'Thank you, Jack.'
'Stephanie tells me that you declined an opportunity to invest with us.'
'I'm very sorry about that, Jack, but circumstances have been difficult. I hope to have a resolution soon, and I hope I can invest with you at that time.'
'I'll keep the opportunity open, then. Goodbye, Stone.'
Stone hung up. 'Herbie, Jack is cutting you a check right now. Go over there in thirty minutes and pick it up from the receptionist. If Jack or anyone else there tries to discuss it with you, just tell them that you can't talk, that you have to get to your bank immediately. Then take the check to the bank, get ahold of a senior officer, and ask him to clear the check immediately and deposit the funds in your account.'
'All right,' Herbie said. 'Thanks, Stone.'
'Herbie, I'd like your permission to discuss this situation with a couple of people. It might help us find out exactly what's going on.'
'All right, Stone, you have my permission. Now, I had better get over there and pick up that check.' He shook hands and hurried out.
Stone called Airship Transport in Newburgh, New York, and asked for the CEO.
'Holly Barker.'
'It's Stone. How's the world of international business?'
'Not as boring as I thought. Actually, Todd Bacon left the place in pretty good shape. The C-17 has been repaired, and we're back in business. I may be able to get out of here and back to Langley pretty soon.'
'Good luck on that,' Stone said. 'I need some information, and I hope you can help me.'
'You can ask,' she replied. 'You know I can't always answer.'
'Nothing like that. Have you ever heard of an island in the South Pacific called Attola?'
'Funny you should mention that,' Holly said. 'I first heard about it last week.'
'Tell me what you can.'
'The way I hear it, this was a little fleabag of an atoll, something like twelve miles by five, the sort of place we spent thousands of lives to take from the Japanese during World War Two. It has a central, extinct volcano and some glorious beaches and has failed to attract tourists because its only runway was too short, and the government couldn't afford to extend it.
'Last year, a consortium of half a dozen billionaires sort of bought the place.'
'Bought a country?'
'Pretty much. The place is run by an elected president and a legislature of twelve men, and they've sold most of the island, exclusive of the capital city, its only town, in return for a bundle of cash and an agreement to rebuild the capital and extend the runway. They now have a ten-thousand-foot runway and an airport terminal building, and jet fuel is available.'
'Let me guess: they have no extradition treaty with the United States.'
'Nor with any country,' Holly replied. 'The new owners have also subdivided most of the island and have begun selling lots-minimum, five acres-and have funded a construction company to import building materials. They've almost completed a cushy new beach resort of about a hundred suites. And the construction company is already the island's largest employer. They've adopted a building code and everything.'
'And-let me guess again-they've started a bank.'
'Sorry, I should have mentioned that; it was the first thing they did. It's up and running and is a member in good standing of the world banking community.'
'And it offers numbered accounts and confidential services?'
'Exactly. It already has deposits of more than a billion dollars.'
'Does the IRS know about this?'
'Probably, but there's nothing they can do about it. Attola has accepted no foreign aid from the United States, so we have no leverage there, short of invasion or blockade. I understand we would like to have a naval refueling station there for both aircraft and ships, so we're being nice to them.'
'This sounds like a story on 60 Minutes,' Stone said.
'It probably will be soon. Why do you want to know about this?'
'It's my turn to give you this answer,' Stone said. 'I am not at liberty to say.'
'Gee, thanks. I spill my guts, and you tell me nothing?'
'Soon perhaps; be patient.'
'Go away.' Holly hung up.
Joan buzzed Stone. 'Willa Crane on one.'
'Hey, Willa.'
'I can't talk,' she said. 'Dinner tonight at Elaine's, eight-thirty?'
'Sure.'
She hung up without another word, and Stone was left staring at a dead phone.
At the end of the day Stone decided not to let Aaron Beck stew any longer. He called the Israeli Mission and asked for Beck.
'This is Aaron Beck,' a voice said.
'Good afternoon, Moishe,' Stone said. 'It's Stone Barrington.'
'Ah, Stone.'
'I have heard briefly from Pablo Estancia, and he has asked me to relay the following message to you. I quote: 'Please tell Mr. Aarons that I have not, at any time, knowingly sold arms or ammunition to anyone representing any Palestinian organization, legal or otherwise, nor do I intend to do so. Any other questions Mr. Aarons has should be directed to Mr. Lance Cabot, of the Central Intelligence Agency, who has all the answers.' '
'And where is Pablo?' Aarons asked.
'He did not mention his location to me before he hung up. Good day, Moishe, and thank you again for an excellent lunch.'
Stone hung up feeling satisfied.
FIFTY-SIX
Stone walked into Elaine's to find Dino not yet at their usual table. He sat down and a drink was brought to him.
'Dino called,' the waiter said. 'He said not to wait dinner for him. He said you'd understand.'
'I don't understand,' Stone replied. 'Dino never misses dinner.'
'He said something about a double homicide.'
'Well, that might cause him to be late.' Stone took a sip of his bourbon and waited for Willa to show. That done, he reviewed his day, and considered that everything was pretty well wrapped up. He had gotten Herbie his money back; he had brushed off Moishe Aarons, and Pablo was still safe. Now he had only to pass on to Willa Herbie's suspicions about Stephanie, and then he could relax, knowing he had done his duty in full.
Willa walked in, shucked off her coat, asked for a martini, and sat down. 'Whew!' she said. 'What a day!'
'You sounded a little fraught when you called,' Stone said. 'I've never received a phone call from anyone whose first words were 'I can't talk.' What kept you so busy?'
'Work, work, work. After being mercifully quiet for a few days, the criminal classes seem to have come to life again. I spent a long day before a grand jury.'
'Which indicted everybody, I'll bet.'
'How'd you guess?'
'If you wrote a book about cases in which a grand jury declined to indict, it would be a very short book.'
'You're a cynic.'
'Let's have the grand jury argument another day,' Stone said, clinking her glass against his. 'Salud.'
