Стюарт Вудс - Stealth

“Clearly.”

“Was Brigadier Fife-Simpson present in the ward at that time?”

“Yes, he came in to yell at me for wrecking your car — at least, I think that’s what he was yelling about.”

“Had you seen Rose before that meeting? In the dining hall, perhaps, or on the grounds?”

“No.”

Felicity was silent for a moment. “I am inclined to think that Dr. McGill is a creature of the brigadier’s,” she said.

“Have you known the brigadier for long?”

“I had met him once or twice in passing, but I had never had a conversation with him until I drove up to Station Two in my erstwhile Aston Martin. Oh, incidentally, its replacement arrived this morning, a bit ahead of schedule, and it is indistinguishable from its predecessor. I thank you for ordering it.”

“I trust the MOD paid?”

“Astonishingly, they did. I was prepared to do combat with them over that.”

“Felicity, what am I to do about Rose McGill, if that, indeed, is her name?”

“Do you have her address and phone number?”

Stone thought about that. “No.”

“Well, there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“If you hear from her again, see if you can worm that information out of her, then I can investigate further. For the present, I think all this is best kept between us. I shall not mention it to the brigadier until I am on firmer ground. Now, I must run to a meeting on the Muddle East.”

“Thank you, Felicity.” Stone hung up and turned to Viv. “Rose McGill does not exist,” he said, “at least, not for MI-6.”

“I had rather thought she might not,” Viv replied. “Shall I ask my people to track her down?”

“Maybe later. Right now, let’s let Felicity deal with the situation.” His breakfast arrived, and Viv made to go. “I’ll be going up to London tomorrow morning,” she said. “May I have a ride to the station?”

“Of course.”

To clear his head, Stone ordered up the gelding and went for a ride. Dino and Viv declined to join him. He walked, then trotted the horse to warm him up, then eased into a canter. As the stone wall grew nearer he spurred the animal into a gallop. Clearly, the horse knew what was expected of him and he soared over the wall and ran until he was reined in.

Back at the house, Stone found his book in the library, then read until everyone was assembled for lunch.

“You’re looking a bit more clear-eyed,” Viv said.

“Yeah,” Dino echoed. “I hear your girl slipped you a Mickey last night.”

“It would appear so,” Stone said.

“What are you going to do about that girl?” Dino asked.

“Nothing. Felicity will look into the matter when she feels the time is right.”

“Don’t you find this disturbing?”

“I find it baffling. I can’t understand why she, or whoever she works for, would go to these lengths to deceive me.”

“It’s gotta be Fife-Simpson running her,” Dino said.

“That’s what Felicity thinks, but she’s apparently in a delicate situation: Fife-Simpson has been pressed on her by her ministry, and she doesn’t know why.”

“It sounds as though they’re going to dump her soon, and they want their own man there, ready to step in.”

“My guess is that’s what Felicity thinks, too, but she won’t talk about it.”

“Wheels within wheels,” Viv said. “That’s what these intelligence people are like. You never know what they’re thinking.”

The phone rang, and Stone took the call.

“Hi, it’s Rose. I just wanted to apologize for leaving without talking to you, but they had three hysterectomies lined up and waiting at St. George’s, and the surgeon called in sick.”

“It’s all right, I understand.”

“Do you think you’ll come up to London this week?”

“Yes, my London office has asked me to. Are you free tomorrow night?”

“I can do that.”

“I’ll book a suite at the Connaught. Bring your toothbrush.”

“Sounds good. I think I can be there around five.”

“By the way, what’s your phone number?” Then she began talking to someone else in the room.

“Sorry, got to run; I’ll see you tomorrow evening.” She hung up.

So did Stone. “I didn’t get her number,” he said. He called Felicity.

“Yes, Stone?”

“I’ve heard from Rose. I’m going up to London tomorrow. I’ll book a suite at the Connaught — she’s meeting me there. Tell me, do you have some sort of concealable device I can use to record her?”

“I can do better than that,” Felicity said. “Let me book your suite at the Connaught. We have one there that is specially equipped. You won’t have to do a thing, except talk.”

“We’ll go out for dinner,” he said.

“Make an excuse to order from room service instead.”

“All right. Let me know what you learn.”

“All in good time,” she said, then hung up.

“Felicity’s service has a suite at the Connaught that’s wired,” he said to the Bacchettis.

“Be careful what you say,” Viv said to him, “because your voice will forever be in the files of MI-6.”

“Good point,” Stone said. “Do you think I should confront Rose with her lies?”

“Heavens no,” Viv said.

“Just give her all the rope she wants,” Dino said. “Let’s see what else she tells you.”

“Right,” Viv said. “If you start questioning her too closely, she’ll get suspicious and clam up. Just let her talk.”

“What else do I want to know about her?”

“Anything she tells you is likely to be a lie,” Viv said. “But I have to tell you, she doesn’t sound like a well-trained intelligence agent.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She’s already blithely told you things you could easily check out and disprove. A real pro would have a legend prepared that’s all backed up.”

“You could try getting her prints,” Dino said, “on a wineglass, or something. Where are you going for dinner?”

“Felicity wants me to order from room service.”

“Do what Felicity says,” Dino said.

“If the room is wired, just let the conversation flow, and Felicity will have it on tape.”

“Right,” Stone said.

Stone drove the Porsche 911 up to London, figuring the car needed the exercise. He made it to the Connaught by four PM without getting arrested and turned the car over to the doorman for parking.

The MI-6 suite was better than he had expected; the rooms were large and well-decorated. Once the bellman had deposited his luggage and left, Stone stood in the middle of the living room and said loudly, “This is Barrington. I’m here.”

A moment later his cell phone rang. “Yes?”

“Message received,” a woman’s voice said. “Good luck.”

Getting lucky was what Stone had in mind. And now, for the first time, he considered that he and Rose would be performing for an audience, if only via audio. He tried to put it out of his mind.

Shortly after five o’clock his phone rang. “Hello?”

A man said, “Your companion is on her way up.”

“Thank you.” He hung up and waited. A moment later there was a rap on the door and he opened it to find Rose standing there, holding a small duffel.

“Hi, there,” she said, snaking an arm around his neck and kissing him. “I declined the offer of a bellman,” she said, pushing him inside and hipping the door shut. “I didn’t want any witnesses.” She backed him to the bed, and they were undressed and under the covers shortly.

Stone dismissed any thought of aural witnesses and turned his attention to gratifying her in every way he could think of. Finally, they were lying in each other’s arms, spent and sweating.