“Oh, no, not me.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Stone.”
“That was irony.”
Lance took a deep breath, obviously trying to remain civil. “I want you to keep an eye on Barton.”
“I’m not in the ‘keeping an eye on’ business, Lance.”
“You have a house in Washington; why don’t you spend a few days there and drop in on him from time to time?”
“I am not your brother’s keeper, to coin a phrase.”
“Stone, if you had any idea of the pressures on me at work…”
“That would still not induce the miracle of genetics required to make Barton my brother. Here’s an idea, Lance: Why don’t you instruct Holly to take a little vacation, go up there and keep an eye on him? You said he likes women, and Holly is a very attractive one. She can use my house.” Holly Barker was Stone’s friend and occasional lover and one of Lance’s staff at Langley.
There was a long silence before Lance spoke. “That is actually a very good idea, Stone.”
“If she’ll do it.”
“I think that if I put it as a request for a personal favor she would go up there. You could drop in on her for a visit.”
Stone ignored that suggestion, though it had already crossed his mind. He hadn’t seen Holly for a while, and the idea of a couple of days in Connecticut with her was appealing. “I hope it all goes well, Lance.”
“Thank you. So do I.”
“Good-bye, Lance.”
“There is just one more thing, Stone.”
Stone rolled his eyes. “What is it?”
“There’s the matter of the missing mahogany secretary.”
Stone said nothing.
“Stone?”
“I’m here.”
“There’s the matter of…”
“Yes, yes, I got that.”
“Barton is very concerned about it, of course, given its value.”
“Of course.”
“If you can locate and recover it, he is willing to offer you a finder’s fee.”
“Lance, I’m really very busy with my work, and…”
“A million dollars.”
Stone stopped talking. “How’s that again?”
“A million dollars in cash. On the barrelhead, I believe the expression is.”