“Did you see Mr. Kendrick at all that day?”
“No, I did not. The last time was the day before.”
“How would you describe his frame of mind?” Stone asked.
“Serene. Brix was always serene. That’s why I was surprised he killed himself.”
“Why do you think he killed himself?”
“I should think it was obvious. He killed his own wife, for God’s sake!”
“Did it surprise you when you heard of her death?”
“Of course it surprised me.”
“Did you think Mr. Kendrick was the sort of man who would kill his wife?”
“Certainly not! Not for a moment.”
“Did he ever say to you that he wanted out of his marriage?”
“No, never. He and Mimi were devoted to each other. He just had a very powerful sex drive.”
Stone closed his notebook. “Thank you for seeing us, Mrs. Brandon,” he said. “Can you tell me where Milly Hart lives?”
“Certainly not, I barely know the woman.”
She led them to the door, and after looking both ways up and down the street, she let them out without a word and slammed the door behind them.
“Well, that was useful,” Dino said.
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Dino.”
“What are we doing here?” Dino asked. “Every time somebody asks us what we want, I don’t know what to tell them.”
“Let’s go find Milly Hart,” Stone said.
20
Dino started the car. “Okay, tell me where Milly Hart lives.”
“I don’t know where she lives,” Stone replied.
“Why do you think I know where she lives?”
Stone got out his cell phone and called Fair Sutherlin’s direct line. Her secretary put him through.
“Good afternoon, Stone. Did you have a nice lunch with the president?”
“Very nice, thank you.”
“You mean you enjoyed the food?”
“He gave us lobster salad,” Stone said. “What’s not to enjoy?”
“Wait until Kate hears about this.”
“Oh, he had Kate’s diet lunch, while Dino and I gorged ourselves.”
“I see. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night. By the way, it’s not black tie.”
“I’m relieved to hear that, since I didn’t bring a dinner jacket.”
“What else can I do for you?” she asked, a leer in her voice.
“I’ve heard that the White House operators can find anybody.”
“That is perfectly so.”
“Would you kindly ask them to find the address of a woman named Milly Hart? With a y?”
“And who is Milly Hart with a y?”
“Someone Brixton Kendrick may have been having an affair with.”
There was a dead silence, for a slow count of about four. “Brix Kendrick was having an affair?”
“At least one, maybe two.”
“Good God! Who was the other one?”
“I’m going to tell you only because I know our reports cross your desk anyway. The other one, confirmed, is Muffy Brandon.”
“Holy shit!” Fair said. “How do you know this?”
“It’s Washington. Also, she admitted it to us ten minutes ago.”
“Does the president know?”
“He knows of a rumor that Kendrick was having affairs. He doesn’t know with whom yet, unless the grapevine in this town is even faster than I thought.”
“It is,” she said. “It moves faster than the speed of light, defying science.”
“Then you should have Milly Hart’s address in a millisecond,” Stone said.
“Hang on,” she said, and put him on hold.
“You making any progress?” Dino asked. “With the address, I mean?”
“I’ll have it in a millisecond,” Stone said.
Fair came back on the line. “She lives at the Watergate apartments. Who is she?”
“Didn’t the White House operator fill you in?”
“I asked only for her address.”
“Then you know just as much about her as I do,” Stone said. “See you tomorrow night.” He hung up. “She was flabbergasted to hear that Brix was having affairs,” he said to Dino.
“I guess I’m the only guy in town who isn’t,” Dino said. “I always assume everybody is fucking everybody.”
“That saves time,” Stone said. “Can you find the Watergate apartments on the map?”
Dino consulted it. “Right by the Potomac River,” he said. “I’m on my way.” He put the car in gear.
“Then I’ll come along for the ride.”
Entrance to the apartment house required a stop at a reception desk.
“Milly Hart,” Stone said to the uniformed doorman.
“Who shall I say is calling?”
“Mr. Stone Barrington and Lieutenant Dino Bacchetti.”
The man wrote down the names, then dialed a number and spoke for a moment. He covered the receiver with his hand. “She doesn’t know you,” he said.
“May I speak with her?” Stone asked. The man handed him the phone. “Hello, Ms. Hart?”
“Yes?” It was a low voice, nice to listen to.
“This is Stone Barrington. I am here to speak to you at the request of the president of the United States.”
“Really? Then give the phone to the doorman.”
Stone did so, and the doorman gave him the apartment number and pointed him toward the elevators.
“We know nothing about this lady?” Dino said. “Nothing you haven’t told me?”
“Zip, Dino.”
“You sure about that?”
“Dino, you’re sounding more like a wife at every turn.”
The door opened directly into a handsome foyer, where a large arrangement of fresh flowers sat on an antique mahogany table.
“Very classy,” Dino said.
A door opened, and a uniformed maid, their second of the day, beckoned them in. “This way, please.”
Milly Hart simultaneously entered the living room through another door and walked toward them. She was a striking redhead wearing a negligee with a matching silk dressing gown, right out of an Arlene Dahl movie. In fact, she resembled Arlene Dahl in one of her old films. “Mr. Barrington? Lieutenant Bacchetti? How do you do?” she said, with an accent right off the New York stage. She extended a perfectly manicured hand and allowed both of them to shake it, then waved them to a sofa and took a chair. “You’ve piqued my curiosity with talk of the president,” she said.
“We’re speaking with you at his request.”
“I’m flattered, but I’ve met the gentleman briefly only a few times, at White House dinners and such. What are you a lieutenant of?” she asked Dino. “I was expecting an army uniform.”
“Of the New York City Police Department,” Dino replied.
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I hope this isn’t about that parking ticket last winter. It was a hired car and driver, and I assumed his company would take care of it and bill me.”
“No, ma’am,” Dino said. “It’s not about-”
“Would you gentlemen like some tea?” she asked. “It isn’t too early, is it? Or would you prefer something more potent?”
“Tea would be lovely, Ms. Hart,” Stone said.
“Please call me Milly,” she said. “Absolutely everybody does.”
“Thank you, Milly,” Stone said. “I assure you the president has not taken an interest in your parking tickets.”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Frankly, I thought you were making that up to get past the doorman.”
“No, the presidNo,y curiosent has asked us to look into the murder and apparent suicide of Emily and Brixton Kendrick.”
For a moment, she nearly lost her composure, but she quickly recovered. “Really?”
“Really. We understand that you and Mr. Kendrick were . . . close.”
“And where did you come by that particular item?”
“It’s Washington,” Dino said, looking pleased with himself.
“Ah, yes, so it is. Am I suspected of murdering one or both of them?”
“No, Milly,” Stone said. “We’re here because you and Brix Kendrick were having an affair.”
“I remember the day the news broke,” she said, ignoring his remark. “I was in New York at the time.”
“You spend a lot of time in New York, do you?” Dino asked.