Stone typed it in, and instantly a list of names and phone numbers appeared. “I have a telephone log.”
“Tell me what the top line says.”
“It says, ”Cell“ and gives a number.” He read the number to Lance.
“Thank you,” Lance said. “Now switch off the monitor and the computer, remove the disk and put it in Dick’s safe. It will be collected.”
“Okay. Now what?”
“Now I’ll run down the phone number and find out what the hell is going on. I’ll get back to you, maybe today, maybe not. Bye-bye.” Lance hung up.
“Spooky,” Stone said.
Chapter 16
THE PHONE RANG, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”
“It’s Rawls,” a gruff voice drawled.
“Good morning.”
“You free for lunch? I’d like you to meet some people.”
“Yes.”
“Noon at the yacht club?”
“Good.”
“See you then.” Rawls hung up.
The phone rang again. “Hello?”
“It’s Lance.”
“That was fast.”
“I checked with the London station; Kirov means trouble is coming, watch your ass.”
“A little late,” Stone replied.
“Obviously, Dick’s contact hadn’t heard about his death.”
“Is that it, trouble is coming?”
“Kirov is used as a specific warning, based on solid information. It was just too late.”
“What was the solid information?”
“The man who called was a paid source of Dick’s; you’d call him a snitch. He was at a card game last week in East Germany when he overheard two players, Russians, discussing a revenge hit on a highly placed American. The snitch is Hungarian, but he speaks Russian.”
“Then why the hell didn’t he call Dick last week, when it might have done some good?”
“He was in jail; got into an accident while driving home from the card game, drunk.”
“What was the revenge for?”
“Apparently the Agency was responsible for the breakup of a large drug ring in which the two Russians had a stake. The hit was meant to be a warning to the London station.”