Stone Cold

“Or if you did you’d have to kill me, right?” David said, laughing.

“All I do is help people run things better by pointing out flaws in their systems.”

“Like a computer guy does with bugs? So you’re like a debugger.”

“Exactly. Like I said, pretty boring stuff, but it pays well and keeps food on the table, which by the way, you seem to be eating about a hundred pounds of a day.”

“I’m a growing boy, Pop. Hey, did you know that Barry Waller’s dad chased a guy in his police car down an alleyway and wrestled a gun out of his hand after the dude robbed a bank? Barry said the guy almost shot his dad.”

“Police work can be very dangerous. Barry’s dad is a brave man.”

“I’m glad you don’t do stuff like that.”

“Me too.”

“So just keep doing your boring debugging stuff, Pop.” David gave his father a playful punch in the arm. “And stay out of trouble, will ya?”

“I will, son. I will,” said Harry Fi

CHAPTER 10

STONE AND ALEX FORD met at a familiar place for both men, Lafayette Park across from the White House. Here the six-foot-three-inch Alex had guarded the occupant of the Oval Office for years and Stone had respectfully protested against this same inhabitant, as he had against the man’s predecessors, from across the street. The two men sat on a bench near the statue of a Polish general whom history remembered as a sound ally of the Americans in their war for independence. He was also a man, it was probably safe to say, hardly any American alive today would either know or care about.

“What do you have for me?” Stone said, eyeing the manila folder Alex pulled from a trim black leather briefcase.

“I wasn’t sure what you were looking for, so I thought I’d cast a broad net.”

“That’s perfect, Alex, thanks.”

As Stone looked over the file, Alex studied his friend. “Like I told you on the phone, the Justice Department has been interested in Bagger for a long time but can’t make anything stick. I talked to Kate about it. She said Justice hasn’t given up but if they can’t pin something on him soon, they’re going to have to move on. Even Uncle Sam has limited resources.”

“How is Kate?” Stone asked, referring to Kate Adams, the Justice lawyer Alex had been dating.

“Things didn’t work out. She’s seeing someone else.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. She’s a wonderful woman,” Stone replied.

“Yes she is, but just not the woman for me or me the man for her. Speaking of women, where’s Adelphia?”

Adelphia, a strange woman of undetermined origin and interesting accent, had been the only other protester left in Lafayette Park besides Stone. Alex had long suspected that she had a crush on his friend.

“I haven’t seen her for some time,” Stone replied. “She even took her sign down.”

“She was a strange bird.”

“We’re all strange birds.” He closed the folder and stood. “I appreciate this. It will be a big help.”

“Jerry Bagger, Jersey casino operator. So you thinking about doing some gambling?”

“Maybe, just not the way you probably imagine it.”

“From what I’ve heard, Bagger is a real psycho with a mean streak. Not a guy to mess around with.”

“I have no intention of doing anything like that.”

Alex rose too. “Even so, should I be expecting another eleventh-hour phone call for the cavalry?”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Saw our favorite buddy Carter Gray got the Medal of Freedom. It took all my willpower not to call the prick up and tell him to go to hell.”

“My willpower’s obviously not as strong as yours.” Stone then explained what he’d done.

Alex’s expression brightened. “You didn’t!”

“Yes, I did. And on top of that Gray’s asked me to visit him at his house tonight.”

“And you’re going?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Why? What could he possibly have to say that you’d want to hear?”

“I have some questions to ask him about… my daughter.”

Alex’s expression softened and he patted Stone’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

“Life is what it is, Alex. You just have to accept it, because you have no other choice.”

CHAPTER 11

THE BOAT HARRY FINN was currently riding on the side of was not quite as fast as the naval vessel he’d piggybacked on previously, but it was more than adequate. Like the military folks, the people he had hitched the ride from tonight had no idea of his presence. He had chosen it because they were heading in the direction he wanted to go. He would have to get home another way, a way he’d already figured out. He had timed out the ride and kept glancing at his illuminated watch in anticipation of when to peel away and swim for shore. A storm was percolating, which was both good and bad for his plan. He’d come prepared; he always did.

As the boat neared where he would be leaving it, Fi

“David said he’d talked to you about your work.”

“That’s right. He said you’d told him you weren’t sure what I did for a living.”

“I’m not.”

“You know once I left the military I started doing contract work for Homeland Security.”

“But David can’t know that? And I can’t know more?”

“It’s just better that way. I’m sorry. But you have to trust me on that.”

“At least when you were in the navy I knew what I was getting into. What do they ask you to do now?”

He slipped an arm around her waist. “Like I’ve told you before, I help make us safer. There are lots of holes out there. My job is to patch them up, make us stronger. It’s not even remotely dangerous.”

The tension was clear on her face. “If it’s not even remotely dangerous why can’t you tell me?”

“I just can’t.”

“You never have been much of a talker, have you?’

“I always assumed it was one of the things you loved most about me.”

And they had left it at that. Mandy would never know that he illegally flew in the cargo holds of commercial aircraft, and rode without a shred of authorization on the hulls of military ships, because what spouse needed to know such things? And she would never know of the Dan Rosses of the world and the fates that had befallen them. Or of the Carter Grays who once held all the cards, but no longer did.

Yet it was still troubling for Harry Fi

Yet that day seeing the former Amanda Graham walk across that lawn in her jean short-shorts and open-toed sandals, with waist-length blonde hair and a face more lovely than he’d ever seen before, he had walked right up to the young woman and asked her out for that very night. She had declined at first, perhaps offended that he believed she would be free on such short notice. But Fi