Two-Dollar Bill

13

STONE WAS WAKENED by a ringing cell phone, and he knew it wasn't his. He opened an eye and found it filled with a naked breast, a pleasing sight. He reached across Tiff and grabbed her handbag from her bedside table, then he laid the handbag on her belly.

'Your belly is ringing,' he said into her ear.

She made a noise and turned onto her side, away from him.

'Tiff, it's your cell phone.'

'Shhhhhh,' she said.

The cell phone stopped ringing.

Stone turned and snuggled up next to her back, enjoying the feeling of her buttocks against his belly.

Tiff made another, more approving noise and pushed against him.

Stone responded, and in a moment, they were both awake, working together to guide him inside her. That accomplished, they moved in concert, faster and faster, until they both came loudly.

'That was good,' she said, when their breathing had returned to normal.

'It was better than good,' Stone murmured, resting his cheek on her moist back.

She rolled over, threw a leg over him and put her head on his shoulder. 'You're right,' she said.

'I'm never wrong about these things.'

She laughed, then seemed to fall asleep. Stone was nearly asleep, himself, when she jerked awake.

'Is that my cell phone ringing?' she asked.

'About fifteen minutes ago,' he said. 'Maybe they left a message.'

'I don't want it,' she replied. 'What are our plans for the day?'

'Eggs Benedict, mimosas and the New York Times.'

'I get the crossword.'

'I'll make you a copy and race you to the finish.'

'You wouldn't have a chance.'

'Big talk.'

'I'll finish it in half an hour.'

'On Sunday? I'll finish it… quickly.'

'I'm hungry,' she said.

'You're saying you want me to leave you and make breakfast?'

'No, I'll leave you and make breakfast.'

'Do I have to watch?'

'No, you can sleep, and I'll bring it up here.'

'There's a dumbwaiter,' he said. 'Just press the button.' Then he fell asleep.

Stone was awakened by the clanging of the dumbwaiter bell, and by the time Tiff had climbed the stairs, he had the trays arranged on the bed. He was surprised to see that she was still naked.

'You always walk around naked?' he asked as she climbed into bed and arranged her pillows.

'Always,' she said. 'Except at the office.'

They dug into their food.

'Wonderful hollandaise,' he said. 'Just the right amount of lemon.'

'Thank you, sir. Your risotto last night was wonderful, too. Lovely flavor.'

'You were wonderful last night. This morning, too.'

'I'm going to be wonderful again, as soon as I finish breakfast.'

'You have an optimistic view of my capabilities,' he said.

'I have an optimistic view of my capability to excite your capabilities.'

'It's hard to argue with that.'

'Then don't; just get rid of these trays.'

He put the trays on the dumbwaiter and sent it downstairs, then returned to bed.

She was reaching for him again when her cell phone rang.

'Shit!' she said.

'Let it ring.'

'Nobody has that number but my office,' she said. 'If they're calling on a Sunday morning…' She dug into her handbag and came out with the phone. 'Hello? Yes, I'm awake, but I wasn't when you called earlier. What's up? That's good. You're kidding-on a Sunday morning? An hour, then, in his suite.' She hung up. 'You're not going to believe this.'

'What?'

'The AG has got a bug up his ass about a case, and he flew to New York this morning.'

'Why wouldn't I believe that?' Stone asked.

'Well, you wouldn't, if you knew the case and the AG. The whole business is crazy.'

'Tell me about it.'

'I can't,' she said, 'I have to get into a shower right now. I can't show up for a meeting, smelling of sex, with a religious fundamentalist.'

'You never know, it might make his day.'

'I very much doubt it.' She struggled out of bed and he watched her backside appreciatively as she ran to the bathroom. A moment later, he heard the shower come on.

Stone fell back on the bed, a little relieved at not having to perform again so soon.

____________________

STONE HAD FINISHED the Times and was struggling with the Times crossword puzzle when the phone rang. He glanced at the instrument and saw the doorbell light illuminated. He looked at his watch: two-thirty p.m. Who the hell would be calling on a Sunday afternoon? He picked up the phone. 'Hello?'

'Mr. Stone Barrington?'

'That's right.'

'This is Agents Williams and Marconi of the United States Secret Service. We'd like to speak with you.'

'On a Sunday afternoon?'

'That's correct.'

Stone sighed. 'I'll buzz you in; find the living room and have a seat while I get dressed. I'll be down in a couple of minutes.'

'Very good.'

He buzzed them in, then got up, brushed his hair, put on some clothes and walked downstairs.

Two men in business suits rose as he entered the living room. They flashed their badges and introduced themselves, then everybody sat down.

'What can I do for you?' Stone asked.

Agent Williams produced a plastic bag containing a two-dollar bill and handed it to Stone. 'I believe you wanted some information on this two-dollar bill?'

Stone looked at it and handed it back. 'I wanted information on a two-dollar bill; I can't guarantee it was this one.

Williams nodded. 'Here's your information,' he said. 'It is one of a very large number of two-dollar bills stolen from Fort Dix army base in New Jersey in 1955.'

Stone blinked. 'You keep track of fifty-year-old robberies?'

'When the robbery is of four hundred thousand dollars and change.'

'I commend you on your record keeping,' Stone said.

'Thank you. Where did you get the two-dollar bill?'

'I'm afraid I can't say.'

'What?'

Stone searched for the right words. 'I'm sorry, but answering your question would violate the canon of legal ethics.'

'Which part of the canon?' Williams asked.