Stone Barrington: The Short Forever Part 22

"Think about it; what do you know that you haven't already told them?"

"Not much, just your name."

"Exactly, and they don't believe you know that. They believe they've milked you dry, so you're of no further use to them. They'll leave you alone, now."

"If you say so," Stone replied doubtfully.

"Trust me," Hedger said.

Yeah, sure, Stone thought. But double his hourly fee sounded awfully good. It wasn't until Hedger had left that Stone remembered that he had forgotten to mention the two Arab names he'd been asked about. What were they . . . Ali and Sheherezad, also known as Sheila? He couldn't remember the last names.

30.

STONE'S NEXT THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE the same discussion with Lance Cabot that he'd had with Stanford Hedger. Rain had begun to beat against the Connaught's windows, so he retrieved his new raincoat and umbrella from his suite, and the doorman got him a cab. It was only a short way to Farm Street, but Stone was not going to dance over there in the rain.

The cabbie was just turning into Farm Steet, when Stone stopped him. "Just hold it right here for a minute," he said. Lance Cabot and the couple he'd met with in the village pub were leaving the house, getting into a cab of their own. "Follow that cab," Stone said, "but not too closely." He could see the driver in the rearview mirror, rolling his eyes.

"Right, guv," the cabbie said. "It's your money; I'll follow them to Cornwall, if you like."

"I doubt if they'll go that far."

Lance's cab set off. Stone's driver reversed for a few yards, then drove up another mews. Stone thought the man had lost the other cab, until it appeared ahead of them. "Very good," he said to the driver.

"It's what I do," the cabbie said. "You know about The Knowledge?" Lance's cab turned into Park Lane, and Stone's followed.

"What knowledge is that?"

"The Knowledge is what every London cabdriver has to have before he gets a license. You drive all over town on a motorbike for a year or two, taking notes on addresses, public buildings, pubs, theaters and tube stops-whatever you see; you go to cla.s.ses at night; and finally you take the exam. A question would be, like, 'A pa.s.senger wants to go from Hampstead Heath to Wormwood Scrubs Prison. Describe the shortest route, and name every cross street, public building, and tube stop along the way.' Miss one cross street, and you've missed the question. Miss too many questions, and you've failed the exam. Get it right, and you have The Knowledge, and you get your license."

Lance's cab drove around Hyde Park Corner, through Belgrave Square, on to Sloane Square, and started down the King's Road. Stone glanced at side streets as they pa.s.sed and wondered if he could ever memorize them all. "That's pretty impressive," he said.

"I had a mate once, went through all that, pa.s.sed The Knowledge, got his license, then he went out to celebrate that night, had a lot to drink, and got stopped by the police on the way home and Breathalyzed. Lost his license; he'd taken two and a half years to get it, and he kept it only a few hours."

"Poor fellow," Stone said. They were past World's End now, continuing down the King's Road, past dozens of antique shops. A large, black car overtook Stone's cab and drove on.

"Who's in the other cab?" the cabbie asked. "If you don't mind my asking."

"My wife's boyfriend, I think," Stone replied.

"Don't you worry, guv, I won't lose the b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

Up ahead, Lance's cab was signaling a left turn. The black car turned, too. It was starting to look familiar to Stone. Lance's cab approached a large building that had probably once been a warehouse but now bore a large sign declaring it to be an antiques market. Down the block, Lance's cab came to a halt, and its three occupants got out. The black car stopped half a block behind them.

"Stop here," Stone said. The cabbie stopped. Stone watched as two large, swarthy men got out of the back of the limousine and followed Lance and his companions into the building.

"Is there another entrance to this place?" Stone asked.

"Just around the corner, there, in the King's Road," the cabbie said.

Stone got out of the cab and handed the driver a ten-pound note.

"Thanks, guv," the driver said. "You want me to wait for you? Won't be easy getting a cab in this weather."

Stone handed him another tenner. "Wait ten pounds' worth, and if I haven't come back, forget it."

"Righto, guv."

Stone walked around the corner and into the building. The place was a warren of antique shops, some large and rambling, some no more than a yard or two wide. It was uncrowded, with only a few shoppers wandering about. He had to make an effort not to window-shop; he worked his way quickly through the building, looking for Lance, and then he saw him and his two friends turn a corner down a long corridor and walk toward him. Stone ducked into a shop and pretended to look at a piece of statuary. After a two-minute wait, when they hadn't pa.s.sed the shop, he looked down the corridor again; they had disappeared.

Must have gone into a shop, Stone thought. He made his way slowly down the corridor; then he saw a small sign, hung at right angles to a shopfront: A&S ANTIQUITIES-MIDDLE EASTERN SPECIALISTS. Ali and Sheila? Stone stopped and peered through a corner of a window. The woman was sitting at a desk writing on a pad. He could see the back of Lance's head in a small office behind her. Stone wondered how long it would take for the two men to find them and what would happen when they did. It wouldn't be good, he thought.

He stood back from the window and read the phone number painted on the shop window, then went back the way he had come. When he was at the King's Road entrance, he called the number on his satellite phone.

"A&S Antiquities," the woman's voice said.

"Let me speak to Lance at once," Stone said.

"I beg your pardon? There's no one here by that name."

"He's in the back room with Ali, and this is an emergency. Put him on and quickly!"

"Yes?" Lance's voice said, warily.

"It's Stone Barrington. Two very large Middle Eastern gentlemen are in the building looking for you at this moment. I've met them before, and they are not friendly."

"What are you talking about?"

"If I were you, I'd get out of there right now. I have a cab waiting at the corner, near the King's Road entrance to the building. You don't have much time."

Lance's voice could be heard, but m.u.f.fled, as if his hand were over the receiver, then he came back on. "We'll be right there," he said.

Stone put the phone in his pocket and ran through the rain to the cab, not bothering with his umbrella.

"Where to, guv?" the cabbie asked.

"Just wait. We're being joined by some other people."

"Whatever you say, guv."

A moment later, Lance and his two friends dived into the cab. "Get us out of here," Lance said to the driver. He turned to Stone. "Now," he said, "what's going on?"

They drove past the black limousine. "You recognize that car?" Stone asked.

"No."

"The two gentlemen I described were in it; they followed you from your house."

"How do you know that?"

"I was on my way to see you when you came out of the house; they followed you, so I followed them."

"Why would you do that?"

"I had a rather unpleasant encounter with them and some friends of theirs earlier today," Stone said. "I wanted to spare you the same experience, or worse."

"Who are they?"

"I had hoped you could tell me. The man they work for is bald, with a bullet-shaped head."

"Does that sound familiar?" Lance asked Ali and Sheila.

Both shook their heads.

They had driven around the block and were now on the opposite side of the antiques market building. As they drove toward the King's Road, a section of the building exploded outward, followed a split second later by a huge roar. The cabbie, without a word, executed a speedy U-turn.

"I believe that was your shop," Stone said to Ali and Sheila.

Lance was suddenly on a cellphone, punching in a number and waiting impatiently for an answer. "Erica," he said, "I want you to leave the house right this minute; go to Monica's gallery; take nothing with you. Do you understand? I'll explain later; just get out of there immediately!" He ended the call and turned to Stone. "Thank you," he said.

"Not at all," Stone replied. "But now perhaps you'll tell me what the h.e.l.l is going on."

31.

LANCE STARED OUT THE CAB WINDOW at the rainy streets. He had not answered Stone's request. "Tell me about your encounter with these people," he said.

Stone related his tale of being abducted and interrogated. When he had finished, Lance still said nothing for a long moment. "Sounds like the Mossad to me."

"We've got to get out of the country," Ali said. "They just proved that to us."

"No, not yet," Lance replied, still looking out the window. Once Erica is out of the house, they won't know where to find us."

"Where are we going?" Sheila asked.

Lance opened the part.i.tion and gave the driver an address. "To Monica's gallery; we'll figure it out there."

The gallery was in Dover Street, off New Bond Street; it was a wide building with a limestone front and had a single word, BURROUGHS, painted on the front window. Stone was impressed; he'd imagined something smaller.

"Can you wait for us?" Lance asked the cabbie.

"As long as you like, mate," the cabbie replied. He lowered his voice. "The other bloke knows you're having his wife off, you know; I can't wait to see what happens."

Stone heard this and laughed.

"What is he talking about?" Lance asked as they turned toward the gallery.

"I had to tell him something," Stone said. They went inside.

Monica Burroughs was sitting at a desk in the large gallery, talking to Sarah Buckminster, who was seated next to her, looking at some slides. "Oh, h.e.l.lo," she said, as Stone and Lance approached.

"Is Erica here?" Lance asked.

"No, is she supposed to be?"

Lance went to the window and looked out into the street.

Sarah came around the desk and pecked Stone on the cheek. "What's up? Lance looks worried."

"There's been a little trouble," Stone said. "Lance asked Erica to meet him here."

"What sort of trouble?"

"I'll tell you later."

Lance was pacing up and down, checking outside often. He came to where Stone and Sarah stood. "I'm going to go and get her," he said.

"Wait a few minutes," Stone replied. "She's probably on her way; she wouldn't be there when you got there."

As if to prove his point, Erica came through the front door, breathless. "I'm sorry to take so long; I couldn't get a cab in this rain. What's happening?" she asked Lance.

"We have to move, and right away," Lance replied.

"Why?"

"There's been . . . some trouble; I don't want to go into it right now, but our house isn't safe at the moment. We can go back later and pick up some things."

Erica looked at Stone. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

"It's best if you just do as Lance says for the moment," Stone replied. "Lance, do you have anywhere to go?"

"I'm thinking," Lance said. "I suppose we could find a small hotel somewhere."

"James's house," Sarah said suddenly.

"What?" Lance asked.

"James's house; there's no one there but the housekeeper; there's plenty of room for, what, the four of you?" She nodded toward Ali and Sheila.