“There were no coins, just ninety-four dollars in a money clip.”

“Look through them again. I’ll hold.”

Stone put the phone down, went to the cupboard, retrieved the bag and shook the contents out on the desk.

“No coins,” he said.

“Tell me what’s there.”

“Small wallet, ninety-four dollars, money clip, handkerchief, comb, Chapstick, keys, Kleenex.”

“It’s got to be there. Take a minute and go through everything again, especially the wallet.”

Stone removed everything from the wallet and inspected it carefully. Nothing. He went through the money. Nothing. Nothing anywhere. He sneezed.

“Bless you,” he heard Lance say.

“Just a minute.” He picked up the Kleenex pack, got one out and blew his nose. “Hang on,” he said. He took all the Kleenex out of the pack, and left inside the plastic was a small disk. “Got it,” he said. “It was in the pack of Kleenex.”

“Okay, are you in the little office?”

“No.”

“Get in there, and take the disk with you.”

Stone unlocked the door and went inside again, taking the phone with him. “Okay, I’m in.”

“Look at the bottom of the computer; there’s a little panel.”

Stone looked at the black computer tower. “Yes, I see it.”

“Push on the panel.”

Stone did so, and out slid a little tray that had an indentation the size of the disk. “Okay, do I put the disk in the tray?”

“Yes, smooth side down.”

There were four little bumps on one side, so Stone put the disk, bumps up, into the tray and closed it. “Done.”

“Now turn on the computer and the monitor. There’s a button at the top of the tower, next to the floppy-disk drive, and another on the monitor.”

Stone turned them both on. “Booting up.”

“Wait a minute, and you’ll get a prompt at the top of the screen.”

Stone waited, and the prompt appeared. “It’s there.”

“Type in, all caps, TELOG.”

Stone typed it in, and instantly a list of names and phone numbers appeared. “I have a telephone log.”

“Tell me what the top line says.”

“It says, ‘Cell’ and gives a number.” He read the number to Lance.

“Thank you,” Lance said. “Now switch off the monitor and the computer, remove the disk and put it in Dick’s safe. It will be collected.”

“Okay. Now what?”

“Now I’ll run down the phone number and find out what the hell is going on. I’ll get back to you, maybe today, maybe not. Bye-bye.” Lance hung up.

“Spooky,” Stone said.

16

THE PHONE RANG, and Stone picked it up.

“Hello?”

“It’s Rawls,” a gruff voice drawled.

“Good morning.”

“You free for lunch? I’d like you to meet some people.”

“Yes.”

“Noon at the yacht club?”

“Good.”

“See you then.” Rawls hung up.

The phone rang again. “Hello?”

“It’s Lance.”

“That was fast.”

“I checked with the London station; Kirov means trouble is coming, watch your ass.”