Scandalous Behavior

55

Stone came down for breakfast, feeling thick-headed and slightly off. He helped himself to bacon and eggs from the buffet and sat down. A moment later he was joined by Billy Barnett.

“Good morning,” Billy said. “Peter and Ben were up early, and they’ve already ridden over to Curtis House.”

Stone stared at him. “You let them...”

“Relax,” Billy said. “The threat has been removed.”

“How so?”

“Nonviolently. He’s headed for Heathrow as we speak.”

“You let him go free?”

“You asked me not to kill him. What was the alternative?”

“Well, I suppose...”

“Don’t worry, he won’t trouble you again. He’s even going to do a little favor for you.”

“What favor?”

“I’ll tell you when it happens.”

“Do you have any idea who he is?”

“I know exactly who he is,” Billy said. “Alvin Greenberg Junior. His father was Al Senior, who is reputed, in certain circles, to be the assassin who removed Ben ‘Bugsy’ Siegel from the scene, some decades ago. He ran a gun shop, now run by Al Junior. Both father and son are said to be very good at their work.”

“If he’s so good, how did you stop him?”

Billy shrugged. “I got there first. The rest was easy. I just offered him an opportunity to continue his life by leaving the country and not bothering us again.”

“What would you have done if he hadn’t agreed?”

“Then, having made the threat, I would have had to kill him.”

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”

“So am I. It would have been messy.”

Stone changed the subject, then left the table.

Billy got up and went downstairs to find Major Bugg, who was working at his desk. “Good morning, Major.” Billy sat down across from him.

“What can I do for you this morning?”

“Just some information, please. Have you recently employed anyone new to work in the household?”

“Yes, I employed a young woman from the village to help with the housekeeping.”

“Just the one?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know her beforehand?”

“I knew her father — still do.”

“Is he a military man?”

“Was. He’s retired and owns a construction business. He did some of the work on the remodeling of this house.”

“Would he be the sort who would maintain his military connections?”

“Oh, yes, he goes to all the reunions, has a lot of friends on Salisbury Plain.”

“May I have his name and address?”

Bugg gave it to him. “May I ask what this is about?”

“I believe his daughter may have provided information about what goes on here to someone who meant us harm.”

“I am shocked to hear that,” Bugg said, and he truly looked it. “What should I do about it?”

“Just don’t employ him again, and discharge the daughter. She’ll know why. Leave the rest to me.”

“I’ll speak to her immediately.”

“No, give it an hour or so.”

“As you wish.”

Billy thanked him and left his office. He got into his rental car and tapped the address into the GPS, then drove into town. He found the man’s building yard, then took a shopping bag from the boot and went to his office, where he found the ex-officer working at his desk.

The man looked up. “Can I help you?”

Billy sat down across from him. “I’ve come to tell you that your attempt to help an assassin has failed.”

The man didn’t blink. “And you are...?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Billy took the gun case and the pistol from the shopping bag and placed them on the man’s desk.

“What’s this?”

“You know very well what it is. I thought you’d like the opportunity to return these things to the armory from which you borrowed them.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Of course you do,” Billy said, rising. “I’m going to let matters rest as they are, but you will no longer receive contracts from Windward Hall or Curtis House, and your daughter is being discharged as we speak.”

The man looked surprised for the first time.

“We won’t have a problem in the future, will we?”

“Ah...”

“Say it.”

“No, you won’t have a problem with me or my daughter in the future.”

“Good. That way you will both avoid unpleasant consequences.” Billy walked out of the building, closing the door behind him, then drove back to Windward Hall.