“He’s away, but there’s a housekeeper.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mike said.
“Do you want to ride with me?”
“Sure.”
“Where do you live?”
“The Dakota; Seventy-second and Central Park West.”
“I’ll see you at ten a.m.” They hung up.
“Such intrigue!” Willa said, snuggling up.
Stone stopped in front of the Dakota, a huge apartment house built late in the 1880s, and Mike Freeman came out carrying an overnight bag. Stone popped the trunk, Willa got in the rear seat, and Mike got in up front.
“Go,” he said.
Stone went.
“How long a drive?”
“An hour and forty-five minutes,” Stone said. “Maybe less on a Sunday morning.”
Stone drove into the village ten minutes early.
“Let’s go down to the Depot and make sure my people are there,” Mike said.
Stone drove down the long hill into Washington Depot, and they found four black SUVs parked at the filling station, which was closed.
“God, Mike, it looks like the president’s in town!” Stone said.
“You have a point,” Mike replied. “Next time we order vehicles we’ll go for varied colors.” He got out of Stone’s car, talked with one of his men, then got back in. “Okay; they’ll follow us in five minutes.”
“That’s good,” Stone said. He drove back up the hill and turned into Kirby Road. As he turned into his driveway there was no sign of another car. “Everybody wait here,” Stone said, then got out and looked around. He went to his front door, unlocked it and looked around again. Pablo was strolling through his front gate.
Pablo shook Stone’s hand. “Who are the people in your car?” he asked.
“Mike Freeman, CEO of Strategic Services, whom you met on the C-17, and a friend of mine, Willa Crane. There are four cars parked down the hill; they’re five minutes behind us. Where is your family?”
“At the Mayflower Inn,” Pablo replied.
“How many in your party?”
“My wife, two servants, and two security. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with an estate agent to look at houses to rent.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Stone said. “The Agency is providing a very comfortable house for you. It’s well-located for security. Shall we pick up your people?”
“They’re packed and ready,” Pablo said. “I have two rental cars.”
The four black SUVs drove up and stopped in the road. “Here we go,” Stone said, opening the rear door for Pablo, who got in beside Willa.
Stone drove to the Mayflower, and Pablo went inside. A moment later he and his party emerged, and porters put their luggage into two station wagons, then Stone led the way to Lake Waramaug.
Mike was on a two-way radio to his cars. “Two cars ahead of us,” he said, and Stone slowed so that they could pass. “I’ll direct you.”