A Safe House

20

They had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang. Stone found Ed Rawls waiting there.

“Good morning, Ed, come in.”

Ed came in. “I started out at first light and circumnavigated the island,” he said. “I didn’t find any boat that I don’t know, so I suspect Lance was right. The shooter headed for more heavily trafficked waters like Camden or Rockport.”

“Okay,” Stone said. “You must be ready for some breakfast.”

“I’ve eaten, but I’d love some coffee.”

Stone motioned him to the table, where the pot awaited him.

Stone was about to take a seat and continue reading the papers when the doorbell rang again. He set aside the papers and answered it. A woman in her late thirties, wearing L.L.Bean’s finest everything, stood there. “Mr. Barrington, I’m Betty Black, from the Farm. May I speak to Mr. Cabot, please?”

“Sure, come in.” He directed her to the table, where she declined breakfast but accepted coffee. She and Lance greeted each other. “The news is out about last night,” she said.

“How did you hear?” Lance asked.

“It was all the talk at the village store. Sir, you didn’t specify that you wanted my class armed, but they’ve all completed the small-arms course, and they’re all certified. I’ve got a half dozen shotguns on our boat. Would you like me to order more?”

“Yes, order an assault rifle and a sidearm for each man — or whoever. I’ve ordered a piece of armored glass to replace the one broken last night. Ask them to fly your load up here in the same DC-3 and land on the local strip. They can call me from there, and I’ll have them met. Order ammo, too. Tonight, we’ll distribute your people around the island. If we’re lucky, maybe we can get them some shooting experience.”

“You mean at real people?”

“Yes, but we’ll have a briefing for them about which real people and how to avoid shooting the locals and the summer folk, who react poorly to that sort of thing.” Lance set down his coffee cup.

“Yes, sir.”

“Where did your people sleep last night?”

“On the motor yacht we chartered. We were fairly comfortable.”

“Order mattresses, blankets, and sleeping bags, too, if you need them. They can be flown up with the weapons.”

“Yes, sir.” She left the house.

“Stone, can your man meet the airplane in your station wagon?”

“Sure, have them call on touchdown.”

Stone turned to Ed Rawls. “Ed, if you were on the other side of this thing, what would you do tonight?”

“I’d have another go,” Rawls said, “on the premise that you wouldn’t be expecting it.”

“So would I, in their shoes,” Stone said. “We’ll be ready.” He stood up. “Anybody like to take a drive around the island? It’s a beautiful day, and I don’t think there will be assassins about until it’s dark.”

Stone, Jenna, Ed, and Lance got into the station wagon and drove south.

“Gorgeous wagon,” Lance said.

“Thank you. Seth works all winter on it.”

They circumnavigated the island, then ended up at the village store and got ice cream for everybody.

Late in the afternoon a DC-3 buzzed the house, then flew away toward the airfield. Seth had borrowed a truck, and he took it out there for the unloading of the glass, the weapons, and the bedding.

Stone had a look at the glass. “It’s at least an inch thicker than the original,” he said to Lance.

“Would you have preferred thinner?” Lance asked.

“I think not.”

The glass was installed before sunset. The pilots and workmen returned to the airfield and took off for home.

Stone had them leave the old piece of glass leaning on the side of the garage.

Betty Black brought her plan for distributing her people to Lance, and he approved it. “I had a word with the yacht club kitchen and crossed a few palms with silver. Your crew can have dinner and breakfast in their dining room. Tell them not to be noisy. They must be perfect ladies and gentlemen. Also tell them: no screwing on the deck of your motor yacht. Confine that activity to their bunks.”

“Yes, sir,” Betty said, then left.

“That’s pretty liberal of you, Lance,” Stone said.

“There’s no keeping them out of each other’s pants,” Lance replied. “The best we can do is to keep them out of sight.”

The phone rang, and Stone answered.

“It’s Dino.”

“Hey, there.”

“I can shake loose for a few days. Tomorrow morning okay?”

“Sure, and you’ll have plenty of company.”

“What are you talking about?”

Stone explained the incident of the night before and the presence of the class from the Farm.

“Jesus,” Dino said. “I’ll be lucky if they don’t shoot me.”

“Just wear your badge when you’re outdoors.”

“Sounds like I ought to wear body armor.”

“Suit yourself.”