Scandalous Behavior

17

That evening they met at the Four Seasons for dinner. Stone chose the menu, and they dined very well indeed. Afterward, Billy Barnett took Stone aside.

“I don’t know how you managed to get the boys out of the country so quickly, but I’m glad you did.”

“Let’s just say that their interests and mine coincided. Have them get packed before the screening, so that they can leave the theater and go straight to Teterboro for the flight. You’ll be landing on my property and clearing customs there, too. There will be some Strategic Services people on board, as well, who will be continuing on to London with ground transportation. The airplane will continue on to Paris and overnight there, then fly some other Strategic Services people back to New York.”

“Sounds like a large airplane.”

“It’s a Gulfstream 650.”

“How long is your landing strip?”

“Seven thousand feet. It was an RAF base during World War Two.”

“That should handle just about anything.”

“Have you heard anything more about the Chosen Few?”

“I found out how they’re financing themselves. Dr. Don has written a series of books based on conspiracy theories about government encroachment on individual rights.”

“Why have I not seen them advertised?”

“Because they’re sold only on the Chosen Few website. He gets thirty to forty bucks a book and sells tens of thousands around the country. They make documentary films of the same nature, too, and sell them on DVDs. Dr. Don is bringing in millions a year, and he doesn’t have a lot of overhead. There’s no church, they rent venues for large meetings, and he only has enough staff to count the money. There are rumors that he has a large vault in his house and keeps most of the cash there.”

“Surely the FBI is looking at this guy.”

“Almost certainly, but they’ve never charged him with anything.”

“There must have been an investigation of the magazine writer’s death.”

“By the LAPD, but no charges were ever brought for lack of evidence.”

The Friday-night screening was a huge success. The invited audience gave it a standing ovation, and Peter and Ben took a bow. Stone hustled them to their cars as quickly as he could. He hugged Peter and Ben. “Have a good flight and call me after you’re at the house. The staff will meet you at the airplane and take good care of you. You’ll go through customs and immigration at the property.”

The boys and their girlfriends and the Barnetts were driven away.

Stone’s and Dino’s cars were waiting. “Dino,” Stone said, “you know the director of the FBI, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Why don’t you give him a call and see if you can find out what, if anything, they have on Dr. Don and his Chosen Few?”

“I’ll call him at home this weekend,” Dino said. “I don’t want to make an official inquiry.”

“Okay. You sure you don’t want to go to England next weekend?”

“I’d love to, I really would, but I’m going to have the press on my ass if I keep trying to keep up with you.”

“I’m glad Viv can go.”

“So am I — she can use some time off.”

Stone and Susan continued home. Upstairs, he turned on CNN, having missed the regular evening news.

“A new film opened at twelve hundred theaters across the nation tonight called Hell’s Bells. Audiences at two of them got more than they had bargained for. There were explosions at theaters in Santa Monica, California, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, shortly after the film began. Police in both cities said there were no serious casualties, that the explosions had been caused by the stun grenades police use to storm crime scenes. One Idaho woman was taken to a hospital for cuts and bruises and is being kept overnight for observation. Others at both theaters were treated on-site by EMTs and released.”

“Oh, God,” Stone said, “it’s started.” He switched on his iPhone, went to a flight-tracking app, and entered the tail number of the Strategic Services G650. The airplane was halfway to Newfoundland. “I’m glad they’re on their way.”

The phone rang, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hi, Dad.”

“Peter? I just checked on your flight — you’re halfway to Newfoundland.”

“Right, I see that on the flight progress screen. This is some airplane.”

“It certainly is.”

“We also get CNN. Have you heard what happened at two of our theaters?”

“I just saw it. That’s terrible news.”

“I’m glad no one was seriously hurt.”

“So am I.”

“Ben thinks the publicity will help us, rather than hurt us.”

“I suppose it could. I’m glad you’re not here to get hounded by the media. You’d be wise to keep your destination quiet and let Centurion’s PR people handle the press response.”

“You don’t think I should issue a statement?”

“No, I don’t. Just enjoy yourself.”

“I’m sure we will. I liked Susan. I hope you’ll see a lot more of her.”

“I think you can count on that.”

“Good night, then.”

“Get some sleep and arrive rested.” Stone hung up.