“No, the other bombs were at our hotels in Rome, Paris, and next door to my house in England. The plan was for all three to go off simultaneously. Fortunately, our security people here got the word out and all the plots were foiled. They captured one man in England, the Rome and Paris bombers got away.”

“Have you heard anything about who the London guy was?”

“No, perhaps I should ask you two.”

“I guess we’re not as plugged in with England,” Peter said. “None of the bombs went off?”

“No. We’ve got a new piece of equipment called a security blanket. If a bomb is discovered the blanket is thrown over it, and it blocks radio and cell phone transmissions that might detonate it.”

“What a great idea!” Peter said. “I can use that in a movie. It sounds like your security people are really on the ball.”

“That’s true. With each of our hotels, we’ve had opposition from either terrorists or criminals—either the Italian Mafia or, even worse, the Russians.”

“Have they been quiet lately?”

“I think they’ve found us too costly to deal with. The Italian godfather is in prison, and most of the Russian opposition is dead.” He didn’t mention that Billy had been instrumental in their demise; Peter still didn’t know that Billy had saved their lives when he and Ben had been driving across the country to start their production company at Centurion.

“So, Dad, who are you seeing these days? I heard that the affair with the screenwriter cooled down.”

“I guess you could put it that way. I’ve met someone interesting since I’ve been here, though—a theatrical set designer named Jinx Jameson.”

“I know the name,” Peter said. “They’re doing one of her productions at the Ahmanson Theatre.”

“That’s why she’s in town. I’m giving her a lift home to New York tomorrow.”

“Well, if that doesn’t impress her, nothing will. On the other hand, does she know you’re the pilot?”

“I don’t believe I mentioned that,” Stone said.

“She’s probably expecting something like the Centurion Gulfstream 650.”

“I certainly hope not.”

“You say ‘private jet’ and people think you’re flying something that will carry thirty passengers, instead of six.”

“You could have a point. Well, it will teach her not to anticipate too much.”

“The world would be a simpler place if people didn’t over-anticipate,” Billy said.

“Perhaps I’d better drop a hint at dinner tonight.”

“I wouldn’t,” Peter said. “She might back out, and you wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“No,” Stone replied, “I wouldn’t. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

35

STONE WAITED UNTIL they were in bed that night, on their second occasion, to mention casually that he was flying his own airplane to New York.

“Really? What airplane?”

“A Citation CJ 3 Plus.”

“How much total time do you have?”