Cut and Thrust Read Online Free Page B

“Kate has nine appointments, and I have to be with her at every one.”
    “Peter and Ben are having a housewarming tonight—I hope you’ll be able to go. It starts early, six o’clock.” He wrote down the address for her. “It’s a left turn off Sunset, the other side of I-405.”
    “If we can keep to our schedule, Kate will be finished at four-thirty, but don’t count on it. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”
    “Sounds good. Listen, is Kate really not concerned about the death threat?”
    “Every time something like that happens, she brushes it off,” Ann said, “but in her heart of hearts, who knows?”
    “Not even her husband, apparently. He says she’s cavalier about threats.”
    Ann laughed. “That’s a good description. I’m going to let the Secret Service worry about it.”
    “Right, let them get between Kate and a bullet.”
    “I’m like Kate, I don’t want to think about it.”
    “I’ll see you tonight sometime,” Stone said, and she was gone.
    —
    STONE WAS HAVING lunch by the pool when Peter called. “The governor has accepted our invitation,” he said, “but he’ll probably have to leave early. He has a lot on his plate, what with all the Democrats in town.”
    “I won’t take much of his time.”
    “I’ll try to see that you get a few minutes alone.”
    “Thanks, Peter. I’ll see you tonight.”
    —
    STONE LEFT THE Arrington in one of their Porsche Cayenne SUVs with a driver, instead of in a Bentley, and they drove out Sunset Boulevard to Amalfi Drive and turned left. Stone told the driver to be back at eight o’clock, then he rang the buzzer at the front gate and was let in.
    He walked into some of the most beautiful gardens he had ever seen. It always astonished Stone how things would grow in the desert soil as long as there was enough water, and clearly, there was enough water for this.
    He walked up a path to a good-sized shingled house, and he could see another one very much like it next door. That would be Ben’s, he reckoned. He was met at the door by Billy Burnett, who seemed to be exercising his security role.
    “Good evening, Stone,” Billy said, shaking his hand.
    “How are you, Billy?”
    “Very well, thank you. I didn’t get a chance last night to thank you personally for your role in getting me the pardon,” Billy said. “It’s already made a big difference in my life. For the first time in many years, I can own a house.”
    “Where did you buy?”
    “One street over from here. My property is much smaller, of course, but it backs up on Peter’s property, and he’s installed a gate for easy access.”
    “I feel better knowing you’re nearby,” Stone said. “For future reference, I’ve been warned that the Russians in Paris have not forgotten about me. Yuri Majorov had a brother, Yevgeny, who seems to have taken over his position in that organization.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “There’s been no specific threat, just a heads-up from Lance Cabot. I’ll certainly be in touch if I hear anything else.”
    “Thank you. A part of me is accustomed to always being on guard,” Billy said. A waiter appeared with a glass of Knob Creek.
    Peter walked in with Hattie and greeted him just as the doorbell rang again. Billy went to answer it and came back with the governor of California, Richard Collins. A plainclothes officer hovered on the edge of the room.
    Collins greeted everyone warmly, and a waiter brought him a drink on a silver tray. “I’m nearly the first here,” he said to Stone. “Good to see you again. It’s been a long time since San Francisco. My condolences on the death of your wife.”
    “Thank you, Governor. Would you like to sit down for a minute before the others arrive?”
    “Use my study,” Peter said, then led the way to a smaller room lined with bookcases. The two men took chairs in front of a fireplace, where a small blaze had been kindled.
    “From everything I’m reading,” Stone said, “your first