Stone laid in a flight plan and took off for Teterboro.
“I hate to bail on you again,” Teddy said, “but I really need more sleep.”
“No problem. But you might want to put on your East Coast face.”
“Aw, hell.” Teddy pulled off the blond wig. “I forgot I had this on.”
“There’s no point trying to find this guy?”
Teddy shook his head. “We could if we wanted to take up residence, but we have other pressing matters.”
“So the whole trip is a washout?”
“I wouldn’t say that, Stone. We’re learning more about these people. They’re bicoastal, they have unlimited money, and remarkable access. They’re a curious mix of Middle Eastern extremists and American thugs, and they exhibit just the type of disorganization that would result from such a mix. They’re incredibly bright on the one hand, and incredibly dumb on the other.
“Take the assassination, for instance. From the surveillance tape, the assassin appears to be a Middle Eastern terrorist. Then the CIA bullet makes no sense. And if the CIA’s involved, the assassination doesn’t make sense. The rifle cartridge seems like an obvious plant. It’s crudely done, and taken by itself it doesn’t really mean anything. There’s got to be more.
“Then you’ve got the kidnapping. The face on it is also a Middle Eastern man, the suave, clean-cut young man with the CIA credentials who lured the girl away from the dorm and got Margo Sappington to bug your phone. But the kidnapping makes little sense. Why would terrorists care if Congress passes some veterans aid bill?
“But it’s all interconnected. That’s why anytime we get close to making a connection, they cut and run.
“So, yes, we didn’t learn anything concrete. But at least we’re leaving the West Coast in disarray. Carlo Gigante will not be sending any goons to hassle Betsy again, and the connection between the extremists and the thugs has been broken.”
“So what’s next?” Stone said.
“Now we work from the other end. I still don’t know who leaked our plans to these guys and almost got you and me killed. You and Holly both swear Ann Keaton’s discreet and would not have told anyone that you had been added to the state dinner.”
“That’s right.”
“It occurs to me there’s one person she had to tell.”