He tried Stone’s landline, but when no one picked up after three rings, he hung up and hurried to his weapons closet.
He grabbed his favorite hunting knife, a pistol with an attached silencer, and a shotgun, then headed out into the storm.
Parker and his team pausedjust inside the woods at the edge of Stone’s property.
He retrieved his thermal-imaging monocular and scanned the area, immediately spotting the heat signatures of two men between him and the main house. One was huddled against theside of the building, using the eaves to protect himself from the rain. The other was patrolling along the shoreline between the woods and the dock, moving away from Parker and his men.
A bit more hunting around and he found another person stationed at the driveway entrance to the property. A fourth showed himself briefly, on the other side of the house near the garage.
Parker whispered instructions to each member of his team. After the last was handed out, he nodded and the men dispersed, leaving him alone with the client.
He could sense that the Russian wanted to ask him what was going on, but to his credit, the man remained silent.
Several minutes passed before his men began checking in one by one. When the last was in position, Parker scanned the property again. All was as it had been.
He clicked on his mic, then whispered, “Go.”
Chapter 38
Twenty minutes earlier, Seth andhis wife, Mary, entered the dining room to clear away the dishes.
“Superb as always,” Stone said.
He, Dino, Felicity, Carly, and Jillian had just finished a late dinner of lobster tail and roasted garlic potatoes that Mary had prepared.
“Don’t get up just yet,” Seth said. “Mary’s made something special for dessert.”
“I wouldn’t dream of moving,” Stone said.
Dino patted his stomach. “I don’t think Icanmove.”
Seth and Mary disappeared into the kitchen with the empty dishes and returned a few moments later with plates of Mary’s famous apple tarts and homemade vanilla ice cream.
As they started to hand them out, the phone began to ring.
“I’ll get it,” Seth told his wife.
He set the dishes he’d been carrying on the sideboard and headed back to the kitchen. But before he even reached the door, the ringing stopped.
“If it’s important, they’ll call back,” Mary said.
He shrugged and returned to help his wife.
The dessert was as good as promised. After everyone wasfull and satisfied, Stone, Dino, and Felicity moved to the living room, while Carly and Jillian put their computers back onto the dining table and resumed working.
“I believe I have a bottle of Quinta do Noval Nacional, if anyone is interested,” Stone offered.
“What year?” Felicity asked.
“Nineteen eighty-five.”
“Eighty-five? It would be a crime to say no.”
“Dino?” Stone asked.
“I wasn’t planning on saying no, no matter which year it was from,” Dino said.
Stone retrieved the bottle, then poured glasses for each of them.
