“No, I think they would have preferred me working in a code room, or something else less masculine. Mason has been working for me for two years, and he’s never really become accustomed to being bossed around by a woman. That’s one reason I let him take the lead with you; good for his ego.”
“You’re not married?”
She held up a bare ring finger. “How very observant of you.”
“Oh, I’m real quick.”
“Marriage would be difficult. If I married inside my organization there would be the problem of arranging compatible postings, office politics, all that. If I married outside, I’d probably have to resign.”
“Why?”
“Oh, many of our male employees are married to civilians, their wives having been well vetted, of course. But for our management, it doesn’t seem to work both ways. There’d still be the problem of postings, and they’d be fearful of an officer having to rush home and cook dinner for her husband. And, of course, children would be an unbearable complication. I love the work so much, I rather think I won’t marry.”
Dino appeared, rubbing his eyes. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Not a lot. You up for Chinese?”
“I’m always up for Chinese,” Dino replied.
51
THEY DINED FROM CARDBOARD CARTONS on Wedgwood plates. The food was superb, and Stone had found a dry, white Bordeaux in James Cutler’s cellar that was a perfect companion to Chinese food. Among the three of them, they managed two bottles.
Stone’s cellphone rang. “Hello?”
“Hi, it’s me,” Lance’s voice said.
“Lance,” Stone mouthed to Carpenter. She came and put her ear next to his.
“What’s up? Everything on schedule?”
“Did you wire the funds into the Swiss account?”
“Yes; they would have been there before the close of business.”
“Good; then we’re a go.”
“When is the buy going to take place?”
“The evening of the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow morning I have to arrange for the cash to be transported from Zurich to England. You’ll wire it to an account in Belgium, and it will be across the Channel as quickly as possible. I’ll give you the wiring instructions tomorrow morning, so don’t be far from your cellphone.”
“Lance, I want to be there for the buy.”
Lance was quiet for a moment. “That isn’t necessary,” he said.
“It’s necessary for me. I don’t want to be separated from my money.”
Lance laughed. “All right; we’ll arrange to meet west of London; I’ll give you an address.”
“Why don’t you just pick me up?”
“Because I won’t be returning to London after the buy; you’ll need transportation. Believe me, this is the best way to do it.”
“If you say so.”
“I’ll call you at nine o’clock tomorrow morning with the wiring instructions.”
“All right, good night.”