Стюарт Вудс - Desperate Measures

“So, you’re suggesting I kill him before he can kill me?”

“It’s less work for my people and the court system if you do. Who could blame you?”

“A court of law,” Stone said. “I think a plea of self-defense requires a little more immediacy than finding him and shooting him.”

“You never drew your gun while he was shooting you,” Dino pointed out.

“You were carrying a gun at the restaurant?” Caroline asked.

“Caroline,” Dino said. “In your line of work you’re constantly surrounded by people carrying guns.”

“But Stone is a civilian.”

“Semi-civilian,” Dino said. “He’s carrying a badge your boss gave him.”

“All right,” she said. “Why didn’t you return fire, Stone? Were you just standing there with your dick in your hand?”

“You’ve seen The Godfather too many times,” Stone said. “I can’t remember what happened, but like Dino, I wish I’d killed him.”

“You’re not even sure who shot you,” Charlotte said.

“Who else but Trask?” Dino replied.

Viv joined them, having let herself in with her own key. Dino introduced her to the Whitehorns and fixed her a drink. “Okay,” she said, “somebody bring me up-to-date.”

Dino gave her a graphic rehash of the conversation so far.

“Yes, Stone, you should hunt him down and kill him.”

“Then you could hire Alfie Goddard to represent you,” Dino said.

“God,” Stone replied, “I hope I’m never in that much trouble.”

A voice came from the doorway. “Excuse me, Stone?”

Stone looked up to find Faith Barnacle standing there, wearing a coat, her bag over her shoulder.

“Faith, this is Caroline Whitehorn and her sister, Charlotte,” Stone said, rising.

“How do you do?” Faith said.

“Would you like to join us for dinner?”

“Thank you, Stone, but I’ve already eaten. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going out for a walk. I no longer need a guard, do I?”

“No, you don’t. Have a nightcap with us when you get back.”

“Thank you, I may do that.” Faith left.

“She’s very attractive,” Charlotte said. “Who is she?”

“She’s my pilot,” Stone replied. “She’s also the woman who survived an attack by the East Side Murderers.”

“Oh, yes, they worked in Mike’s hotel,” Caroline said. “Grandfather says you were instrumental in clearing him.”

“All I did was recommend an attorney, who did the rest.”

Fred came in and called them to dinner.

The leaves of the dining table had been removed, and it was now round, seating the five of them comfortably. Fred had decanted two bottles of Chateau Palmer ’78, and the table was set with Stone’s mother’s china and silver. Stone seated himself between the two sisters.

They finished their first course, and Charlotte said, “So, Stone, do you have some sort of fantasy about sleeping with sisters?”

“Oh, no,” Stone said immediately, “not sisters: twins.”

Everyone laughed.

“Then I guess we’re safe,” Caroline said.

“Not necessarily,” Stone replied. “I’m not inflexible.”

“Neither are we,” Charlotte replied.

More laughter.

“I can’t wait to see how you get out of this,” Dino said.

“I suppose my next move should be to just take them both upstairs,” Stone replied.

“We’re not indiscriminate, either,” Caroline said, “but we’ve never been able to share anything.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to take them upstairs one at a time, Stone,” Viv said.

“And therein lies the quandary,” Stone replied.

“Who first?”

“Exactly. They’re both too beautiful,” he said.

“That’s a graceful answer, Stone,” Charlotte said, “but not a solution to the problem.”

“Then there can be only one solution,” Stone said.

Everybody got quiet.

“What does Stone mean, Caroline?” Charlotte asked her sister.

“I think he means you and I have to decide,” Caroline replied. “And we both know what that means, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Come on, ladies,” Dino said, “you’re leaving us on tenterhooks.”

“What my sister means,” Charlotte said, “is that we never agree on important decisions.”

Stone took a deep breath and heaved a loud sigh. “I’m glad to be off that hook,” he said.

Fortunately, Fred chose that moment to serve the main course and top off everybody’s glass. Somebody, to Stone’s eternal gratitude, chose that moment to change the subject.

They had just finished dessert and were on to cognac when Stone glanced up to see Faith enter the room. She looked very shaken.

“Faith?” he said. “Is something wrong?”

“I’ve just shot somebody,” she replied.

Stone took Faith’s coat, sat her down, and got her a cognac. She sipped it gratefully.

“Did you call the police?” Dino asked.

“I left my cell phone,” she said. “It’s in my apartment.”

“Did you tell the nearest cop?”

“Dino,” she said, “you’re the nearest cop.”

“Then tell me what happened.”

“Wait a minute,” Stone said. “Faith, this may not be the best time to speak to the police. You’ve reported the shooting, and now you need to be represented by an attorney before you speak to them again.”

“Stone, you’re the nearest attorney,” Faith said. “I’d like you to represent me.”

“All right,” Stone said.

Dino spoke up. “Caroline, Charlotte, Viv, will you leave us, please? Have a seat in the living room, and close the door behind you.”

“You mean we don’t get to find out what happened?” Caroline asked.

“Not just yet,” Stone said, herding them toward the living room and closing the door. He sat down again. “All right, Dino, do you want to go off the record here?”

“I don’t see how I can do that,” Dino said.

“Then please go and join Caroline, Charlotte, and Viv in the living room, while I speak to my client.”

Dino shot him a dirty look. “Lives may be at stake here,” he said, closing the door behind him.

“All right, Faith,” Stone said. “Tell me what happened.”

Faith took a deep breath. “I walked up Park Avenue for a while,” she said, “then I started home. I was walking down Lexington Avenue, and I passed the hotel where I used to overnight in New York. Somebody opened a door and walked away, and as the door slowly closed itself I heard something familiar.”

“And what was that?”

“Classical music,” she said.

“What kind of classical music?”

“Like chamber music. I’m not sure if it was exactly the music I heard after I was kidnapped, but it was a lot like that. I got to the door before it closed and stepped inside. The lobby has been gutted, but it was clear of debris and appeared to have been swept. There was one work light standing in the middle of the room; the front desk was gone, but I could see a light coming from where the manager’s office was. The music was full and rich, like before, and it was pretty loud.”

“What did you do then?”

“I started walking slowly toward the manager’s doorway. I wanted to see who was in there. My gun was in my bag, and I took it out and worked the action as quietly as I could, then I put the safety on.”

“Is the gun still in your bag?” Stone asked.

“Yes.”

“Please take it out, pop the magazine, and eject the round in the chamber, then put them on the coffee table.”

She followed his instructions.

“Now show me how you were holding the gun.”

“Like this,” she said, holding out the weapon in her right hand and cradling it in her left.