a look out the window. “Why don’t I see any ships in the Pacific?”
“Because we’re flying at fifty thousand feet, and that makes them too small. I don’t think you could spot an aircraft carrier. I left a message for Viv from you, saying that you are alive and your feet are dry.”
“She’ll be comfortable to know that. I hope we’re staying at the Royal Hawaiian again,” Dino said.
“Why?”
“Because I sent my laundry out there and forgot to get it back.”
“That’s as good a reason as any to stay there.” Stone picked up the phone and pressed the intercom for the cockpit.
“Yes, sir?” a female voice said.
“Tell Faith to make the same arrangements at the Royal Hawaiian as before.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And tell her to tell the hotel to have Dino’s laundry on his bed when we check in.”
“Certainly.”
Stone hung up. He pulled the cashmere blanket up to his chin and went back to sleep.
27
They landed at Oahu and, after clearing customs, borrowed a golf cart and searched the FBOs for the other Gulfstream. Nothing.
----
—
The good news was that, when they checked into the Royal Hawaiian, Dino’s laundry was on his bed.
“Feel better?” Stone asked.
“You bet your ass.”
“Do you want the music and menu of the main dining room, or something more intimate?”
“I want a steak,” Dino said.
They found another restaurant in the hotel and ordered steaks.
----
—
When they got back to their suite, there was an envelope slipped under the door. Written on Royal Hawaiian stationery, it read: I want more cookies. It was signed, Felix . Stone handed it to Dino.
“They’re here?” Dino asked.
“Apparently, but under what name?”
“What was the name last time?”
“Marty and Frances, but I can’t remember their last names. Can you?”
“Ah, no.”
Stone dug out his notebook and looked up a number.
“Who are you calling?” Dino asked.
“Felix.”
“Does he have his own phone?”
“He has his own number.”
A woman answered. “Yes?”
“I was looking for Felix,” Stone said. “Isn’t this his number?”
She laughed. “Well, now that you mention it. Felix is indisposed at the moment. He’s walking Marty on the beach.”
“How long does this operation usually take?”
“Half an hour, but they’ve already been gone for twenty minutes.”
“Poor planning on my part,” Stone said. “Perhaps lunch tomorrow?”
“May I bring Felix?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“Where and when?”
“In my palatial suite.” He gave her the number.
“Will Fred be there?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it, and I will. Noon?”
“Felix and I will look forward to it.” She hung up.
“I take it I’m persona non grata at lunch tomorrow,” Dino said.
“You’re very perceptive.”
“She’s bringing Felix?”
“Yes.”
“You’d better remember to order him something from room service. He’s very persistent, as I recall.”
“You have a point.”
Dino yawned. “I don’t know when to get sleepy anymore.”
“I think now is a good time,” Stone said. “Good night.”
----
—
The following day, Stone called room service and ordered two lobster salads, a bottle of good chardonnay, lunch for a dog, and a bag of dog treats, all for delivery at, and not before, one pm . “Don’t be early,” he said to them.
----
—
At one minute past noon, Stone’s doorbell rang, and he opened it to find Frances and Felix standing there. He let them in, gave Felix a treat, then snaked an arm around her waist and kissed Frances, getting a much warmer reception than he had expected.
“What time is lunch?” she asked, a little breathlessly.
“Not before one o’clock,” he said, hanging out the do not disturb sign and locking the door. He followed her directly tothe bedroom, where she flung back the covers, then undid something and her wraparound dress unwrapped.
Stone was in bed to greet her when she finished. “We
“Because we’re flying at fifty thousand feet, and that makes them too small. I don’t think you could spot an aircraft carrier. I left a message for Viv from you, saying that you are alive and your feet are dry.”
“She’ll be comfortable to know that. I hope we’re staying at the Royal Hawaiian again,” Dino said.
“Why?”
“Because I sent my laundry out there and forgot to get it back.”
“That’s as good a reason as any to stay there.” Stone picked up the phone and pressed the intercom for the cockpit.
“Yes, sir?” a female voice said.
“Tell Faith to make the same arrangements at the Royal Hawaiian as before.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And tell her to tell the hotel to have Dino’s laundry on his bed when we check in.”
“Certainly.”
Stone hung up. He pulled the cashmere blanket up to his chin and went back to sleep.
27
They landed at Oahu and, after clearing customs, borrowed a golf cart and searched the FBOs for the other Gulfstream. Nothing.
----
—
The good news was that, when they checked into the Royal Hawaiian, Dino’s laundry was on his bed.
“Feel better?” Stone asked.
“You bet your ass.”
“Do you want the music and menu of the main dining room, or something more intimate?”
“I want a steak,” Dino said.
They found another restaurant in the hotel and ordered steaks.
----
—
When they got back to their suite, there was an envelope slipped under the door. Written on Royal Hawaiian stationery, it read: I want more cookies. It was signed, Felix . Stone handed it to Dino.
“They’re here?” Dino asked.
“Apparently, but under what name?”
“What was the name last time?”
“Marty and Frances, but I can’t remember their last names. Can you?”
“Ah, no.”
Stone dug out his notebook and looked up a number.
“Who are you calling?” Dino asked.
“Felix.”
“Does he have his own phone?”
“He has his own number.”
A woman answered. “Yes?”
“I was looking for Felix,” Stone said. “Isn’t this his number?”
She laughed. “Well, now that you mention it. Felix is indisposed at the moment. He’s walking Marty on the beach.”
“How long does this operation usually take?”
“Half an hour, but they’ve already been gone for twenty minutes.”
“Poor planning on my part,” Stone said. “Perhaps lunch tomorrow?”
“May I bring Felix?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“Where and when?”
“In my palatial suite.” He gave her the number.
“Will Fred be there?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it, and I will. Noon?”
“Felix and I will look forward to it.” She hung up.
“I take it I’m persona non grata at lunch tomorrow,” Dino said.
“You’re very perceptive.”
“She’s bringing Felix?”
“Yes.”
“You’d better remember to order him something from room service. He’s very persistent, as I recall.”
“You have a point.”
Dino yawned. “I don’t know when to get sleepy anymore.”
“I think now is a good time,” Stone said. “Good night.”
----
—
The following day, Stone called room service and ordered two lobster salads, a bottle of good chardonnay, lunch for a dog, and a bag of dog treats, all for delivery at, and not before, one pm . “Don’t be early,” he said to them.
----
—
At one minute past noon, Stone’s doorbell rang, and he opened it to find Frances and Felix standing there. He let them in, gave Felix a treat, then snaked an arm around her waist and kissed Frances, getting a much warmer reception than he had expected.
“What time is lunch?” she asked, a little breathlessly.
“Not before one o’clock,” he said, hanging out the do not disturb sign and locking the door. He followed her directly tothe bedroom, where she flung back the covers, then undid something and her wraparound dress unwrapped.
Stone was in bed to greet her when she finished. “We
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