Page 124 of Near Miss

Stone looked at the screen. “She can be, but this isn’t her.” From the lack of an identifying number, he knew it was Lance Cabot. Given that Stone had threatened his job during their last conversation, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He accepted the call. “Good evening, Lance.”

“I heard about the corpse in your office,” Lance said. “Is business that bad?”

“For Peter Greco, it is.”

“Indeed.” Apparently, Lance was taking the pretend-it-didn’t-happen route. “Speaking of Greco, your Russian friends have selected a new leader to replace him. A man named Dmitri Asimov.”

“I don’t think Dino even knows that yet.”

“Of course, he doesn’t. Is he aware the Russians are working with an assassin known as the Sarge?”

“That he does know. We’re assuming he’s responsible for Greco’s demise.”

“You would not be wrong.”

“If you have proof of that, I’m sure Dino would appreciate it if you shared.”

“Enjoy your dinner, and tell Carly I send my greetings.” Lance hung up.

Stone told Dino and Carly what Lance had said, less the greeting for Carly.

“So, the family went with the hothead,” Dino said. “That was my least favorite option.”

“Perhaps if they had consulted with you first, they would have gone in a different direction,” Stone said.

“I’ll give them a call next time.”

Stone woke the next morning feeling more tired than he had when he’d gone to sleep. In response to Holly Barker’s call the previous evening, Carly had seemed determined to prove that there were more reasons for the president to stay away than just the Russians.

She had made her point, multiple times, much to Stone’s pleasure at the time and chagrin now. Thankfully, he was alone in the bed, so there seemed no immediate threat of another demonstration.

He showered, dressed, and headed down for breakfast, expecting to find Carly there, but the dining room was empty.

He found Helene in the kitchen. “Have you seen Carly?”

“She wanted me to tell you she had a meeting at the office and would be back at lunchtime.”

“She didn’t leave alone, did she?”

“Fred took her. And before you ask, she also said to tell you she was carrying.”

That was a relief.

“Would you like your breakfast now?”

“Yes, please.”

Stone ate and then made his way to his office. He had it in his mind to call Ed Rawls and tell him he’d reconsidered, and would appreciate it if he came back to the States to watch Stone’s back. He had just sat down when Joan walked in, carrying a box covered in gold-and-black wrapping paper and matching ribbon.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“A present for you,” she said.

“From whom?”

“Unknown. There was no card, and the man who delivered it didn’t know, either. Would you like me to open it?”

“Please.”

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