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Back Below the Belt Save as PDF
Chapters (67)
  1. Cover
  2. BOOKS BY STUART WOODS
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  66. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  67. What’s next onyour reading list?

“I can assure you he is not.”

“Then you are in possession of documents that don’t belong to Ed.”

“The only document of Ed’s I’m aware of is the insurance claim pertaining to the loss of his residence by arson.”

“Obviously, that is not what I’m referring to.”

“Well, if this conversation is to continue you’re going to have to tell me what documents you think I’m in possession of.”

“I expect you have already read them.”

“I have not read any such documents.”

“Why must you be so difficult to deal with, Stone?”

“Because you’re not dealing with me, you’re just badgering me and my client. If you want to deal with me, then deal.”

“They are documents of a political nature.”

“Then the CIA, being nonpolitical, should have no interest in them. I mean, they’re not covered by any act of Congress I’m aware of, including the one I just made up.”

“Stone, will you have lunch with me today?”

“Oh, you’re in New York?”

“Just for the day.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Oh, come on.”

“You just want to badger me into betraying my client’s confidence, and I’m not going to do it, so why have lunch?”

“All right, tell me how I can get in touch with Ed Rawls.”

“Through me.”

“That is, apparently, a dead line.”

“Now you’re getting the picture, Lance, and it took such a long time.”

“Stone, one day soon you’re going to call me and ask me to do something for you.”

“What would I want you to do for me?”

“Oh, something—very likely something I shouldn’t do. Life is a two-way street, Stone.”

“That’s very pithy. Can I quote you?”

“You can tell Ed Rawls I said that.” Lance hung up.

28

STONE HUNG UP and was immediately sorry he had let Lance do it first. Joan appeared in his doorway. “I’m afraid . . .”

Lance Cabot stepped from behind her. “Good morning again, Stone.”

“You were in your car all along, weren’t you?”

“I was. I didn’t want to be intrusive.”

“You mean like you’re doing now?”

“My more courteous efforts were rebuffed.” Lance made himself comfortable in the chair facing Stone.

“Have a seat, Lance,” Stone said. “Make yourself comfortable.”

“I renew my invitation to lunch,” Lance said. “We’ll go to that club where we both are members. Then we won’t have to fight over the check.”

Stone glanced at his watch. “I’m still not hungry.”

“You will be by the time we’re done here.”

“And what are we doing here?”

“Please pick up the phone and ask Ed Rawls to join us.”

“I’ve already told you . . .”

Lance held up a hand. “I don’t mind if he’s represented by counsel. This is not a legal proceeding, it’s just a friendly chat.”

“And where is the muscle?”