Unintended Consequences (17 page)

“Good afternoon, Stone.” No secretary.

“Good afternoon, Lance.”

“Have you made any arrangements for Helga to fly to the States?”

“Yes, Marcel duBois’s attorneys are flying to New York the day after tomorrow, and they will pick her up at noon at Stockholm City Airport, at Grafair Aviation. They will be landing at Teterboro.”

“That is quite satisfactory,” Lance said. “I will see that Helga is transported from her island home to Stockholm City Airport by helicopter that morning. Tell her the chopper will land on her front lawn at ten
A.M.
, local time.”

“I’ll do that.”

“How are your business dealings with Marcel proceeding?”

“Extremely well.”

“Can you share some details?”

“I don’t see why not. Marcel is buying twenty percent of our shares for three hundred and fifty million. He is establishing a European corporation for building hotels over there, and we will invest in this with an exchange of shares.”

“You’ve moved quickly, then.”

“Marcel is very easy to do business with.”

“I have some news, too, but more troubling. The Russian contingent in Paris is extremely upset about the death of Aldo Saachi and the loss of one other man by drowning in the Seine. One of the men in the Mercedes survived, and he is very angry, too. His name is Yuri Majorov.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve seen him in Paris. Is he the one who took a shot at Amanda Hurley?”

“He is, to our knowledge. A contact on the inside of his organization, which we have code-named SQUID, has told us that Majorov’s masters have declared him persona non grata in Paris and that he is being dispatched to New York. Having failed to do so in Paris, perhaps we can dispatch him there.”

“Good idea,” Stone said. “Strategic Services will be providing personal security both here and in Paris for Marcel, and they will do a survey of his needs at the Blaise factory, as well.”

“What security arrangements have you made in New York for Marcel’s protection?”

“He is staying in my home and being driven in my car, which is armored, and being guarded by two operatives from Strategic Services whenever he leaves the house.”

“Ah, yes, the Bentley Flying Spur—a very handsome car.”

“Marcel’s Maybach is to be transported to New York by C-17, by a company in which you have an interest, then Mike Freeman’s armoring division will transform it in eight days.”

“Our C-17. Good to have some new business for it.”

Strategic had sold the company owning the C-17 to the Agency. “Give Marcel a decent price, will you? Don’t try to make the whole year’s profit on this transaction.”

“Well, I’ll see that he’s not overcharged, but he will have to pay what anyone else would pay. After all, he can afford it.”

“Now,” Stone said, “I think it would behoove you to give me some tasty morsel of intelligence to pass along to Marcel.”

“Well, let me see: I did mention that we think Majorov is coming to New York to kill him, didn’t I?”

“I’m not sure that passing that along is quite the right thing to do,” Stone replied. “Give me something more hopeful, more entertaining, even.”

“Ah, I have just the thing: one of Marcel’s German competitors, a rather unpleasant man named Horst Schnell, has suffered a financial loss of sixty million euros from a computer scam operated by our friends from SQUID. When Marcel has stopped laughing, you might mention that Strategic Services also offers an excellent computer security system. Tell Mike Freeman that we are quite willing to share what we know of how the scam operated with his tech people.”

“Now,
that
is the sort of information that will entrance both Marcel and Mike.”

“I thought it might. Oh, and our man Joe surveyed your house while you were out this morning, and he will be installing a very nice security system in your home tomorrow morning, early, that will include all the latest goodies.”

“Lance, if I find out that you are surveilling me with my own security system, I will be extremely annoyed.”

“Stone, it hurts me to think that you would have such an opinion of me. I should tell you, though, that there may be times when you might want such a service from us.”

“If that time comes, I’ll let you know,” Stone said.

“Oh, and Joe has put a big rush on your new windows and doors. They’ll be installed over the weekend, and Joe does very neat work, so he won’t make a mess.”

“Then I will be grateful to him,” Stone said.

“Must run,” Lance replied. “See you.” He hung up.

Stone wasn’t sure what time it was in the Stockholm archipelago, so he sent Helga a text message:
Good news
,
Marcel
’
s attorneys are traveling to New York from Europe and will collect you at Grafair Aviation at Stockholm City Airport at noon
,
the day after tomorrow. Prior to that
,
Lance is providing a helicopter that will land on your front lawn at 10 AM
,
local time
,
to transport you to the airport. Try and get some rest on the airplane
,
because I will make you busy when you arrive. Please confirm receipt of this message. Stone.

Joan came into his office. “Joe came and went,” she said. “He’ll be back early tomorrow to install your new security system. I gave him a key, so he won’t have to wake you.”

“Good work. I’m told Joe will be installing new windows and exterior doors over the weekend, so when you come back to work on Monday morning, you will be newly safe. Perhaps I’ll take Marcel to Connecticut for the weekend, so he won’t be disturbed.”

The phone rang, and Joan went to answer it. “Mike Freeman, on one.”

“Hello, Mike.”

“Stone. Marcel is watching our video, goggle-eyed. I don’t think he knew that such a company existed.”

“Careful, or he’ll buy you,” Stone said.

“We’ll give him lunch here, then he’ll have his meeting with our design team. I’ll return him to you around five, I should think.”

“Good. I’ll give him some news then that will make him want you to protect his computer systems, so be ready to make your pitch.”

“Anything I should know first?”

“Marcel should know it first. He’ll be in touch, don’t worry.” Stone hung up and buzzed Joan. “Make us a dinner reservation at Patroon at eight, and let the security people know. I don’t want to surprise them. And ask Dino and Viv to join us.”

“Consider it done,” she said.

36

S
tone and Marcel arrived at Patroon shortly after eight. They pulled up behind a black Lincoln Town Car with city plates, and Stone knew that Dino’s promotion had won him a better car than his usual Crown Vic.

The owner of the restaurant, Ken Aretsky, greeted them in the dining room and showed them to a corner table, where Dino was waiting. He and Marcel shook hands warmly.

“Where’s Viv?” Stone asked. “Don’t tell me we have to put up with you alone.”

“You do,” Dino replied. “Viv is boning up on some Strategic Services operation manuals for her new job.”

“What will she be doing there, Dino?” Marcel asked.

“She won’t tell me,” Dino said. “You’d think she had joined the CIA.”

“Well, Mike comes out of the world of intelligence, and he insists on client confidentiality.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Marcel said, “since he will invariably learn much about my business.”

They ordered drinks, and to Stone’s surprise, Marcel asked for a Knob Creek.

“Do you have a principal business, Marcel?” Dino asked.

“My father was a hotelier, and I worked in that business in my extreme youth. When he died I took over the hotels he owned and grew from there. I was helped by the fact that my father had established a chain of hairdressers in the hotels, and the cash flow from them was very useful to me. After that, I learned to invest well, in all sorts of businesses. My latest venture is my new car, the Blaise, named for my son, who was killed some years ago in a motor racing accident.”

“What sort of car is it?” Dino asked.

“There’s one in Stone’s garage,” Marcel replied. “I won’t blunt the impact by telling you about it ahead of time.” He turned toward Stone. “By the way, would you allow me to display your car at the New York Auto Show next week? I would need it from Monday afternoon.”

“Of course. Have someone pick it up, and Joan will give them the keys.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t be driven, it will be flat-bedded.”

“That’s fine. By the way, some rather noisy work is going to be done on my house over the weekend, and I thought you might enjoy seeing a little of New England. I have a house in a small village called Washington, and Helga will be here, as well. Would you like to drive up in the Blaise? I haven’t driven it yet.”

“That sounds delightful,” Marcel said.

“Dino, would you and Viv like to come?”

“Sorry, pal, we’ve got plans.”

“I saw your new car outside. How’s the job going?”

“Yes, please tell me about your job,” Marcel said.

“Oh, it’s nothing to write home about,” Dino replied.

“That’s an outright lie,” Stone said. “Perhaps I should tell you that Dino is the new chief of all detectives, in all five boroughs of New York City.”

“Does that mean you have to be a politician as well as a detective?” Marcel asked.

“It better not mean that, because I’d be lousy at it.”

“That’s a somewhat smaller lie,” Stone said, “but a lie, nevertheless. Dino has always worked the system very well, something I was never good at.”

Their drinks arrived, and they looked at the menu.

“What do you recommend?” Marcel asked.

“Start with the Caesar salad, then choose whatever entrée sounds good,” Stone replied. “The cooking is very good.”

“Have any interesting cases crossed your desk, Dino?” Stone asked.

“Well, we have a Russian gangster somewhere in the city,” Dino replied. “The feds had a stop order on him, but he got in before it hit the computers. Name of Majorov.”

Stone gulped, but Marcel didn’t know the name. “I’m sure you’ll bag him,” he said.

“I’ll let the feds worry about him,” Dino said.

“I have had my problems with Russian gangsters,” Marcel said. “Stone, do you think this man Majorov has anything to do with that?”

“I’m afraid he does,” Stone admitted. “I didn’t want to worry you with it, but I spoke to Lance Cabot today, and he told me about it. Mike Freeman is taking all necessary precautions.”

“Ah, good,” Marcel said. “But I would be grateful if you would not keep information from me. I would rather be worried, but aware.”

“I apologize,” Stone said. “In fact, Lance believes that Majorov was in the car that attacked us on the way to Le Bourget.”

Dino’s face showed interest. “You were attacked?”

Stone told him about the incident with the Mercedes. “One man died in the Seine, the other, Majorov, survived.”

“I’m extremely sorry to hear that,” Marcel said.

“By the way,” Stone said, “Lance asked me to pass along some information to you. He says that a German businessman of your acquaintance, one Horst Schnell, has had sixty million euros stolen from him in a computer scam perpetrated by the same people who have tried to do you harm.”

“Well, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer fellow,” Marcel replied, laughing. “The man is a snake in the weeds—is that how you say it?”

“In the grass,” Stone said. “Lance has recommended that you ask Mike Freeman to audit your computers and make security recommendations.”

“I will ask Mike to do that tomorrow,” Marcel replied. “And thank Lance for me when you speak to him again.”

They ordered steaks, then the headwaiter appeared with a cart and a large wooden salad bowl and began to create a Caesar salad from fresh ingredients.

•   •   •

D
uring dinner Stone got a text from Helga, saying that she would take the airplane from Stockholm as he had scheduled. He went to bed that night with fond memories of her lush body in his arms.

37

T
wo days later, Marcel had an early meeting with auto show officials about his display, and Stone was at his desk when three men arrived, carrying valises, boxes, and tools.

“I’m Joe,” their leader said, offering his hand.

“Good morning, Joe. You want to tell me exactly what you’re putting in?”

“The best security system in a private house in New York City,” Joe replied. “If you can dream up a function, it can do it.”

“All right, but stop by and explain it to me when you’re done.”

“Give me an eight-digit code,” Joe said.

Stone gave him a familiar mix of letters and numbers, and Joe and his colleagues went to work, starting at the top of the house.

Stone asked Joan to phone his Connecticut housekeeper and have her lay in groceries for the weekend, then Mike Freeman called.

“Lance Cabot called yesterday. A guy named Majorov from Paris has made it past immigration. I think Lance was ashamed to tell you.”

“And well he should be,” Stone said. “By the way, Marcel is going to call you about auditing his computer systems and making security recommendations. An acquaintance of his in Germany just got stung for sixty million euros.”

“He has already done so. We’re on it.”

“I’m getting Marcel out of town for the weekend. Lance is having my windows replaced with more substantial ones, and I’m nervous about the presence of Majorov in New York.”

“Good idea. I’ll let my people know.”

“We’re going to drive the Blaise, leaving after lunch tomorrow, and I’d like your people to follow in the Bentley, in case something alarms us and we need shelter for Marcel.”

“Good idea.” They hung up.

It occurred to Stone that he was nervous for Helga’s safety, as well as Marcel’s, since it was she who had taken out the Russians’ man Aldo.

Joe suddenly appeared at his office door. “Mr. Barrington,” he said, holding up something electronic-looking. “We’ve already found two bugs in your house. I take it you have enemies?”

Stone followed Joe upstairs and looked at the telephone panel he had opened.