Unintended Consequences - By Stuart Woods

51





When Stone awoke it was nearly ten o’clock, and Helga was not in bed. He showered and shaved and went down for breakfast. Helga and Marcel were sitting on the front porch, reading The New York Times, which had come over on the ferry earlier, and Dino was having breakfast in the kitchen.

“When did Stanley get here?” Helga asked, giving him a kiss.

“Very late last night,” Stone said.

“Were you expecting him?”

“I was not, but he came anyway. Is he up?”

“Yes, he and his friend are ‘patrolling the perimeter,’ as he put it.”

“It’s not much of a perimeter. It’s only a couple of acres. Were they armed?”

“To the teeth.”

“Oh, shit. I hope the neighbors haven’t spotted them.” He went in search of them and found Stanley marching along the property at the road.

“Good morning, Mr. Barrington.”

“Good morning, Stanley. Do you remember what I told you last night?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why are you parading around here armed and dressed like a refugee from a SWAT team?”

Stanley blushed to the top of his scalp. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“I think a handgun will suffice, and get into some civvies, will you?”

“I’m wearing them under the armor.”

“That will make it convenient. And hunt down Lewis, too, and give him the same message.” Stone walked back to the house and joined Dino at the kitchen table.

“I ordered for you,” Dino said.

Mary set down a platter of scrambled eggs and bacon. “Good morning, Mr. Barrington.”

“Good morning, Mary, and thank you.” He dug in. “I’m surprised to see you up so early,” Stone said.

“I don’t need all that much sleep.”

“I’m sorry Viv isn’t here to keep you entertained.”

“It’s her new job,” Dino said. “I’m having trouble getting used to it. It’s just as well she’s not here—she’d be going on about the new apartment, and I’m trying to back her out of the deal. Turns out, there’s a ten-day cancellation clause in the contract.”

“Dino, relax and let the woman take care of you—you’ll be a happier man for it.”

“I’m happy enough.”

“You want to play golf? There’s a nice nine-hole course here.”

“Sure, but don’t let Helga join us. I can’t afford it.”

“I don’t think I can stop her,” Stone said.

• • •

An hour later, the four of them got out of the old Ford station wagon at the little golf course, and Stanley and Lewis pulled in behind them. Stone rented three golf carts; he and Marcel took one, Helga and Dino another, and Stanley and Lewis drove slowly behind, their weapons stuffed into a couple of golf bags.

Marcel hit his drive straight and fairly long. “I don’t think I’ve ever been guarded by armed men on a golf course,” he said.

“That makes two of us,” Stone replied.

“Stone, I think I’ll be off to Paris when we get back to New York. My work here is done, and I’m having too good a time. I might get lazy.”

“Can you delay your departure until Tuesday morning?” Stone told him why.

Marcel grinned. “For that, I can delay. Do you want me to offer Helga a ride back to Stockholm? My lawyers left town yesterday, so if she’s looking for a private ride, I’m the only game in town.”

“I hate to lose her, but I think she’s ready to go. I’ll ask her tonight.”

• • •

Each time they got to a green, Stanley and Lewis took up posts on opposite sides and watched the woods like hawks. Stone was glad there weren’t many people on the golf course; most of the summer crowd seemed already to have departed for points south and west.

• • •

For dinner, Mary had apparently mugged a lobster fisherman, because an enormous platter was piled high with the steaming shellfish.

Helga produced a bottle of aquavit that she had smuggled to Maine and hidden in Mary’s freezer, and it went down very well with the lobsters. By nine o’clock they were all fairly drunk. They were just getting up from the table when there was a short burst of automatic weapons fire somewhere outside.

Stone and Dino grabbed their weapons and ran outside, then warily started to cover the property, looking for Stanley and Lewis. They finally found Stanley at the edge of the woods, looking down at someone at his feet.

“Oh, shit,” Stone said. “This is going to mean calling in the Maine state police.”

“I hope he didn’t shoot a neighbor,” Dino said.

They walked over to where Stanley stood, while Lewis covered the area around them. “What have you done, Stanley?” Stone asked.

Stanley pointed down. “I only got a glimpse of him but I connected with the first burst.” He switched on a small flashlight and illuminated a good-sized deer at his feet.

“I hope you know how to field dress it,” Stone said.

“I haven’t a clue.”

“Go get Seth, and tell him to bring that little utility vehicle of his and some rope.”

Stanley left in search of Seth, and Stone and Dino started back to the house. They had walked perhaps a dozen yards when they heard two pffft sounds and the noise of bullets slapping into a tree. They hit the dirt.

“Maybe Stanley isn’t crazy,” Dino whispered.

“Stanley!” Stone yelled.

A voice came back. “It’s Lewis, sir. I’m sorry I didn’t ID you properly before I fired, but they were just warning shots.” Lewis stepped up and offered them a hand to their feet.

“Lewis, go inside, get rid of the MAC-10, then get out of your body armor. If you and Stanley must patrol, do it in civvies and with well-concealed handguns, got it?”

“Yessir.” Lewis vanished into the darkness.

“You know,” Dino said, “I’m surprised you’ve still got any neighbors in New York who are still alive.”