Severe Clear (Stone Barrington 24)

“It’s Holly Barker. Are you still on this side of the Atlantic?”

“We are,” the man replied, “in Zurich. Are you ready to return to D.C.?”

“I am.”

“Will tomorrow morning be good enough?”

“That will be fine.”

“We’ll be ready to depart Biggin Hill at noon.”

“I’ll be there. See you then.” She hung up and called her office. Grace answered her phone, since Holly hadn’t had time to choose her own secretary.

“Ms. Barker’s office.”

“It’s Holly, Grace.”

“Good morning, Ms. Barker.”

“You’re going to have to get used to calling me Holly, Grace, since I hardly know who Ms. Barker is.”

“I’ll try, Ms. . . . Holly.”

“I’m departing London at noon tomorrow, and I expect to be in the office between three and four.”

“Would you like me to arrange ground transportation?”

“No, my car is at Dulles. Has anything of importance come up?”

“The director is anxious to hear your report.”

“Tell her I haven’t heard anything yet. My friend is out of town.”

“I’ll tell her.”

“See you tomorrow.” Holly ended the call. Almost immediately, the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Encrypt,” a man’s voice said.

Holly entered the code. “Encrypted.”

“It’s your jet-setting colleague.” The transmission was scratchy. “Can you hear me all right?”

“You break up now and then, but I can make you out.”

“I have something for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“The Nod reference is to a nursery rhyme: ‘Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.’ Do you know it?”

“I was a child, once,” Holly replied.

Hamish chuckled. “My information is that there are three operatives somewhere on the West Coast of the United States. I couldn’t learn where or how long they’ve been there or what they are planning. Did you get that?”

“I got it,” Holly said. “I don’t like it, but I got it. Is there any connection with the hotel?”