“I had no idea where the meeting was going to take place,” Stone said.
“Then that leaves Greco,” she said. “Ed, are you doing something for him?”
Ed’s brow tensed.
“Carly,” Stone said, “that’s one of those questions you shouldn’t ask.”
“Why?”
“You remember when Ed said it would be better for us not to know the details?”
“Yes. Oh, I got it.”
“I knew you would.”
Chapter 49
The group of Russians met on Islesboro at mid-morning Monday, after sleeping on the mainland the night before, then chartering their own ferry.
Peter received them on the front porch at noon, and after a glass of something, they sat down to a buffet lunch. When that had been consumed, and the house had been cleared of caterers and his wife and children, he sat down at his dining table with the family’s council.
“Once again, welcome to Islesboro,” he said. “It is my understanding that I have been chosen to lead the family. So you all say?” The group made affirmative noises. “Very well, I accept, and I will run things pretty much as the late Greek did, absent the murders.”
This news was greeted by a cold silence. “Anyone with objections to this policy will be murdered,” he said, then paused for them to realize he was joking and laugh a bit. “I’ve spent the weekend catching up with current operations and the books. As you know Alexei initiated the policy of conducting ourselves as legitimate businesses, and that conversion will continue apace. As time passes you will begin to know the advantages of legitimacy, particularly of paying taxes. We will gain more from paying than it costs us.
“I want you all to understand that anyone who violates the legitimacy rule will pay dearly. And murder and other violent methods will no longer be practiced.” Their expressions remained hostile.
“We will begin with the matter of Stone Barrington,” Peter said. “Neither Barrington nor his friends and associates in and outside his law firm will be touched.”
“But we have had multiple generations of leadership with his death as an objective.”
“All that is over,” Peter said.
“What if he provokes us?” someone asked.
“We will not be provoked,” he replied. “If Barrington needs to be spoken to, I shall do the speaking. Does everyone understand this rule?” He looked around the table and waited until he got a nod from every man present before continuing. “Good. It is my wish that everyone at this table reach their own home safely tonight.” He waited for that to sink in.
“Divisions of responsibility for management will continue as envisioned by Alexei. If changes need to be made, I will make them. While the business will be legitimate, it will not be a democracy, and votes on any subject will not be taken. My orders will suffice. Only those who accept these conditions will be welcomed at this table when next we meet. Others may take retirement as outlined in Alexei’s plan. You are all wealthy men and will take salaries from the individual companies. I will award such bonuses as I feel are good for the whole business. It will be expected of all of you to live on the salaries assigned to you. Displays of personal wealth are to be discouraged.” Peter continued for another half hour, then closed the meeting and thanked all for their attendance. He wondered how many he would have to kill before they took him seriously.
Ed Rawls, sitting in his living room, took off his headset, and switched off the receiver of the microphones he had planted in the house before the meeting. He called Stone Barrington on his secure cell phone and told him what had transpired. “I’ll bet you the son of a bitch doesn’t live for another week,” he said.
“Don’t underestimate him,” Stone replied.
Ed decided to tell him what he hadn’t at the golf club bar.
“I had a feeling it was something like that,” Stone said. “At least, he’s hiring the best.”
“I’m still not sure if I should have said yes.”
“Is he paying you well?”
“He is.”
“Then take his money and consider it island pest control.”
“Is that your professional opinion?”
“Professionally, I have no opinion on this because this conversation never happened.”
“Like so many of our conversations.”
“Per your suggestion, we’re having dinner here tonight,” Stone said. “If you’re free, join us.”
“I’ll check my schedule.”
Chapter 50
Ed Rawls watched the departure of the Russians from the dock next door and did a head count: two missing. He sent Peter Greco a text with this information and confirmed that the two were the same pair Greco had suspected would be the problem.
In short order he received a reply: This should be a straightforward assassination. You may shoot to kill. Don’t forget the cleanup. Payment will be as agreed and placed in your mailbox.
Consider it done, Ed wrote back. He walked over to the newly renovated house next door, which he knew to be unoccupied, carrying only a key and a briefcase.
He assembled the Czech sniper’s rifle, set up a tripod on an upper deck where it could not be seen from the road, and checked the view from the deck, past his house and dock. As the sun set, a dinghy appeared at the dock of the new house, and two men carrying duffels alit on the dock and tied up the dinghy.
Using a 24x monoscope, he followed them up the dock and past his perch, watching as they waited behind shrubbery for the traffic to clear, then crossed the road. Ed went back to his silenced rifle and began to follow their progress with the rifle’s scope. A message came on his radio, through the earpiece. “Anytime now.”
Ed aimed at the second of the two figures sneaking up to the house, and sighted him in. He squeezed off a round, catching the man above the ear and felling him. His companion turned around to discover the source of the sound he had heard, and Ed shot him in the forehead before he could collect himself.
Ed spoke into the radio. “All present, dead, and accounted for,” he said.
“Excellent,” came Greco’s reply. “When will disposal take place?”
“Your part, as soon as the sun goes down,” Rawls said.
“They will be bundled and delivered to you in the craft they arrived on, at that time,” Greco said.
“Good. I will complete my part after dinner, pending receipt of payment.”
“Done.”
Rawls disassembled and packed the rifle. He walked back to his house, put the case in his safe, then got into his car for the drive to the Barrington house. On the way, he stopped at the mailbox to collect the waiting envelope. When he reached his destination, he took a moment to do a fast count of the envelope’s contents, pocketed it, and walked up to the house.
Carly met him at the front door, while the others were just gathering at the table. “Come in, Ed, and take a seat.”
Stone looked at him questioningly for a moment. Rawls nodded.
“Welcome, all,” Stone said, raising a glass of a fine California Chardonnay to them in greeting.
The others joined the toast, then they all took a seat.
Mary began distributing plates, and Seth, her husband, brought in a large serving dish, set it on a trivet at the center of the table, and removed the lid. Stone was handed each plate and, in turn, filled them with roast pork and apples and sent them around the table.
“Bon appétit,” he said, raising his replenished glass. They responded, then dug in.
After dinner and an hour of drinking port and eating Stilton before the fireplace, Rawls excused himself. “Pardon me for leaving a little early, but I forgot to set out the trash.”