“I don’t know why you didn’t just screw her right here,” Dino said. “Get dressed.”
39
Stone was checked out of the hospital at mid-afternoon and let Dino drive. He got out his iPhone and began checking his e-mail. There were a dozen political campaigns’ funding requests, it being an election year, and he gave another ten thousand dollars to Holly Barker’s PAC. She was an old friend and a lover, and she was running for president, having resigned the office of secretary of state earlier in the year, in order to run.
“Holly’s looking good in the polls,” Dino said.
“Yeah, I’ve been following her progress. I think she’ll be okay, barring some gaffe or accident or new conspiracy theory about her.”
“She’ll sail through,” Dino said. “You’re the only mistake she’s ever made.”
“You look kind of funny. Are you going to pass out again?”
“No, the wound is to my heart,” Stone replied.
“Where do you want to go?”
“Someplace restful.” As he spoke his phone chimed, signaling a new e-mail. He didn’t read it right away. “Any ideas?”
“How about New York City?”
“How about tomorrow morning,” Stone suggested.
“All right.”
Stone read the e-mail.
This is Jenna Post, your plastic surgeon; I hope you’re feeling better. I’d like to change your bandage, so why don’t you turn up at my house at sixish, and I will apply the healing arts. Oh, and you can stay for drinks and dinner; I cook.
Her address was at the bottom; it was on Acequia Madre.
Stone replied:
Jenna
I thought, for about half a minute, of playing hard to get, but I changed my mind. See you sixish, and I’ll bring the wine and the wound. By the way, I want you to go around your house and lock all the windows and doors, and don’t let anybody in, except me. I’ll explain later.
He sent the e-mail.
“Dino,” he said, “take me to a wine shop.”
“Let me guess: the plastic surgeon?”
“She wants to change my bandage.”
“Yeah, and your underwear, as well, I bet.”
“Right. I need to go back to the Eagles’ and change. You can take Ed and Susannah to dinner.”
Dino pulled into a parking spot outside a liquor store. “There you go.”
Stone went in and bought two bottles of Far Niente, a cabernet and a chardonnay, and a bottle of Knob Creek. Then he went back to the Eagles’, changed clothes, and left them a note:
Sorry to miss dinner, but Dino is taking you out. We’re leaving the house at nine tomorrow morning to fly back to New York, and we’d love to have you two on board. E-mail me your acceptance.
Then he took the rented Suburban and drove to Acequia Madre. Jenna Post’s house was two doors downhill from Sig Larkin’s. He parked in her drive, gathered up the booze, and rang her bell.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Stone Barrington. You’ll recognize me by my bandage.”
She buzzed him in, and met him in the front hall. “Ah, yes, that’s the correct bandage,” she said, taking his hand and leading him into the kitchen.
Stone set his shopping bag on the kitchen island. “I didn’t know if you’d want white or red, so I brought both.”
“Oh, good. A drink, in the meantime?”
Stone removed the bottle of Knob Creek from the bag and opened it for her. She poured them each a drink.
“Good. Now that you’re anesthetized, let me have a look at your wound.” She stripped off the bandage, then opened a small black bag that rested on the island.
“You keep a medical kit in the kitchen?”
“It’s where most accidents happen,” she said. She swabbed the area with alcohol, applied an antibiotic cream and rebandaged it, then she removed a small bottle and a disposable syringe from the bag. “Okay, drop trou,” she said.
“This is so sudden,” Stone replied, but did as he was told.
She swabbed the area and stabbed him. “More antibiotics,” she said. “Infection makes scars, and we wouldn’t want that.”
“So my ass is safe from infection now?”
“From infection, but nothing else.”
Stone hoisted trou and zipped up.
“This is very good whiskey,” she said, sipping her bourbon. “Why have I never heard of it?”
“They didn’t tell you about good bourbon in medical school?”
“No, we drank only stolen medical alcohol, since it was free.”
“This is better, because it’s aged in barrels for nine years.”
“That would explain it.”
“That and the corn. By law, bourbon has to be fifty-one percent corn whiskey.”
“Live and learn. Now, tell me why I locked all the windows and doors.”
“Because you have a neighbor who’s wanted for multiple murders, and he has a habit of breaking and entering.”
“Should I move out?”
“No, the police have searched, or are searching, all your neighbors’ houses. And I’m here and armed.”
“Well, it must be under your jacket. I’ve already checked out what’s under your trousers.” She slipped him out of his jacket. “I’d rather you were unarmed,” she said, “but not entirely.”
She kissed him. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I saw your ass,” she said.
“You don’t need an excuse,” Stone said, kissing her back.
She stopped. “First, I have to cook.” She set about making dinner.
40
Dinner was good, and what came after was even better. “I’ve wanted to do that,” he said, “since I first got a look at your cleavage.”
“It’s better without the bra, isn’t it?”
“Oh, yes.” He looked at his watch.
“Oh, do you have to be somewhere?”
“Not right now, but I have to be on an airplane at mid-morning.”
“An airplane to where?”
“Home, to New York. Here’s a thought: Why don’t you come with me and stay for a while?”
“You’re not joking, are you?”
He pulled her hand down. “Does this feel like I’m joking?”
“One moment, please.” She reached for the bedside phone and dialed a number. “Hi, Rex,” she said. “Do you think you can hold down the fort for a week or so? I’ve got the time coming, and I got a nice invitation. You’re a prince. You can explain it to the administrator in the morning. Good night.” She hung up.
“You’re on,” she said, “and you certainly feel that way.”
They had an encore.
The following morning, she packed, and Stone called Dino and asked him to throw his stuff into his bag.
“The Eagles are coming with us,” Dino said.
“Great!”
Stone and Jenna showered together, and she made breakfast, then he drove them to the airport.
“How little is your airplane?” Jenna asked.
“Not too little. You’ll be comfortable. Oh, Dino, who you saw at the hospital, will be with us, and the Eagles.”
“Susannah Eagle?”
“And Ed.”
“I know about them, but we’ve not met. I’m a huge fan of Susannah’s work.”
“Be sure and tell her that.”
They were buzzed through the gate at the airport; his friends were boarding. Stone turned over the rental car to the lineman and introduced Jenna to the Eagles, and they got aboard. The door was closed, and an engine started turning.
“This is not very little,” Jenna said, looking around. “I guess I was thinking of a plane with one engine.”
“Those are in my past,” Stone said. He adjusted the seating so that they and the Eagles were facing each other, while Dino sat across the aisle.