Unnatural Acts (Stone Barrington 23)

“What’s up in L.A.?”

“I think it’s time we had a look at our hotel’s progress.”

“Well, the hotel is a Woodman and Weld client, so I guess I can justify the trip.”

“We’ll take the Strategic Services G-550,” Mike said.

“That will take the sting out of air travel.”

“Can I come?” Herbie asked.

Stone shook his head. “No junkets for you. You have new business to take care of.”

“How about me?” Dino asked. “I can take the time.”

“You’re welcome, Dino,” Mike said. He looked around. “Do they serve food here?”

23

The big Gulfstream lined up for takeoff on Runway 1 at Teterboro, and the pilot pushed the throttles forward.

“What happened to the beautiful pilot Suzanne Alley?” Stone asked. “We had dinner in London once.”

“She got a better offer,” Mike replied.

The pilot rotated and the jet rose and climbed quickly.

“I’ll be interested to see if we get cleared all the way to cruising altitude,” Stone said.

“Not until we get away from Newark Liberty,” Mike said, “but that won’t take long.”

The airplane leveled off at Flight Level 440. The stewardess unbuckled her seat belt and came aft with a tray of breakfast pastries and a pot of coffee.

Dino accepted a pastry and a cup of coffee. “This is better than flying in your airplane,” he said to Stone.

“We have pastries and coffee on my airplane,” Stone replied. “If you bring them.”

“I believe my point is made,” Dino said. “I’d also have to bring my own stewardess.”

Later that day they set down at Burbank and got into a waiting rented Mercedes. Mike drove.

“I’ve booked us into the Bel-Air,” he said. “Might as well check out our competition.”

“I hope they don’t know who we are,” Stone said. “We might get mugged.”

“They’ll know,” Mike said. “They knew well before we broke ground. Shall we visit the site now?”

“Sure,” Stone said.

Mike drove them to Bel-Air and up to Vance Calder’s old property. Cars and pickup trucks were lined up along the road for a quarter of a mile. “I guess they don’t have any parking areas finished yet,” he said. They turned into the driveway and stopped to identify themselves to the security guard, then they continued up the winding driveway. “There’ll be cottages on both sides of the road all the way up,” Mike said.

They parked just short of the front door to the old house and got out of the car. A portico wide enough for half a dozen cars was being constructed, and the old garage was being turned into interior space. They looked down the hill to where an enormous pit had been dug. Mike pointed. “Underground parking,” he said.

“It looks like a giant anthill,” Stone said. “I’ve never seen so many workmen on a site.”

“We’ve got three construction companies working two shifts,” Mike said. “Nobody is going to believe how quickly this hotel is going to open.”

“Where is Arrington’s house going to be?” Stone asked.