“Marcel, should you ever wish to dispose of your Arrington stock, I or my other investors will buy it from you for a better price than the Russians would give you.”
“Oh, no, Stone, I don’t want out,” Marcel said. “I just wondered if we should toy with them a bit.”
“Marcel, these ‘gentlemen’ would regard anything beyond a simple no as an encouragement, and they would become even more of a nuisance than they already are. My advice would be to have your secretary, on your behalf, write a short, blunt refusal to the corporation. Don’t even sign it yourself.”
“All right, I’ll do that.”
“It has been my experience in dealing with criminal elements who seek to disguise themselves in legitimacy, that if you give them so much as a bite, they will want the steak, and the bone, too, on unacceptable terms. They have already accompanied your offer with a violent attack: the CIA van that I and my party rode in to your dinner last night was destroyed while we dined. This is what they like to think of as the carrot and the stick.”
“And how will you answer the loss of the van?”
“The CIA will answer, since the van was theirs, and I expect they will do so emphatically.”
“Will that not escalate the matter?”
“I think the Agency will do it in such a way as to discourage escalation.”
“Do you know how they will do it?”
“No, and I don’t want to know.”
The two men changed the subject and discussed the opening of l’Arrington in detail.
“I’m very impressed with my suite and with what I can see of the lobby and the exterior.”
“By our opening next week, all will be perfection,” Marcel said. “I assure this by throwing the first party in the hotel for the staff and the construction crews. They will bring their wives and girlfriends to dine and drink, and for their party, they will see that everything is perfect. Our party will be a couple of nights later.”
Stone rose to return to his van. “Anything I can do at the hotel?”
“You might send a note to the manager with any suggestions, complaints, or requests that would make your stay more enjoyable. Guest feedback is the one thing we don’t have yet.”
“I will do so.”
They said their goodbyes, and Stone returned to the sanctity of his supervan.
8
Stone was still feeling the effects of jet lag, so he had a nap, and when he woke, the Bacchettis were in the living room.
“We’ve ordered tea,” Viv said. Dino merely rolled his eyes. The waiter arrived and arranged things, then left.
“Have you made plans for dinner?” Viv asked.
“I have,” Stone replied. “Will you excuse me?”
“Yes, we have the welcoming dinner tonight at the Élysée Palace,” Dino said. “It’s our first opportunity to meet everybody before the conference begins tomorrow.”
“It’s Mirabelle, isn’t it?” Viv asked.
“It is.”
“Good, I’m glad you’ll have the company of someone other than Marcel and us.”
“That’s kind of you, Viv.” He knew she was thinking of Ann.