Scandalous Behavior

15

Peter finally called after lunch. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, there, kiddo. I was about to call you. How are things in L.A.?”

“I’m in New York, for a screening — so are Ben and Billy and theirs. The studio put us at the Carlyle, so we didn’t trouble you.”

“I got in from England Monday night.”

“What were you doing in England?”

“I was finding you a country estate location for a movie.”

“Well, that’s interesting, I’m working on something I’d like to shoot in a place like that. Where is it?”

“On the Beaulieu River” — Stone spelled it for him — “in the south of England, near the Solent. Do you know where that is?”

“I’ve got a map right here, hang on.” There was a rustling of paper.

“Right next to Southampton Water.”

“Got it, and I see the Solent and the Isle of Wight. Tell me about it.”

“As long as you’re this far east, why don’t you just go over there and look at it? Take a vacation.”

“Hattie would like to hear that word from me.”

“There’s nothing to stop you working while you’re there. If you’re going to write about England, why not write in England?”

“That’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had, Dad. How did you learn about this place?”

“A friend told me about it. If you want to go right after your screening, I’ll see if Mike Freeman has a jet going that way. Strategic Services is always back and forth across the Atlantic.”

“You don’t want to fly us yourself?”

“I just got back. Tell you what, if you’ll stay for a while, I’ll join you in a couple of weeks, after I’ve had time to catch up here.”

“Where should we stay while we’re there? Do you know a good hotel nearby?”

“There’s a very nice house on the property, and you’d be comfortable there. There’s a staff to take care of you.”

“Who owns it?”

“You, eventually.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve bought another house!”

“It’s all right, I sold one, too. Let’s have dinner tomorrow night, and I’ll show you some pictures.”

“Okay. And there’s a screening of Hell’s Bells on Friday night we’d all like you to attend. Ben’s asking Dino and Viv.”

“Wonderful. I’ll check with Mike about getting you across the pond.”

“Where will we go tomorrow night?”

“Do you still like the Four Seasons?”

“Sure I do, I’ve missed it.”

“Eight o’clock there.”

“You’re on.”

“See you then.” They hung up, and Stone called Mike Freeman.

“Welcome home. I hear the new house is beautiful.”

“It certainly is. When will you come to visit?”

“Maybe sooner than you think.”

“Listen, Peter and Ben and their young women want to go over there this weekend. Do you have an airplane headed that way?”

“I expect so. When do they want to go?”

“Saturday or Sunday?”

“I’ll do a little juggling with my people. They’ll have to share the airplane, though. How many of them?”

“Six, and there’s a six-thousand-foot runway on the property with a GPS approach. You can drop them there, and I’ll arrange for customs and immigration to meet them.”

“I’ll confirm later today.”

“Great, Mike, and thanks.”

Joan buzzed him.

“Yes?”

“There’s somebody called Deputy Chief Inspector Holmes on line two. He’s been holding.”

“Got it.” Stone punched the button. “Hello, Inspector, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Quite all right,” Holmes said. “I’ve something of a problem, and I hope you can help.”

“Certainly, if I can.”

“I wish to speak to Sir Charles Bourne, and I can’t locate him. Major Bugg says he’s out of the country, but he doesn’t know where. Do you know?”

“The man’s on his honeymoon, Inspector, leave him alone.”

“I don’t want you to think me unromantic, Mr. Barrington, but I wish to speak with him now.”

“Then I suppose you’ll just have to wait until he comes home. He won’t be hard to find.”

“Then you don’t know where he is?”

“I’m afraid I can’t help, Inspector.”

“I’ve some reason to think he might be in France.”

“I can’t deny that.”

“You know, the French police have a very good system of tracking hotel guests. I could phone them and know in an hour or two what hotel he’s staying in.”

“What a good idea. Why don’t you do that?”

“Thank you, I will.” He hung up, miffed.

Stone called his Paris house and got Marie, the housekeeper, on the phone, and she put Sir Charles on. “Hello there, Stone. What a wonderful house! We’re enjoying ourselves immensely.”

“I’m very glad to hear it,” Stone said. “I thought you should know that I’ve had a call from Deputy Chief Inspector Holmes, inquiring of your whereabouts. He seems anxious to talk with you.”

“Well, bugger him,” Charles said. “Doesn’t the man know I’m on my honeymoon?”

“I mentioned that to him, but he was persistent. He’s having the French police find out what hotel you’re staying in.”

Charles laughed heartily. “He won’t have much luck there, will he?”

“You might give him a ring when you get home, Charles.”

“Oh, all right, I will. In the meantime, I have a lot more honeymooning to do.”

Stone hung up, and Joan buzzed again. “Mike Freeman on one.”

“Mike?”

“How about Friday evening, late — say eleven o’clock? That will put them there early Saturday morning.”

“I think that might work out very well,” Stone said. “They’re going to a movie earlier.”

“No later than midnight, though, and you’ll arrange customs at your airfield?”

“I will.” Stone gave him the identifier for the field. “And thank you, Mike. Once again, I owe you.” Stone hung up and called Peter on his cell. “I’ve got you a free ride across the pond, departing Teterboro at eleven PM Friday. Is that good for you?”

“It’s perfect, thanks.”

“You’ll be landing on the estate, and I’ll have you met.”

“There’ll be six of us. Billy and his wife are coming, too.”

“Oh, good. See you tomorrow evening.” He hung up, feeling he had done a good day’s work.