Criminal Mischief

29

The doorbell rang, and Stone opened it. Margot Chase fell into the room, dragging a suitcase on wheels behind her.

“I made it,” she said.

“Not in half an hour,” Stone replied, “but we’ll let that pass.”

“There was something important that I couldn’t bring,” she said.

“What was that?”

“A book where Viktor has recorded the money he’s taken and where he’s sent it.”

“Was it too heavy?”

“I couldn’t find it. It’s usually in a desk drawer, but he must have taken it with him.”

“Never mind that for the moment. Go have your reunion with Felix.”

She did so.

Stone dug out Brio Ness’s phone number and dialed it. A male voice answered, “Yes?”

“Brio Ness, please?”

“Who’s calling?”

“Stone Barrington.”

“Does she know you?”

“Ask her.”

“Special Agent Ness is not available at the moment.”

“What a shame,” Stone said. “And she was so looking forward to arresting Viktor Zanian and finding all his money.”

“What?”

“Wake her up, if necessary, and tell her to call me immediately, if she wants Zanian’s head on a platter. Oh, and I’d hate to be you, if she doesn’t get the message right now.” Stone hung up.

“How long do you think?”

“Half a minute,” Stone said, checking his watch. At twenty-eight seconds his phone rang. “Hello,” he said.

“This is Special Agent Ness.”

“Funny, you don’t sound like Special Agent Ness. Convince me.”

“Stone,” she said, “what the fuck do you want?”

“I want Viktor Zanian’s head on a platter. What do you want?”

“Tell me what I need to know.”

“I’m in Honolulu and all times will be Hawaiian. You’ll have to figure out what time it is where you are.”

“All right.”

“Viktor Zanian is registered at the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu, under the name of George Martingale. He’s in suite 850, on the ocean side. His airplane is parked at Hilo and will pick him up in Oahu, at seven am tomorrow morning. They will depart shortly after that. Destination: known only to Zanian. He’s traveling with a notebook containing an accounting of all the money he’s stolen and a list of all the banks where he has hidden it.”

“What if we can’t make a raid happen that fast and miss him?”

“Then I’m sure you can find a nice, cozy law firm in some darling small town where you can eke out a living defending domestic abuse cases.”

“I can’t just snap my fingers and produce fifty special agents in Honolulu,” she said.

“Then you’d better find somebody who can. Start with your director, and if he can’t do it, see if you can get the president on the phone.”

She made a furious noise.

“Oh, by the way, Zanian travels with a team of assassins, one each male and female, who are middle-aged, innocuous-looking, and are known by the names of Dad and Mom. You might want to shoot them first and read them their rights later.”

“I understand he also has a female companion and a dog.”

“I’ve already detained both of them. I’d haul in the whole outfit, but I don’t want to get shot.”

“That’s selfish of you.”

“It is my nature in a conflict to die last, if at all. Will you let me know how this turns out, or will I have to read about it in the Honolulu Pineapple Picker?”

She hung up.

“How did she sound?” Dino asked.

“Ungrateful. You do all the work for those people, and they still can’t seem to make an arrest.”

“What’s your plan?” Dino asked.

“Funny you should mention that,” Stone said. “I have no fucking idea.”

“Well, don’t you want to be there to witness the whole thing?”

“I’d love to kick in the Gulfstream’s door for them, but I didn’t bring my bulletproof underwear. How about you?”

“I’d just as soon wait until everybody runs out of ammo,” Dino replied.

“Good idea. Now, we should be packed and ready to get out of here before dawn’s early light. I’ll get Faith working on that now.” He picked up the phone.

“Any idea of our destination?” Dino asked.

“Teterboro. Probably without a fuel stop. I intend to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night.”

“Alone?”

“To be determined,” Stone said.

Margot came over. “Do I get a vote on that?”

“Yes, please. How do you vote on the motion?”

“What’s the motion again?”

“Do I sleep in my own bed, alone, tomorrow night.”

“I vote no,” she said. “And if it somehow passes, I’ll veto it.”

“I think that answers your question, Dino.”

“Did you call Faith?”

“Yes, and I left a message.”

After some time, Stone’s phone rang. “Yes?”

“It’s Special Agent Ness.”

“Hi again.”

“I’ve managed to put together a team of twenty-five people by borrowing sheriff’s deputies and fruit inspectors.”

“Good, what will the fruit inspectors be armed with? Spray guns?”

“We’ll loan them shotguns.”

“By the way, if you have any intention of impounding Zanian’s Gulfstream, you’d better be careful what you shoot at it. It’s a twenty-five-million-dollar airplane, new. And who knows, you may even want to fly the thing home.”

“How did you know I’ll be there?”

“I didn’t. Where are you?”

“I just departed San Francisco on a government aircraft.”

“Trust me, you’d enjoy Zanian’s Gulfstream more. It has actual windows that you can see out of, and probably has dirty movies available for viewing.”

“As jolly as that sounds, I have to put the idea of just getting there and back first.”

“As you wish. Can you tell me what time you and your fruit inspectors are going to bust down the hangar doors? We’re trying to take off out of here at eight am, local.”

“I can’t promise you a time. I’ll call you when everything is secure. Don’t leave for the airport until then. How many crew and passengers on your airplane?”

“Eight crew and four passengers, one of whom is a Labrador retriever.”

“Is that Zanian’s dog? If so, I’ll have to impound him.”

“No relation,” Stone said. “He belongs to an acquaintance of mine, so you keep your paws off him.”

“All right, I’ll take your word for it.”

“It’s about time you took my word for something. By the way, I hope you’ve got the ten million on you.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” she replied. “We’ll have to get you certified, first, before you can even pat me down.”

“Sorry, in my enthusiasm I forgot about government red tape.”

“Amateurs always make that mistake. Remember, stay where you are, until I give the all clear.”

“Just one other thing: there are two Gulfstreams involved here. Mine is the one in the hangar at Signature Aviation. Don’t go anywhere near it. Zanian’s is in Hilo and probably can’t take off before dawn. I suggest you take his airplane on the ground there, then make the crew fly you to Honolulu. That way you can surprise Zanian when he comes aboard, and you can avoid a shootout.”

“That’s a very good idea. When this is over I’m going to recommend you for a junior special agent’s badge, which you can wear on your pajamas.”

“My heart is full.”

She hung up.

“Okay,” Stone said, “everybody relax. We’re going to stay here until they’ve bagged Zanian.”

“All three of us?” Dino asked.

“Felix, as well.”