Abby shook her head. “How about college? That dream ever flit inside that big head of yours?”

“Ma, we’ve had that talk.”

“No, I’ve had that talk and you decided not to enter the discussion.”

“If my knee had held up, I’d be playing ball for Virginia Tech right now. But it didn’t. So what good is college gonna do me? It’s not like I was such a great student in high school.”

“You’re not stupid!”

“Never said I was. Just not book smart.”

She looked over at Stone. “Did you go to college?”

He shook his head. “Wanted to but I ended up going to war instead.”

She said, “Vietnam?” He nodded.

“So that’s why you fight so good. You ain’t one of them crazy vets with a metal plate in your head, are you?” said Danny, grinning. “A walking time bomb?”

“The man fought for his country, Danny, don’t make that into a joke,” scolded his mother.

“I made it home without any metal plates,” Stone said.

“Ever get shot?” Danny asked eagerly.

Stone said, “I agree with your mother. College should be on your radar.”

“Well, I’ll just go sign up right now. Just give me a check for a hundred grand for Harvard, Ma, and I’m out of here.”

Abby started to say something when the door opened. Stone could sense the quiet chatter in the restaurant fading away. When he looked up he saw the big man standing in the doorway, his uniform sparkling and his Stetson perched at an angle on his head. His skin was leathery and lined from wind and sun. But it was a handsome face, its jaw tight and jutting like the lower half of a medieval helmet. The curly fringes of his dark hair stuck out from under the rim of the Stetson. His right hand rested over the top of his holstered pistol like a road scavenger’s claw over its kill.

His gaze swung around Rita’s until it came to rest on Abby Riker. He smiled. Then he saw Stone sitting next to her. And the big man stopped smiling.

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

ALEX FORD WAS HEADING OUT to grab some lunch when the man approached him on the street outside of the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office.

“Got a minute?” the fellow asked, flashing his creds.

Alex flinched when he saw the Agency insignia.

Great, here we go.

“What’s this about, Agent Knox?” But he really already knew of course.

“We need to talk.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

The two men started off and soon they reached a small park where Knox sat on a bench and motioned for Alex to join him.

Knox spoke for some minutes, mostly telling Alex things he already knew.

“Your friend’s not at home,” Knox said.

“Really? I haven’t been by to see him lately.”