Paris Match(109)

            “Do you buy that?”

            “No, it’s not necessary to buy it. He said all that before I had a chance to brief him. He mentioned the woman’s name.”

            “Funny how he already knew about it.”

            “I thought so, too. I had a chat with the reporter in question. He’s willing to hold the story.”

            “What did you have to give him?”

            “An interview—or at least the promise of one—after the first of the year. I don’t give many interviews, so it will be something of a coup for him.”

            “Thank you, Lance.”

            “You’re quite welcome.” Lance hung up.

            Stone returned to the table. “It looks as though Lance has the story contained.”

            “Where was the leak?” Holly asked.

            “A staffer on the SSCI, used to work for Carson.”

            “Whew!”

            “Will she get fired?” Dino asked.

            “I didn’t ask.”

            “If Carson wins, I’ll bet she turns up on the White House staff.”

            “Let’s don’t talk about ‘if Carson wins,’” Stone said. “I shudder at the thought.”





                     60


            The following morning, Stone and Holly packed their clothes and moved back into the suite at l’Arrington; it seemed a good idea, since they were departing from the hotel for the airport. Stone sent his tails to be pressed and his shoes to be polished, while Holly unboxed her new gown from Ralph Lauren and hung it in her dressing room.

            While she was fussing with that, Stone’s phone rang.

            “Hello?”

            “It’s Ann.”

            “Hi, there. How are you?”

            “Relieved.”

            Oh, no, he thought. “Relieved, as in fired?”

            “No, silly—relieved as in relieved. Less anxious, if you like.”

            “Have you changed your meds?”

            “No. I mean, I’m not on meds. Except sometimes, when I need to sleep.”

            “Why are you less anxious?”

            “Because the reporter I told you about yesterday told me he wasn’t filing the story. He said he didn’t have backup sources.”

            “That’s good news, isn’t it?”

            “It certainly is. What I want to know is, how did you do it?”

            “Do what?”

            “Get the story killed.”

            “Ann, I don’t even know the reporter, never met him. I don’t know his editor or his publisher, either.”

            “Then how did you do it?”

            “Why are you assuming I did something?”

            “Because you’re the only person I told about the story.”

            “You didn’t tell Kate or Sam Meriwether?” Meriwether was the holder of Will Lee’s old Senate seat and Kate’s campaign chairman.