“Thank you, Geoffrey,” Stone said, taking one of the cups.
Dino took the other. “You are my new favorite person,” he said, speaking his first words of the day.
“I’ll consider that an honor,” Geoffrey replied in his usual calm voice.
Stone and Dino headed upstairs, coffees in hand. Just before they made their way into their respective rooms, Stone said, “If you fall back asleep, I’m leaving without you.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Dino said.
“Let me rephrase. If you fall asleep, I’ll have Major Bugg toss you into the car in whatever you happen to be wearing.”
“I like the first option better.”
“Sadly, that has been withdrawn,” Stone said, then headed to his bedroom.
A little before eight a.m.,Stone and Dino were climbing into the back of a Mercedes-Maybach S680 that had been hired totake them to the funeral, when Stone stopped and patted his pockets.
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
He hurried into the house and up to his room.
The earpiece and the black box that operated the camera he was wearing were right where he’d left them on his bed. He snatched them up and returned to the car.
Once he was inside and they were on their way, Dino said, “You look like you could already use a drink.”
“Ifeellike I could use a drink.”
“What did you almost forget?”
“The reason we’re here.”
Stone showed Dino the items Carly had given him and told him about the camera on his jacket.
“Which button?” Dino asked.
Stone pointed at the one Carly had replaced. Dino leaned in for a look.
“If you get any closer, you might have to buy me dinner.”
“You should be so lucky.” Dino sat back. “That’s quite some tech. I can’t even make out the camera.”
“I believe that’s the point.”
“You think Lance might gift a few of those to the department?”
“He’ll be at the service, so feel free to ask him directly.”
Gordon Pryce doubted he’d hadmore than a couple of hours of sleep by the time he dragged himself out of bed.
He had been dreading this morning ever since Bronsky had ordered him to attend Dame Felicity’s funeral; he had spentmost of the time since then trying to figure out how to get out of it.
He even considered throwing himself in front of a vehicle, but he didn’t have that kind of courage.
It was like that oldGodfatherpicture. Where Al Pacino just wanted to get out of the mob, but kept getting dragged back in. Only Pryce wasn’t the son of the don. He was the lowest of rodents being yanked back by the deadliest of cobras.
He shuffled through the morning, hoping to come up with an excuse to stay home, but time kept moving forward without a solution presenting itself.
Finally, he had no choice but to put on his suit and head out.
