Bel-Air Dead (Stone Barrington 20)

Stone’s phone rang again. “Hello?”

“It’s Eggers.”

“Hello, Bill.”

“We’ve received all of Arrington’s documents, properly signed, and dispersed the funds required in each case. She now owns the airplane, the Baird shares, and the property adjacent to hers. The previous owners have ninety days to vacate, as per the original option.”

“Great news; I’ll tell her.”

“I had a call from Terrence Prince earlier today,” Eggers said. “He made noise about big New York projects to come and suggested he might like us to represent him.”

“I’ve just had lunch with him, Bill, and you can forget about that.”

“Oh? I thought it an attractive idea.”

“That’s what he wanted you to think. He was trying to soften me up on the Centurion deal with empty promises. You watch-there won’t be any New York projects.”

“I did tell him that representing him was out, until the Centurion situation is resolved.”

“So did I.”

“What do you think his next move will be?”

Stone paused and looked over at Arrington. “Arrington is taking her new airplane home tomorrow morning.”

“Ah, you’re getting her out of harm’s way, then?”

“Of course.”

“Stone, you might watch your own back, too.”

“Dino’s doing that for me,” Stone said. They hung up.

“Is Bill all right?” Arrington asked.

“Never better,” Stone said. He told her about the substance of the conversation with Eggers.

“All good news.”

“Let’s have a farewell dinner tonight; I’ll take you out.”

“I’d love that,” she said.

30

Stone started to book a table at Spago Beverly Hills, but then thought better of it. He’s already had dinner there once this trip, and with Carolyn Blaine, Prince’s assistant. Instead, he booked a table at Vincenzo, an Italian restaurant he’d heard good things about.

As he pulled out of the Calder driveway, he noticed a car parked up the street-unusual, because people didn’t usually park on the street in Bel-Air; they had plenty of room inside their gates. As he drove away he saw the car move out, too, staying well behind him, headlights off in the dusk. He noticed that his own headlights, on the auto setting, had come on of their own volition.

They chatted idly as they drove, with Stone keeping an eye on the car in the rearview mirror, and a few minutes later Stone pulled up in front of the restaurant. The parking valet opened his door for him, and Stone came up with a fifty-dollar bill. “I’d appreciate it if you’d keep my car parked on the street, right under that lamp ahead. There are some valuable items aboard, and I’d hate to have the car broken into.”

“Of course, sir,” the young man said, and from inside the restaurant, Stone watched as the car was pulled forward a few yards and parked under the street lamp.

They were given a good table, in spite of not being regulars, and Stone was able to see his car.

“What’s so valuable in your rental car?” Arrington asked.

“Nothing, really. I just don’t want to make it easy for anyone to tamper with it.”