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“It’s never reed Stone “At least it doesn’t the e’ve been looking at it”
Chapo back to where it all started”
“You mean Lafayette Park?”
“Let’s call it for what it is Hell’s Corner In fact, I can’t think of it any other way now Might’ve known”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s named after a bloody Frenchman,” snapped Chapman
CHAPTER 82
THEY WALKED OVER EVERY INCH of the park for several hours Stone and Chapht, but it always resulted in old conclusions Old and wrong conclusions Stone was actually a little surprised that no one ca here, or else simply escorted them out of the park But apparently Riley Weaver could not be burdened with such insignificant details Stone figured he was probably right now at NIC headquarters going over with his own legal staff and that of the congressional committee members how best to crucify him
Stone paced the park again and again, looking at things fro the sa on the other side of the park They had passed each other several ti this exercise At first their expressions had been hopeful, but no there was no hope left in either of their faces
Stone looked at the govern where the shots had come from And then at the Hay-Adams Hotel from where they had been meant to believe the shots had come Then he looked at the places where the four people in the park had been that night In his h their paces Fried respectively, and then walking away Padilla running for his life The British security guard shadowing Stone and ending up losing a tooth The explosion Stone being blown off his feet Now Turkekul and Padilla were dead Fried since gone home He had never even known the man’s name He probably should have questioned the fellow directly, but what could he really have added to the account?
He stopped a short distance from Marisa Fried at the front of the old town house, Stone recalled his last encounter there with her It could have gone very differently if he’d been willing And right noondering why he hadn’t been… willing
“Got so?”
He turned to see Chap and then at him
“Friedence field is over,” he said “Thanks to me”
“She’s a big girl Nobody ”
“She actually didn’t have much of a choice”
“Everyone has choices You make them and then you live with the consequences” She paused “Do you plan to see her again?”
Stone shot her a glance “What do you mean?”
“The last tienius to see”
“To see what?”
She turned away, directing her attention to the hole in the ground where the bohtmare
“I don’t plan on seeing her again, no,” said Stone He seemed surprised by this sudden decision
Where did that come from? Instinct?
Chapman turned back around “I think that’s wise”
As it started to get dark Stone and Chape They sat in the car by the wrought-iron gates for a few minutes
“I’ll come with you tomorrow,” she said “If just for moral support”
“No,” Stone said decisively “That would not be good for your career”
“What career?”
He looked at her “What do you mean?”
“Friedot a notice fro ordered to resign from MI6”
Stone looked anguished “I’m sorry, Mary”
She shrugged “Probably tis can only go up”
“Can’t McElroy help you?”
“No He’s taken his lumps too over this It’s out of his hands” She looked around “I no longer have access to the British ee back on an American