“Let me make a couple of calls,” Mike said, and hung up. Late in the afternoon he called back. “I’ve spoken to a couple of people I know at DEA and Treasury, and they’re going to be paying a lot of attention to where Prince’s money is coming from,” Mike said.
“Tell them they’d better pay attention fast,” Stone replied.
“We’re running out of time here. Our closing is set for tomorrow morning.”
“Where?”
“Here, at the house.”
“Can you delay it?”
“Maybe for an hour, but Prince won’t like it; he has to close by noon.”
“Try for the hour; it could make a difference.”
“I’ll do that,” Stone said. He hung up and called Carolyn at Prince’s office.
“Yes?”
“Tell Prince we have to close at eleven, instead of ten, and that we’ll be doing it here.”
“He won’t like that.”
“I don’t care if he likes it, just tell him eleven a.m. here, at the house.”
“I’ll tell him.” She hung up.
Stone hardly touched his lunch.
“I’ve never seen you this nervous before,” Dino said. “Relax, will you? You’re making me nervous.”
Stone finished the wine in his glass and took a few deep breaths.
Arrington appeared on the patio. “I’m going home,” she said. “You don’t need me for this closing.”
“No,” Stone replied, “and I think it’s just as well you’re going.” He thought of telling her about the involvement of the two drug cartels but couldn’t bring himself to do it.
She kissed Dino on the forehead, then came and put her arms around Stone. “Thank you for all you’ve done,” she said.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Stone replied, giving her a kiss. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Arrington walked back into the house and was gone.
“So,” Dino said, “it’s just you and me against the bad guys.”
“I hope we’re enough,” Stone said.
60
On Friday morning Stone managed to get down some breakfast, but he couldn’t make himself pay attention to the newspapers. He called Ed Eagle to find out if there was any word on the DNA tests, but had to leave a message. He called Mike Freeman.
“Stone, they said they’d see what they could do, but I don’t know what that means or if they’ll do it. I wish I could tell you more.” They said goodbye.
Dino looked up from his eggs. “You don’t look any happier,” he said.
Stone pushed his plate away and drank some orange juice to keep up his blood sugar. “I’ve made a terrible mistake,” he said.
“I’m doing business with drug dealers, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”