The Short Forever(79)

“We won’t come in,” Mason said. He handed Stone a tiny cellphone, its charger, and an extra battery. “If anyone asks, you rented this through the concierge at the Connaught.” He handed Stone an index card with a list of numbers written on it. “These are my and Carpenter’s cellphone numbers,” he said. “If there’s no answer, you’ll have an opportunity to leave a message, and one of us will get back to you quickly. I suggest you memorize them and destroy the card. Your number is there, too.”

“All right,” Stone said, pocketing the phone and the card.

“Tomorrow morning, call Lance Cabot and tell him you’ve arranged with your broker to have the quarter of a million transferred at a moment’s notice, pending Cabot’s satisfying you with the details of the transaction. When he tells you, I suggest you be somewhat less scrupulous than you’ve been so far; don’t be shocked at what the goods turn out to be or to whom they’re to be sold. The more of a buccaneer you seem to be, the more Cabot will be interested in doing business with you. Meantime, we’ll be doing a complete background check on Cabot, Ali, and Sheila.”

“Sounds good,” Stone said.

“Don’t leave the house without telling me, and on a few minutes’ notice, I can provide any transportation you may need. From now on, I want your only tail to be my people.”

“Thank you,” Stone said. He and Dino got out of the van, and it drove away. They trudged up the steps with their luggage and rang the bell.

Sarah answered and threw herself at Dino. “How are you, darling?” she asked. “And how’s Mary Ann?”

“We’re all just great,” Dino said, beaming at her.

“Come on in and get your things put away.” She led them up the stairs. “Dino, you’re in there, and Stone, you come with me.” She led him to a rear bedroom, obviously the master, and then she gave him a long and tantalizing kiss. “Get unpacked and come downstairs; dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

Stone hung up his clothes and put his toiletries in the bathroom, which was large and old, wall-to-wall marble.



The three of them sat around the kitchen table eating lamb chops and drinking an outstanding claret from James’s cellar.

“You won’t believe the wine that’s down there,” she said. “I don’t think that any lot of really fine wine passed through the business that James didn’t grab a case or two of for himself.”

Stone looked at the bottle: a Chateau Haut-Brion ’66. “I never thought I’d be drinking this,” he said.

“Stick around,” Sarah said. “I’ll ruin your liver for you.”

“Sarah, you’re not to tell anyone that Dino and I are staying here.”

“And why not?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to know.”

“Dear, don’t be so old-fashioned.”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m involved in some very delicate business, and the competition is unscrupulous. I don’t want them to know my whereabouts. If someone should call you asking for me, you can tell them I’ve moved from the Connaught, but you don’t know where.”

“Oh, all right, if you say so. It’s all very cloak-and-dagger, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I suppose it is.” More than she knew.



After dinner and brandy, Stone went upstairs and turned on the taps in the huge, old-fashioned bathtub. He had just settled in for a soak, with the lights dimmed, when Sarah came into the bathroom. She was quite naked, and it was the first good look he’d had at her that way for a long time.

“How about some company?” she said, sliding into the tub, facing him.

“Mmmm,” he replied, closing his eyes.

A moment later, he felt her hand on his crotch.

“I think we have to get this clean,” she said, and she began soaping it.

Stone held onto the sides of the tub.

“Now it’s clean,” she said, “and we have to get it warm.” She climbed on top of him and brought him inside her. “There,” she sighed. She began moving, slowly, in and out.

Stone responded favorably.

She reached behind her and took his testicles in her hand, still moving, now massaging gently.

Stone sat up and put his arms around her, cupping her buttocks in his hands, helping her move.

“Don’t you dare come before me,” she breathed, moving faster.

Stone ran a finger down between her cheeks, letting it pass lightly back and forth over her anus, then he inserted a finger.

Sarah came explosively, and he was right behind her. They writhed in the tub until they were both spent, then she put her head on his shoulder and wrapped herself around him. “I love a hot bath, don’t you?” she said.