Part 20 (1/2)
”Lance Cabot?”
”I've had enough of this,” Stone said. ”Who are you, and what do you want?”
”I've just told you what we want, for the present. Lance Cabot?”
”If you are acting in some sort of official capacity, tell me now; otherwise, you can go f.u.c.k yourself.”
”Lance Cabot?”
Stone said nothing.
”If you would prefer it, Mr. Barrington,” the smooth voice said, ”I can arrange for the two gentlemen who brought you here to come and persuade you to answer.”
Stone said nothing. The voice was very English, but the speaker was not. There was an underlying accent.
”Just once more; Lance Cabot?”
”He is the companion of Erica Burroughs; I've seen him when I've seen her.”
”How does Mr. Cabot earn his living?”
”He styles himself a business consultant; I have no idea what that means.”
”Did you know him before arriving in London?”
”No.”
”Ali Hussein?”
”Pardon?”
”Ali Hussein?”
”Never heard of him.”
”Sheherezad Al-Salaam, also known as Sheila.”
”Nor her.”
”Sarah Buckminster?”
”Yes.”
”Go on.”
”I knew her when she lived in New York; we renewed our acquaintance after I arrived in London. Don't you read the papers?”
”Monica Burroughs?”
”The sister of Erica. Art dealer. Spent part of one weekend in her company.”
”John Bartholomew?”
”No.”
”John Bartholomew?”
”I don't know anyone by that name.”
”Mr. Barrington, don't try my patience.”
Stone said nothing. The man made a small movement with one hand, and Stone heard a buzzer ring in another room. A moment later, the door opened and the two thugs entered.
”John Bartholomew?” the smooth voice asked.
”Yes.”
”Tell us.”
”Mr. Bartholomew visited me in New York and asked me to come to London to persuade his niece to return with me to the United States.”
”What is the name of his niece?”
”Erica Burroughs.”
”And why did he want her returned to America?”
”He said he was concerned that her boyfriend might involve her in illegal activities.”
”What sort of activities?”
”Drug smuggling.”
Stone heard a low laugh. ”What is the real name of John Bartholomew?”
Stone tried to sound puzzled. ”Real name? I know him only by that name.”
”Are you still in his employ?”
”No.”
”Why not?”
”I discovered that Miss Burroughs is not his niece, and that he seemed to have other motives for hiring me.”
”What motives?”
”He seemed to have some animus for Mr. Cabot.”
”For what reason?”