Collateral Damage (Stone Barrington 25)

“In my car, on the way to Langley.”

“Tell your driver to take an alternate route on surface roads and to proceed with caution,” Holly said. “There’s bad news from London.”

The phone was ringing in the office as Holly hurried into the room, and she grabbed it. “Holly Barker.”

“It’s very bad,” the director said. “There are at least thirty casualties, including Tom Riley.”

“How did they get to Tom?” Holly asked, knowing that his office was several floors up.

“For some reason, he went down to sign for a package, which was the bomb. A second bomb went off in the delivery van, which was sitting in Upper Grosvenor Street, doing a lot of damage to the offices across the way.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Ed Marvin, the deputy London station chief, had coronary bypass surgery yesterday and won’t be back at work for at least six weeks, and Lance is in Hawaii at a Pacific Rim security conference, so you’re now acting London station chief, until we can sort things out. An airplane will be waiting for you at Teterboro at eight P.M., and the chopper will take you out there at seven-thirty. You’ll be met at London City Airport, and the Connaught will have a suite for you. Call me from the embassy on my cell as soon as you’ve assessed the situation. Don’t worry about the time difference.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And, Holly, I’m sorry about your New York visit. Since Stone is a consultant to us, you can take him along, if you can talk him into it.”

“I’ll order him to come,” Holly said.

“Good luck.” The director hung up.

Holly dialed Stone’s number, and Joan put her through to her boss.

“Have you heard about London?” Holly asked.

“I’m watching it on CNN right now,” Stone replied.

“The director has ordered me to London, and she said I could take you along. Meet me at the East Side Heliport at seven-thirty.”

Stone hesitated for only a moment. “I’ll be there,” he said.

Holly hung up and dialed the direct line to the London station chief’s office.

“Yes?” A woman’s voice.

“This is Assistant Director Holly Barker. Who is this?”

“I’m Ann Tinney, Tom Riley’s assistant.”

“I was very sorry to hear of Tom’s death,” Holly said.

“Thank you, Ms. Barker.”

“Since Ed Marvin is in the hospital, and Lance Cabot is at a conference in Hawaii, the director has asked me to act as station chief until the situation is stabilized.”

“I understand. When will you arrive?”

“Tomorrow morning. Please have key staff standing by for a meeting. I’ll want an update on the casualty list and the damage, and then I’ll want individual briefings from each desk chief.”

“Of course.”

“I’m at the New York station now, but I’ll leave here in two hours. You can reach me on the airplane through the switchboard at Langley, if there’s anything further to report.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you, Ann. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Holly hung up and logged into the Agency’s mainframe computer from the station at her desk. She entered her password, then went into the personnel database and called up the list of London’s station key staff and began reading their files. Twice during the next two hours Ann Tinney called from London and gave her updates. It was getting worse.