do you want me, and where?”
“Seven AM, Sunday, at your house. I’m assuming the Secret Service will transport you, but I’d like to have somebody in the car with you who knows the ropes with the networks.”
“Okay, have ’em ring the doorbell. The Service will want to board me in the garage. E-mail me a schedule on this phone, and I’ll pass it on to them, so they can make their arrangements. See you on the tube.” She made a kissing noise, then hung up.
“Well, so much for your vacation. I’m afraid it wasn’t much of one.”
“At least I got in some sleep and a few drinks,” she said. “Not to mention your body, and I want some more of that right now.”
Stone set the breakfast trays outside the door, then dove into her waiting arms.
* * *
—
After taking care of that, Stone sought out Bill Wright. “We’re going to need to fly to Washington tomorrow night,” he said.
“What’s the occasion?”
“She’s booked on four television shows on Sunday, in the Washington studios of all four networks.”
“May I make a suggestion?” Bill asked.
“Sure.”
“Why don’t we do a TV setup at her house, and she can do all four from there, remotely. She’ll still be on live TV, and we won’t have to secure four studios.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Stone said. “I’ll call Sam.”
“You can blame us, if you like. Tell him we’re insisting for reasons of her personal security.”
“Right.” Stone got on the phone with Sam Meriwether and gave him the suggestion.
“I don’t see why not,” Sam replied. “It will give the appearance of a homier feeling. Is it too early for a Christmas tree?”
“I think so,” Stone replied.
“I’ll call you back.”
Stone went back to the bedroom and told Holly what was up.
“Wonderful!” she enthused. “I won’t have to sit around those studios waiting and being nice to people.”
“Right. Sam is setting it up, and we’ll offer the feed to the four stations. They won’t have to do a thing but press a button. They’ll love it.”
Inside of an hour, everyone was in agreement.
“I guess you’ll want to land at Dulles,” Bill said.
“No, at Manassas, Virginia. There’s enough runway, and a lot fewer people around.”
“Okay, that suits us fine. Where will she want to go after that?”
“Hang on,” Stone said. He went back to the bedroom. “Where do you want to go after Sunday?” he asked.
She seemed nonplussed.
“Your choices are: one, a prisoner in your own home; two, a prisoner in my home; three, live your life and the hell with them.”
“I won’t feel safe with option three,” she said. “Where do you want me?”
“In New York, with me,” he said firmly.
“Okay, we’ll stay in New York Sunday night.”
“Great!” He went to inform Bill and the Bacchettis.
12
The Gulfstream set down just after dark and a new detail of agents took over, moving passengers and luggage into SUVs and leaving the airfield in five minutes.
“Let me borrow your phone,” Holly said to Stone. He handed it over, and she called the chef at her favorite local restaurant. “Hello, Danny? It’s Holly Barker.” There was a moment of ado before Holly could continue. “I’m on my way in from out of town with some friends who are staying at my house. Could you make them some dinner, and deliver it? There are six, and I’ll leave it to you to choose the menu. Don’t bother with wines. Thank you, Danny. Just put it on my tab and add a big tip.” She hung up. “We will be fed in an hour,” she said. “Bill, you and Claire join us. Your detail can fend for themselves.”
“That’ll work,” Bill said.
“I suppose they’ll have to sweep the house?”
“Already done,” he replied. “It’s clean.”
* * *
—
They drove to Georgetown. A few yards from the house, the garage door opened and they entered the basement. A group of cots were set up in a corner, ready for use.
They dismounted and went to their rooms to freshen up. Holly stayed upstairs until the food had been delivered, then she joined everyone else. While they were in the dining room a crew arrived and began to set up camera and audio equipment. Holly went into the living room and approved the corner of the room that would be on camera, then checked out the camera angles. She rejoined the others in the dining room. “We could shoot it tonight, if they didn’t all want to be live.”
After dinner, the White House was on the line for Holly, and