Page 81 of Distant Thunder

“Lance is on it,” Stone said, hanging up. “He thinks Key West is the right place to be.”

“Where’s your yacht?” Viv asked.

Stone grabbed his phone. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He dialed another number.

“This is Captain Todd.”

“Todd, it’s Stone Barrington.”

“How are you?”

“I’m okay, where are you?”

“At the old submarine base.”

“We’re on our way there now, ETA in about four to five hours. Can you take us aboard?”

“Certainly. How long a cruise?”

“Maybe a week.”

“We’ll be ready for you. Do you want to be met? We have the van.”

“Sure, we’ll be at our hangar. Meet us inside.” He hung up.

“Breezeis at the sub base. The captain is picking us up in the van at my hangar.”

Dino was asleep, so they didn’t wake him with the news. Stone settled in with theTimescrossword.

—

The Gulfstream 500was ready at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. They boarded immediately while the ground crew dealt with the luggage. Fifteen minutes later, they were rolling down the runway.

“I feel better now,” Viv said.

“So do I, except about Vanessa.”

Stone drifted off and didn’t wake up until he felt the airplane in a right turn. They would be direct to Key West. And if, by any chance, Majorov knew about the Key West house, he wouldn’t know what was waiting at the old sub base. Because Stone had had, as guests, three presidents, the Navy had given him the use of a berth there. He fell asleep again, and didn’t wake up until he felt the airplane’s landing gear come down and lock into place, with the resultant reduction in airspeed. He picked up the phone and buzzed Faith.

“Yes, sir?”

“Head for our hangar. We’ll deplane inside.”

The airplane turned left off the runway and followed a golf cart with a sign on the rear that readfollow me.

Stone surveyed the airport from his window and didn’t see a threat of any kind.

—

The Mercedes Sprintervan dropped them atBreeze’s gangplank, and they went into the saloon immediately, while the crew dealt with the luggage. Stone ordered a round of vodka gimlets, his standard drink in tropical climates, and they sat down. “Vanessa,” he said, raising his glass. Dino and Viv echoed his toast, and they took their first sip of Key West.

The skipper came into the saloon. “What’s our plan?” he asked.

Stone looked up. “Can we make Fort Jefferson by dark?”

“No, but there’s a nice anchorage on the way there that we can make by sunset.”

“Let’s go there,” Stone said. “We’re on the lam, and we don’t want to be seen by anybody.”

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