Do you trust those people?' Holly had once been the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and she knew them well. 'Something that can't be discussed on a scrambled CIA iPhone?' 'I don't want to dine with them, I want to dine with you. 'The presidents will be aboard, too, since it's the presidential helicopter.' The presidents were Katharine Lee, the current president, and her husband, Will Lee, the former president.

Can Fred meet me?' Fred Flicker was Stone's factotum, a pint-sized veteran of Britain's Royal Marines Commandos. 'We're landing at the East Side Heliport at noon. 'I'm coming to New York, and I want to spend the night at your house, doing what we always do there.' 'Now it's your turn: What have you got to say?' She was very, very careful about being seen or heard communicating with Stone the press would have far too much fun reporting ad nauseam that she was sleeping with someone. Holly was the secretary of state and about to announce a run for the Democratic nomination for president. 'You gave it to me,' she said, 'to use for the most confidential calls, and all of my calls to you are most confidential.' 'Of course I do, but how did you get this number?' 'You don't recognize my voice anymore?' They had been lovers for years. 'It's Holly, you complete ass,' she said.

It was a CIA iPhone, given to Stone when he was appointed special adviser to the director, with the putative rank of deputy director, though he was no such thing. This was the secure cell phone on which he only got calls from Lance Cabot, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who always scrambled. His cell phone rang, and he picked it up. Stone Barrington was sitting up in bed watching last night's recording of The Rachel Maddow Show, while skipping Joe Scarborough's rant during the first half hour of Morning Joe, which was on a subject he had heard about too often: small government.

Last wood desks at msnbc