Smooth Operator (Teddy Fay, Band 1) - Hardcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Stuart Woods is the author of more than sixty novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling Stone Barrington series. He is a native of Georgia and began his writing career in the advertising industry. Chiefs, his debut in 1981, won the Edgar Award. An avid sailor and pilot, Woods lives in Florida, Maine, and New Mexico.

Parnell Hall has been an actor, screenwriter, and singer/songwriter. He is a former president of the Private Eye Writers of America and a member of Sisters in Crime. He has been a finalist for an Edgar, 2 Lefty, and 3 Shamus Awards. Hall lives in New York City.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected copy proof***

Copyright © 2016 Stuart Woods

1.

Stone Barrington, clad only in a bathing suit and sunglasses, lay on the deck of the Mary Lou sipping a cool glass of Knob Creek. Stone was able to do that because Mary Lou Weston herself was manning the helm. Though perhaps manning was the wrong word. A striking blonde, she looked as if she’d be more at home on a runway than driving a boat.

"You sure you don't need me to do anything?" Stone called.

"On this little boat?" Mary Lou said. "I think I can handle it alone."

Stone smiled. Mary Lou referred to her little boat the way the genteel wealthy called their East Hampton mansions cottages. Granted, it was smaller than the Queen Mary. Still, it was one of the larger yachts on the Hudson River. Stone could practically walk across it to New Jersey.

"I was thinking more along the lines of rubbing lotion on your back."

"My back?"

"I could work around to your front. I'm quite flexible."

"MARY LOU, PREPARE TO BE BOARDED!"

Startled, Stone rolled over and looked for the disturbance.

A Coast Guard cutter was bearing down on them.

"Hey!" Mary Lou said. "Those idiots are going to swamp us!" She flailed her arms, trying to wave off the boat.

The cutter kept coming. As it drew closer, Stone recognized the man with the bullhorn standing in the bow.

"Dino?" he said incredulously.

"You know that jackass?" Mary Lou said.

"So do you," Stone told her.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"You're a hard man to find," Dino Bacchetti called.

Dino Bacchetti and Stone Barrington had been partners on the detective squad at the 19th Precinct. When Stone left the police force and passed the bar exam, Dino had stayed on. Over the years he had risen through the ranks, and recently had been named police commissioner.

Mary Lou was steamed. "Who the hell do you think you are, stopping me in a Coast Guard cutter? You ought to be arrested."

Stone grinned. "I’m sure he should. Though you'll probably have a hard time finding a cop willing to do it. Mary Lou, allow me to present Police Commissioner Dino Bacchetti."

"Yeah, right," Mary Lou scoffed. "Like this joker's really the...Oh, my God!"

"Pleased to meet you," Dino called.

Mary Lou pushed the long blonde hair off her face, and gawked. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I have no idea," Stone said. "Are you coming aboard?"

Dino grinned. "Nah. I just always wanted to say that. Prepare to be boarded. Actually, you're the one coming aboard."

"Gee, Dino. You're a nice guy and all that, but you don't have her looks."

"Sorry, Stone. It's not an invitation."

"You're putting me under arrest?"

"If I have to. I was hoping you'd come quietly."

"What's the charge?"

"Not answering your cellphone."

Stone spread his arms. "Do you see a cellphone?"

"Where are your clothes?"

"Below deck."

"Get them. You're going places."

"Where?"

Dino shrugged. "Frankly, I don't know."

2.

"So, what's going on?" Stone said as the Coast Guard cutter skimmed across the water.

"Where's your cellphone?"

"In my pants."

"Get it out of your pants."

Stone dug in the bag of clothes he was carrying, pulled his cellphone out of his pants pocket. "Now what?"

"You have to call Ann Keaton. She's been trying to reach you all day. When you didn’t answer, she got frustrated and called me."

"What does she want?"

"Damned if I know. She just wants you, and now isn't soon enough. I tried to stall her off and she read me the riot act, implied that if I didn't locate you the president would want to know why."

"She's trying to get me for the president?"

"She didn't say that. She didn't mention Kate except as a threat."

"I guess I better call her." Stone punched in the number on speed dial. "Ann, what the hell is going on?”

"Finally!" Ann said. "Can't you leave your cellphone on?"

"It's on and I'm calling. What is it?"

"Kate wants you at the state dinner."

"What state dinner?"

"The one tonight, honoring the French president."

"Tonight? Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, I know what time it is," Ann said impatiently. "I've been trying to reach you all afternoon."

"The president wants me at a state dinner?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know? You're the chief of staff."

"That's right. I'm the chief of staff, and I don't know. I know everything, and I don't know this."

"All right, what do you know?"

"Dino will drop you at the heliport. You're taking a helicopter to Washington. A car will meet you there and take you to the White House."

"I don't get to land on the lawn?"

"That's just in the movies."

"No, they actually do it."

"Well, you don't. You land at the heliport. A limo will be waiting."

"I can't go to a state dinner. I'm wearing a bathing suit."

"No problem. Your car will stop at Henry Cassini's to pick up your new tux. They've had your measurements for two hours, they swear they'll be ready."

"You know my measurements?"

"I know which pant leg you put on first."

"I thought that was a state secret."

"It is. We'll have to disappear the tailor after he makes the tux."

"Seriously, what's this all about?"

"I wish I knew. I don't like things I don't know."

"Me neither. Will I see you this evening?"

"I’m afraid not. I have to go out to dinner with the congressman Kate bumped to make room for you at the table. Listen, I have to go. Will you apologize to Dino for me? I may have said some things that could be considered disrespectful to the office of the commissioner."

"Don't worry," Stone assured her. "I'll handle it." He clicked off the phone.

"So," Dino said, "what did she want?"

"She wants to know who you slept with to get the job."

2A.

Ann Keaton hung up the phone with a huge weight off her mind. Ann was an excellent White House chief of staff under normal circumstances, and she prided herself in handling crisis situations. Run in a last minute guest for a fully-booked State Dinner? No problem. She had changed the guest list, arranged for a place at the table, even taken care of getting the new place card printed. And, when it turned out it would take some time to reach the surprise guest who didn't even know he was coming, she had arranged to have a tuxedo made, just in case when she finally located him he would not have access to his.

And then Stone Barrington had thrown a monkey wrench into her carefully laid plans by being totally unreachable.

Well, she'd handled the situation, and it had only taken a limousine, a helicopter, a Coast Guard cutter, and an intervention by the New York commissioner of police. All in all, a pretty good day's work.

Now, was there anything else?

Oh, yes.

Ann sighed and picked up the phone.

Paul Wagner knew it was Ann. Her calls were important, and he'd assigned her her own special ringtone. He whipped his cellphone out of his pocket and slipped into his loving boyfriend mode. Ann couldn't see his face, but it was important to get just the right vocal intonation.

"Hi, sweetheart," he said.

"Paul. Listen-"

Paul laughed. "Oh, for goodness sakes....