Cut and Thrust

24

Stone and Ann were getting dressed for the gala when Manolo buzzed him for a phone call.

“Mr. Barrington, that fellow from the Secret Service is on line one.”

“Thank you, Manolo.” Stone pressed the button. “Hello?”

“Mr. Barrington, this is Secret Service Special Agent Mervin Beam.”

“Good evening, Agent Beam.”

“Good evening. I’m in the hotel manager’s office, and he tells me that you have rearranged the seating plan for your box at tonight’s performance. Is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

“I’m afraid that won’t do,” Beam said. “I had previously done a seating plan for security reasons, and I must insist that you return to that plan.”

“Agent Beam,” Stone said, “the seating plan I faxed to the hotel manager was drawn up by Mrs. Lee herself. It was done carefully and thoughtfully, and I suggest that you conform your security arrangements to her seating plan.”

“I’m afraid it’s just not secure.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand how a seating plan in a theater box could be insecure because of the seating plan,” Stone said, “and I’m sure Mrs. Lee will feel the same way.”

“Then I’ll take it up with her,” Beam said.

“I wouldn’t advise that. It looks as though your relationship with Mrs. Lee may very well continue until at least the first Tuesday in November, and perhaps for another four years beyond that, perhaps even eight. This would not be a good time for her to begin to view your command of her detail in an unfavorable light.”

Beam was silent for a long moment. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you. The seating plan will be as Mrs. Lee wishes.”

“Thank you, Agent Beam, and good evening.” Stone hung up.

“What was that all about?” Ann asked, motioning Stone to zip up the back of her dress.

“Agent Beam,” Stone replied. “He’s upset that Kate changed the seating arrangements in our box. He thinks the new plan is insecure.”

“I don’t understand,” Ann said.

“Neither do I, and neither, I think, does Agent Beam.”

“He’s a peculiar man,” Ann said, “somehow different from the other agents, who are always so helpful. Beam always wants things done his way.”

“He has a big responsibility, I suppose, but he could handle it better. Do you have any say in Kate’s dealings with Beam’s office?”

“Only as a bearer of messages.”

“Why don’t you ask Kate to speak to the chief of the Secret Service and request that Beam be replaced?”

“I don’t think she would do that,” Ann said. “She tries hard not to be pushy when dealing with the Service.”

“Who else would be able to get a change made?”

“Well, the president, of course, but I don’t think it’s my place to speak to him about it.”

Stone nodded and tied his black bow tie.

“You do that very smoothly,” Ann said.

“I saw a movie once in which Cary Grant tied his bow tie that way and I practiced for hours until I got it right.”

Ann collapsed in laughter.

They went downstairs and joined the Eagles and the Bacchettis for a drink while they waited for the president and first lady to join them for the ride to the amphitheater in an articulated electric tram.

When Stone got a chance, he pulled Dino aside. “You’re acquainted with Special Agent Beam, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, we’ve met. And he’s always hanging around, watching his agents.”

“You remember the threat that Beam received in an e-mail?”

“Yeah.”

“I spoke with an expert about this and he said that the e-mail almost certainly originated inside the L.A. Secret Service office.”

“And what did you make of that?” Dino asked.

“Nothing, until a few minutes ago. I had a strange phone call from Beam about tonight’s seating plan.” He told Dino about the conversation.

“You think Beam thinks there might be a move against Kate tonight?”

“I don’t know, but he was pretty upset about his seating plan being changed to Kate’s seating plan.”

“Do you want to mention it to somebody?”

“Who would I mention it to? Beam? We’ve already talked. And he’s in charge of the detail, after all.”

“I see your point.”

“Are you armed?” Stone asked.

“Always,” Dino replied. “You?”

“No.”

“Why don’t you run upstairs and take care of that?”

“I’ll be right back.” Stone ran lightly up the stairs, went into the master suite, opened the safe, and took out his little Colt Government.380. He slipped it into the lightweight shoulder holster, shoved a magazine into the pistol, racked the slide and set the safety, then tucked the weapon under his arm.

When he got back to the library, the president and first lady had arrived, and they were called to board the tram for the trip to the amphitheater.

They moved out. Four Secret Service agents trotted alongside the tram, and Special Agent Mervin Beam brought up the rear in a golf cart.