Free Insatiable Appetites by Stuart Woods

pulled Ann aside. “I’m sorry we couldn’t talk earlier,” he said. “I’ll explain later.” She followed Kate into the car and was gone.
    Stone had a word with Dino about the evening, then he got into the Bentley with Peter and Hattie and was driven home.

    Stone arrived at the Carlyle on time and found Dino, Ben, and Tessa waiting in the lobby. He identified his party to the Secret Service agent on duty, and they were whisked up to the Lees’ penthouse apartment.
    A maid opened the door, then Kate greeted them all warmly, remembering everybody’s name. A butler took their drinks order, and Ann came out of a bedroom and joined them.
    Stone took her aside. “This afternoon I had just concluded a meeting with Dolce, Eduardo’s younger daughter, and I didn’t want her to see us talking.”
    “Is this the crazy one?”
    “Was and may still be, for all I know.”
    “The one who tried to kill you?”
    “Unsuccessfully.”
    “Thank you for not pointing me out to her,” Ann said, laughing. “Wasn’t that a spectacular house?”
    “It certainly is. I’ve been working there for a week, getting the estate ready for probate.”
    “I want to hear all about Eduardo, when you have a chance.”
    “Before I get into that, there’s something I have to talk with you and Kate about privately.”
    “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll cut her out of the herd.”
    They rejoined the others, got their drinks, and all was convivial.
    A few minutes later, Stone saw Ann and Kate walk into a bedroom. Ann beckoned with her chin, and he followed. He found Kate stretched out on the bed and Ann sitting at the foot, on a bench.
    “What’s up?” Ann asked.
    Stone pulled up a chair. “Yesterday I got an anonymous phone call from a man who told me that he had intimate knowledge of a meeting in a private house in Georgetown attended by Henry Carson, the Speaker, and a couple of dozen Republicans from both Houses of Congress.”
    “Any idea who your caller was?”
    “Not the slightest. He wouldn’t say if he actually attended the meeting or even if he was a Republican, but he was shocked by what he heard.”
    Kate raised her head from the bed. “What shocked him?”
    “It seems the purpose of the meeting was to agree on a plan to block every bill you send to Congress and every policy initiative you put forward.”
    Kate sat up and put her feet on the floor. “But they don’t know what those are.”
    “Apparently, it doesn’t matter what they are.”
    Kate shook her head. “I didn’t know Honk hated me.”
    “The caller says they’re all angry about losing the presidency and furious about not having control of either House, so it may not have been personal.”
    “What did the man want of you?” Ann asked.
    “He wanted me to get the story to the press.”
    “And did you?”
    “I gave him Carla Fontana’s cell number and told him to call her. I also told him that his story wouldn’t be credible if he refused to identify himself.”
    “And this was yesterday?” Kate asked.
    “Yes. I advised him to buy two throwaway cell phones and send one to Carla, so it may take him a day or two to accomplish that.”
    “Ann,” Kate said, “has Carla been sniffing around?”
    “Yes,” Ann replied, “along with everybody else in the White House Press Corps.”
    “If she calls you, take her call,” Kate said. “Anything else, Stone?”
    “No.”
    She stood up. “Then let me buy you another drink before dinner.” She took his arm and walked back into the living room. “By the way,” she whispered, “you did the right thing.”
    They sat down to dinner at seven forty-five and were served foie gras, Dover sole, and crème brûlée. After dinner they were arrayed around the living room, having coffee and after-dinner drinks, when Ann’s cell phone apparently vibrated, because she removed it from a skirt pocket, looked at who the caller was, then left the room. Ten minutes later, she beckoned Stone and Kate to join her.