’m clear. What should I do with it?”
“Fred should have remotely unlocked the trunk while you were under the car.”
She tested the trunk and it moved upward. “Yes. It’s open.”
“Put the device in there and return to your vehicle.”
Hutto did as instructed.
“How are you feeling now?” Fred asked the woman.
“A little better, thank you.”
“Any further thought about phoning the police?”
She shook her head. “I’d rather not. I don’t need that kind of trouble.”
“Very well. If you’re all right on your own, I should get back to my car.”
She sneaked a look at her watch, but Fred didn’t miss it. Apparently, the amount of time she’d been told to keep him busy had passed, because she said, “I’m fine. Though I could use a drink.”
“May I suggest the bar? I understand they have a wide selection of whatever you might want.”
“What a lovely idea. Care to join me?”
“Not while on duty, I’m afraid.”
“That’s a shame.” They stood. “Thank you for your help.”
“Of course.”
The woman headed into the bar and Fred returned to the Bentley.
There, he retrieved the bomb from the trunk and then went for a walk.
Chapter 24
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal when I’m with you,” Carly said.
Matilda eyed her. “Have you eaten a lot of meals with Stone?”
“That depends on your definition of ‘a lot.’ ”
“More than three?”
“That seems like a low bar, but, yes, more than three.”
Matilda turned to Stone, pressing her softest spots against him. “Do you always treat your junior attorneys so well?”
“Carly is no ordinary junior attorney.”
“Oh, that’s right. The whole acing-the-bar-exam thing.”
“It’s more than a thing,” Stone said.
“Of course. My apologies. I didn’t mean to trivialize it.” She gave Carly a weak smile. “Smart and beautiful. Congratulations again.”
“Thank you.”
Stone’s phone rang. Fred.
“All done here. Ready to go when you are.”
“Thank you, Fred. Were you able to get a positive ID on the driver?”
“It’s Bozo.”
Not a surprise, but it was nice to have it confirmed.
“And he’s not alone,” Fred added.
“Oh?” This was a surprise.
“Trench Molder is with him.”
“Is he now? Not his lucky day, I guess.”
“No, it is not.”
“His bad luck is our good. Thanks again, Fred. We’ll be out in twenty.” Stone hung up.
“Are you going to tell us what’s going on now?” Matilda asked.
“All in good time.”
“I’m curious, too,” Dino said.
Stone gave him a pointed look. “Don’t be.”
“Understood,” Dino said, then looked around the table. “A glass of port before we leave?”
“It would be uncivilized not to,” Stone said.
Bozo’s phone rang. “Yes?”
“It’s Candy. They’re heading out.”
“Thanks. Come by the gym tomorrow morning and I’ll pay you.”
“Will do.”
He started the car.
“We’re on?” Trench asked.
“We’re on.”
Trench sneered. “Finally.”
“Fred?” Stone asked.
“Still there. About six car lengths back.”
Bozo had begun following them again as soon as they’d driven off from Patroon.
“Are we far enough away?”
“We should be.”
“I was hoping for something a bit more definitive.”
“Probably?”
“We need to get you a better thesaurus.”
“I’ll pick up one tomorrow.”
“What are you waiting for?” Trench asked.
They’d been following the Bentley for ten minutes, and Trench was running out of patience. Each tick of the clock was an additional second of life neither Barrington nor Matilda deserved.
“For traffic to thin a bit. Unless you don’t care about collateral damage.”
In the grand scheme of things, Trench didn’t, but additional casualties would take away focus from the two he wanted dead. “Fine. But don’t wait too long.”
The opportunity came two minutes later, when traffic spread out enough to create a clear zone between them and the Bentley.
Bozo lifted the remote that would trigger the car bomb. “Ready?”
“Let me do it.”
Bozo had been looking forward to pressing the button, but as Trench had pointed out before, Bozo wasn’t the one paying the bills. He handed it over.
Trench aimed the device toward the Bentley. “Good riddance, assholes.”
He pressed the button.
The street lit up with an explosion that ripped Bozo’s car apart. The shockwave rocked the Bentley, but Fred kept control and presently had them speeding away.
“What was that?” Matilda asked.
She, Stone, and Carly all looked out the back window.
Lying in the middle of the street, and growing more distant by the second, was the flaming hulk of Bozo’s sedan.