Kasov stopped at the edge of the patio. “If I see you again,” he called back, “you won’t see me until it’s too late.”
Teddy watched him disappear around the corner of the house, then he walked back into the living room where Dax stood, talking to some men in suits. He walked over. “Excuse me, Dax,” he said, “I’m leaving now, and I wanted to thank you for your kind invitation. It’s an impressive house.” He turned to leave, then stopped. “Oh, your Russian friend wasn’t feeling well, and I think he’s on the way to the hospital now. Good night.”
Dax blinked rapidly. “What?”
Teddy walked out of the house without answering, and before he could give his ticket to the valet, Sally drove up in the truck, and he got in.
“I saw the Russian leave the house, limping badly,” she said. “He got into a car and left.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Teddy replied.
“Did you have anything to do with that?” she asked.
“I guess you could say I helped,” Teddy replied.
“I’m hungry,” she said.
“How about a bite at El Nido, then my place?”
“Sounds good to me.” She put the truck in gear and drove away from the house.
“Tomorrow, we’ll get an early start,” Teddy said. “We’ll stop for the night in Phoenix, then make L.A. the following day.”
“Does the Russian live in L.A.?”
“We won’t be seeing him again,” Teddy replied.
21
TEDDY DROVE DOWN the Pacific Coast Highway and, just before the turn to Malibu Colony, turned into his short drive and opened the garage door with his clicker. His wife’s Mercedes station wagon was parked next to him.
“Whose car?” Sally asked sleepily. It had been a long drive from Phoenix.
“Yours,” he said. He reached into the glove box, extracted a plain key ring and handed it to her. “That’s the key and the house key. The garage door works on a button at the bottom of the rearview mirror.”
He opened the trunk and emptied it of their things, then unlocked the door to the house and ushered her in. They walked into the living room and she stopped, staring at the broad view of the spectacular sunset over the Pacific. “And I thought we had great sunsets in Santa Fe,” she said.
Teddy led her upstairs and put her suitcase in what had been his wife’s dressing room. The housekeeper had, on his instructions, removed her clothes and belongings from the dressing room, bedroom, and her bathroom, and she had done a good job. Her jewelry was in the safe in his dressing room.
“My goodness,” Sally said, “all this for one suitcase of jeans and shirts?”
“The shopping is very good in Malibu Village, and when you tire of them there’s always Rodeo Drive.” He went to his bedside table and found two pieces of mail—an envelope from his bank and another from American Express. He removed the Amex and Visa cards from the envelopes and handed them to her with a pen. “Sign the backs,” he said.
“Let me get this straight,” Sally said, “you’re turning me loose on Rodeo Drive with credit cards?”
“Use mine, not yours.”
“I only have a Mastercard, and I owe about two hundred bucks on it.”
“We’ll get a checking account working for you tomorrow, and you can pay that off and any other bills you may have outstanding. Do you have a mortgage on your house?”
“Yes, about ninety thousand.”
“Call the mortgage company, get the exact payoff amount, and send them a check, then you won’t have to worry about making payments.”
Sally sat down on the bed. “Whew! This is all happening very fast.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Teddy said, kissing her on the ear.
“What if I miss Santa Fe?”
“You can go back and visit anytime, and stay for as long as you like. Permanently, if you’re unhappy with me.”
“You’re very smart, Billy. The best way to keep me is to leave the door open.”
“Then I always will,” he said. “Have you thought any more about what you’d like to do out here?”
“Well, I want a job, if that’s what you mean. I’d go nuts sunning myself on the deck every day, though it’s a very nice deck.”
“Just remember it’s the Pacific out there, and it’s colder than it looks. Don’t go swimming without me.”
“Fear not.”
“Are you exhausted? If so, I’ll make us an omelet. We’ll go out, if you feel up to it.”
“Give me an hour’s nap and I’ll be ready to go out. Which is my side of the bed?”
“The one you’re sitting on. Excuse me, I have to unpack.” He grabbed his bags and went into his dressing room.
Sally stretched out on the bed and was asleep in seconds.
? ? ?
STONE’S PHONE RANG, and he picked it up. “Hello?”
“A Mr. and Mrs. Eagle at the front gate, in a hotel car,” a security guard said.
“Please send them up to the house.” Stone hung up and went to the bathroom door, where Ana was showering. “Ed and Susannah have landed, and they’re on their way to the house.”
“Sure you won’t join me in here?” she asked.
“Joining you would be fun, but later. They’re going to want a drink. We’ll see you downstairs when you’re dry.” He closed the door and went downstairs to greet his guests. Their driver and the butler took their cases upstairs, while Stone took Ed and Susannah into his study and poured everyone a drink. “Ana will be down shortly,” he said. “Well, maybe not shortly. I’m not yet accustomed to how long she takes to get presentable.”
“Not long,” Ana said from the doorway. “Can I have a drink, too?”
“Sit you down, and it will appear.”
Stone sat down opposite the Eagles. “Good flight?” He and Ed flew the same airplane.
“Very good,” Ed replied. “I’m going to miss Santa Monica Airport, if the fanatics ever actually get it closed.”
“They’re talking about shortening the runway to thirty-five hundred feet,” Stone said, “just to keep you and me out of there.” The Santa Monica City Council had been trying for years to close the airport.
“I can handle thirty-five hundred feet,” Ed said.
“Yeah, but if they do that, soon they won’t be selling jet fuel.”
“You have a point. I guess it’ll be Burbank if they win.”
“You know,” Stone said, “I could never understand why somebody would buy a house at the end of a runway, then complain about the noise.”
“Go figure,” Ed said. He shifted in his chair and changed the subject. “Have you heard about Teddy?” he asked.
“What is there to hear?”
“A couple of nights ago, Dax Baxter threw his wrap party for the cast and crew of his film, and Teddy showed up there.”
“And why not?” Stone asked.
“The rumor is, Dax thought Teddy was trying to kill him, so he brought in a heavyweight from L.A., a Russian named Kasov.”
“Never heard of him,” Stone said, “but I’ve had my own problems with Russians out here, though not for a couple of years.”
“Well, anyway, Susannah and I were out on the patio, admiring an Ostermiller bear, when Teddy came out with his girlfriend, just as we were going back inside. We saw this guy in a black hat go outside as we were entering the living room.”
“The Russian?”
“One and the same. Next thing you know, there was some sort of commotion out there, and Dax’s people blocked the doors to keep everybody inside. We heard later that Teddy had injured the guy, then left.”
“Then the Russian must have attacked him, and Teddy was prepared. He wouldn’t act without reason.”
“In any case, the guy ended up in surgery to repair the damage from a big cut to his leg.”
“Then he won’t be bothering Teddy for a while.”
“Not ever, if he’s smart.”
“Do you think Dax is done now?”
“Good question,” Ed said. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
22
TEDDY AND SALLY finished a good dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Malibu Village and drove back to the house. He let them in and showed her how the burglar alarm worked.
Sally pointed at a piece of paper just inside the door. “A message for you?” she asked.
“Looks like someone shoved it under the door.” He picked it up and read it. It was typed in all caps:
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CRUDITY OF THE ATTACK IN SANTA FE. NEXT TIME, I’LL SEE THAT IT IS CONDUCTED IN A SMOOTHER AND LESS PREDICTABLE MANNER.