Cantor pressed the button again and gave Stone a thumbs-up.
Stone woke the following morning and, when he went downstairs to retrieve the Times, found Cantor and his crew in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating breakfast.
“We raided the icebox,” Cantor said.
“That’s okay.”
“And we’ll be done by lunchtime.”
“Great news,” Stone said, pouring himself some coffee.
“The stuff these people have installed in your house leads me to believe that these people are not exactly your garden-variety industrial spies,” Cantor said. “This looks more like government work, and of a high order.”
“I’m glad to know my tax dollars are being spent on the best,” Stone said.
“But my stuff is more than good enough to pick up what you want.”
“Good. When we’re all done, make two copies of everything. I want my client to have a copy.”
“Easily done,” Cantor said. “Keep this in your pocket; it will work from there. If you come to a point in your meetings where you don’t want your image or voice recorded, just press the button. All they’ll get is static and snow. When you want to let them record again, press the button once more.”
Stone put the device in his pocket. “Right,” he said, then he went back upstairs with his coffee, a muffin, and the Times and settled in for a morning of reading, watching the Sunday morning political shows, and doing the crossword puzzle.
He thought about alerting Pablo to his suspicions about Lance, but decided not to. He would be on hand to protect his client.
FORTY
At eight o’clock sharp on Monday morning Stone’s doorbell rang, and he admitted Pablo. Holding a finger to his lips, he walked his client through the kitchen and out to the back garden.
“What’s up?” Pablo asked.
“The whole house is wired for pictures and sound. I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes without their seeing or hearing us.”
“All right.”
Stone showed him the device Cantor had left him. “I’ve installed my own system, parallel to theirs, and something else, as well. If I need to talk to you
without being seen or overheard, all I have to do is press this button, and their system won’t see or hear anything.”
“I want one of these,” Pablo said, fingering the device. “Can you get me one?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Stone said. “I’ve learned over the weekend that the Manhattan District Attorney is aware of our meetings with Lance and believes he may be able to develop cases from what you have to say.”
“That’s very unlikely,” Pablo said. “I have been very careful not to conduct business in the United States that might result in the breaking of U.S. law.”
“Fine, I just wanted you to know. Another thing: I think we may want to conclude these meetings earlier than Lance believes we will. I’m thinking, before noon on Thursday.”
“That’s fine with me,” Pablo said.
“Can you drop off the grid for a few days or weeks afterward?”
“I can.”
“Then, when I decide the time is right for that—and this is after you’ve given them their bonus—I’ll say something to the effect that I want a break, because I don’t want to tire you out.”
“All right.”
Stone explained to Pablo what to do in that eventuality.