“That’s exactly what she intends to do, should you renege on the agreement.”
“Ridiculous,” Sir Edward said.
“Is it? You have recourse if she breaks the agreement: You can reinstate the computer record of her activities with international law enforcement and intelligence services, and she becomes a fugitive again. She is entitled to recourse, as well, and the ability to publish your letter would be a motive for you to keep the agreement.”
“What else does she want?” Sir Edward asked.
“Just those two things.”
“How much does she want?”
“Two million dollars; a million for each parent.”
“Out of the question.”
“Make me an offer.”
Sir Edward did some whispering with Carpenter.
“One hundred thousand dollars,” Carpenter said.
“If you’re going to make jokes, then we don’t have anything left to talk about,” Stone said, gathering his notes.
More whispering. “All right, half a million,” Carpenter said.
“A million,” Stone replied.
“Three quarters of a million . . . euros,” Sir Edward said, “and that’s my final offer.”
“I believe I can recommend that to my client,” Stone said, “though she reserves the right to reject the offer at her meeting with you.”
Sir Edward nodded.
“I’ve drafted some language for your letter,” Stone said, sliding a sheet of paper across the table.
Sir Edward shoved it at Carpenter. “Read it to me.”
Carpenter picked up the letter. “ ‘To whom it may concern: On (fill in date) in the city of Cairo, Egypt, agents of this service, at my personal direction, assassinated two Swiss citizens, René and Fatima du Bois, who were innocent of any crime. I wish to apologize personally, and on behalf of this service, to their daughter, Marie-Thérèse du Bois, for this unconscionable act. As a consequence of my actions, this service is paying the sum of (fill in amount) to Mademoiselle du Bois as reparations for the deaths of her parents. Signed.” ’
“Will you excuse us for a few minutes?” Sir Edward asked.
“Of course.” Stone got up and went into his study. He could hear murmurs and occasionally the raised voice of Sir Edward. Finally, Carpenter came into the study. “All right, come in. And Stone, he will not go one inch further than what you’re about to hear.”
“Let’s hear it,” Stone said, getting up and walking back to the dining room.
Sir Edward sat, his jaw clenched, and stared at Stone.
“This is what we have,” Carpenter said, reading from a handwritten document. “ ‘To whom it may concern: Some time ago, agents of British Military Intelligence conducted an operation in the Middle East, during which two Swiss citizens, René and Fatima du Bois, were inadvertently killed. This organization regrets its actions and extends its apologies and sympathy to their daughter, Marie-Thérèse du Bois.’ That’s it. There will be no mention of reparations in the letter. It will be typed on the letterhead of the Ministry of Defence.”
“And I won’t change a fucking word of it,” Sir Edward said.
“All right,” Stone replied, “you may present the letter and your offer to Marie-Thérèse at your meeting.”
“Which will be when?” Carpenter asked.
“I’ll let you know when I’ve spoken to my client.”
Everyone stood up, and Stone showed them out.
Carpenter hung back for a moment. “Stone, believe me when I tell you, this is an extraordinary concession for Sir Edward. Please tell your client that he will offer nothing further.”
“I’ll pass that on,” Stone said.
“Call me when you have a time for the meeting.” The two walked away from the house.
Stone went back inside, called Marie-Thérèse and asked her to call back from a pay phone. When she did, he read her the text of the letter and told her about the money.
“The letter and the sum are both inadequate,” she replied.
“Listen to me, Marie-Thérèse. This is the offer, and it won’t change. It’s more than you ever expected to get, and I advise you in the strongest terms to accept it.”
She was quiet for a moment. “All right, but Sir Edward will have to apologize to me in person when we meet.”
“We can make that demand at the meeting, but don’t expect it to happen.”
“All right. Now, how are we going to prevent these people from trying to kill me at the meeting?”
“I have some ideas about that,” Stone said, and he explained.
“I like it,” she said. “Tell Sir Edward to be at the Rockefeller Center skating rink tomorrow at three p.m.”
“All right,” Stone said, and hung up. Then he called Dino.
43
Stone was halfway through his first bourbon when Dino arrived at Elaine’s.
Dino gave Elaine a kiss and settled into a chair opposite Stone. “A Laphroaig on the rocks,” he said to a waiter.
“You’re drinking single malts now?” Stone asked.
“Only when you’re buying,” Dino replied. “And it’s better than that corn whisky you drink.”
“Corn liquor aged in oak barrels for ten years,” Stone said. “And bourbon is a patriotic American libation.”
“Then you ought to get the Medal of Honor. What’s going on?”
“I need your help.”
“So what else is new?”
“You’ll be preventing a killing on the streets of New York, so just think of it as doing your job.”
“I’m real anxious to hear what your idea of doing my job is.”
“All right, pay attention, this is complicated.”
“I’ll try to follow,” Dino said, “if you’ll keep it to words of two syllables or less.”
“Actually—”
“That’s four syllables.”
“Dino, shut up and listen.”
“Can I have another Laphroaig on the rocks?” Dino asked a passing waiter.
“You haven’t finished the one you’re drinking,” Stone pointed out.
“Yeah, but you’re going to talk for a long time, and I don’t want to interrupt you by ordering another drink.”
“You just did.”
“After this. Go.”
“I’ve arranged a meeting between the head of Carpenter’s service and La Biche, and—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Dino nearly shouted. “How the fuck could you do that when you don’t know either one of them?”
“We’ve all met since I saw you last.”
“Last I heard, you were upset about their trying to kill her.”
“I still am. I’m trying to stop it from happening. That’s why I need your help.”
“Okay, just a minute, there’s something I want to know.”
“What?”
“What are four retired NYPD cops doing outside in the street and at the bar right now?”
“They’re making sure I’m not being followed.”
“Stone, have you come over all paranoid?”
“Dino, if you’ll just let me talk uninterrupted for a few minutes, all your questions will be answered, I promise.”
“I’m listening.”
“No, you’re not, you’re asking questions.”
“No, I’m listening.” Dino rested his chin in his hand. “See? This is me listening.”
“To begin again, I’ve arranged a meeting between La Biche and Sir Edward Fieldstone—”
“Where do the Brits get these names?” Dino asked, shaking his head.
“Dino, shut up and listen.”
Dino drew an imaginary zipper across his mouth.
“ . . . who is the head of Carpenter’s service. He has proposed a truce between his people and La Biche—in short, they stop killing each other.”