A Safe House

57

That night, Jenna seemed to melt into Stone’s arms. “I’m so sorry about the way I’ve been behaving,” she said, kissing Stone in a very nice place.

“It’s all right. You’ve been under a lot of pressure,” Stone said.

“Doing this makes me feel more relaxed,” she said, pausing only long enough to speak.

“Well, I certainly want you to be relaxed,” Stone panted.

In the morning, when they were having breakfast in bed, Jenna said, “May I have a gun, please?”

“Huh?”

“A gun. I’d feel safer.”

“Jenna, I’ve explained to you about the New York City laws on that subject.”

“Oh, not to go out with. Just for around the house.”

“Ah, an around-the-house gun.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll see what I can find for you.”

He went to his safe and found the little KelTec .380, the one with the silencer. Lance Cabot had given it to him when they had visited the CIA’s Farm, their training center, but he had never fired it. He took it to her with a box of ammo and a pair of magazines, then showed her how to load the cartridges and to reload after emptying a magazine. Jenna had clearly spent some time around weapons, and he felt better about arming her.

“But remember,” he said, “you can’t take it out of the house. If you were found by a cop to be armed, not even Dino could keep you out of jail.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve no wish to go to jail. But if I ever find myself facing Wallace again, I want to be ready.”

“Fair enough, but I think Wallace’s wound is going to keep him in the hospital for a couple of weeks.”

“What about Harley’s wound?”

“He won’t be going anywhere for a while, except in a wheelchair.”

“What’s Dino charging them with?”

“Well, that’s kind of a problem. Wallace has lawyered up, and so has Harley. They might walk, eventually.”

Jenna nodded. “I’m not surprised.”

“I think you should stay with me until that issue is resolved,” Stone said.

“Perhaps I’ll do that,” she said. “If you’ll have me.”

“Having you is my favorite thing,” Stone said.

Three days later, Senator Wallace Slade lay back in his hospital bed and ran his fingers through the hair of the young lady in a candy-striper’s uniform whose head was in his lap. She had been a special order from a local madam of his acquaintance. He liked the uniform.

Having finished her work, she brushed the wrinkles out of her clothes. “You have something for me?”

“Of course, baby. You have something else for me, too, don’t you?”

She held up a bottle of pills. “Super-duper pain medication,” she said. “And with a kick, too.”

He peeled off some hundreds and took the pills.

“Tomorrow?” she asked.

“Sweetheart, I’ll be gone from here tomorrow.”

“Keep in touch,” she said, and left the room.

Harley spoke from the other bed. “Some for me, too?” he asked.

“Enough to keep you floating on air,” Slade replied. “Tomorrow’s the day. You up for it?”

“I will be,” Harley said. “I may need a cane — something sturdy, that I can weaponize.”

“I know where we can get something special for you. We’ll have a weapons delivery first thing in the morning.”

Stone called Mike Freeman. “Good morning.”

“How are things?” Mike asked.

“It’s time for your people to be called off,” Stone said. “Wallace and his acolyte are disabled, and it’s been very peaceful all week. And you’re making too much money.”

“Okay. I’ll pull everybody off the job,” Mike said. “You have enough of your own firepower to handle emergencies, right?”

“Yes, and I’ve got Joan and Fred, too.”

“You tell those two that if they ever want out, I’ve got jobs waiting for them at Strategic Services.”

“I’ll tell them no such thing, and don’t you, either!” Stone hung up.

Dino called. “Dinner tonight? Patroon?”

“You’re on. Seven o’clock?”

“Right.” Dino hung up.

Late in the day, someone knocked lightly on the door of Wallace Slade’s room. “Come!” he shouted.

The door opened and a suitcase on wheels entered, followed closely by a middle-aged woman in dowdy clothes. “Hey there, Senator,” she said. “Delivery for you.” She pointed at the suitcase.

“Just put it on the bed,” he said.

With some effort, she managed it, and he unzipped the suitcase.

Harley hobbled over and looked into the case. “Ahh,” he said.

“Me, too,” Wallace replied. He took an envelope from a bedside drawer and handed it to her. “Tell him thanks, from me,” he said.

She gave him a little salute and left, closing the door behind her.