18
Stone was wondering what he was going to do for dinner, when he got a call explaining it to him.
“Hi, it’s Vanessa. Let’s have dinner.”
“What a good idea!”
“Let’s try the new restaurant at the Carlyle,” she suggested.
“You’re just full of good ideas.”
“I’ll book, and I’ll meet you there at seven.”
“Done.” He hung up, his spirits lightened.
The place had been redone, and it was handsome — new décor and lots of flowers. They nestled into a corner table. Their drink order came, and they raised their glasses. “Do you want to hear the latest about John Collins?”
Before he could stop himself, he said, “Sure.”
“He’s not dead.”
Stone got his swallow down before he checked her face for signs that she was kidding. “No kidding?”
“No kidding. We talked on the phone for half an hour this afternoon. In fact, he suggested you and I have dinner together, and where.”
Stone surveyed the room.
“He’s not here,” she said. “I already checked.”
“So you’re not a widow anymore?”
“Nope.”
“I liked you as a widow.”
“Frankly, so did I, but I’m glad he’s all right. He’s recovering well from the gunshot wounds and the beating he took. He said they forced a bottle of vodka down his throat, but he threw up some of it.”
“Is there a punch line in here somewhere?” Stone asked.
“That’s what I was waiting for on the phone call, but it was full of little references that only he and I would have understood. It couldn’t have been faked.”
“How did he feel about being cremated and scattered at sea?”
“He thanked me for following his wishes.”
“Did he give you any sort of explanation or account of what happened?”
“He said I’d have to wait awhile, but that he would fully explain at a later date.”
“Did he say where he’s been since we last saw him?”
“In treatment and recovery.”
“Where?”
“He couldn’t say. I guess he’s afraid of it happening again.”
“Did he say who the guy was who spent a night in my garage in Maine?”
“No, and he wasn’t allowed to say what he was doing in Maine, either.”
“Does Lance Cabot know about this?”
“He said that Lance knows just about everything.”
“ ‘Just about’? He’s holding back something?”
“John always holds back. He tells me only what he wants me to know. He says it is for my protection.”
“The next time he calls, ask him if he’ll come over for a drink. I’d like to have a chat with him.”
“Funny, he suggested that he do that, when he’s better.”
“He knows who I am?”
“He didn’t at the time, but he does now.”
“You told him all about me, huh?”
“I did, and he was happy for me.”
“Well, as long as he’s happy, I guess it doesn’t matter if he’s dead.”
“You don’t seem to be taking the news very seriously, Stone.”
“Well, you sort of sprang it on me. I must say, I wasn’t expecting to hear it.”
“Life’s like that,” she said. “You think you know everything, and suddenly it jumps up and bites you in the ass.”
“You’re a philosopher, Vanessa. Are there any Greeks on your family tree?”
She laughed, then they ordered another drink and perused the menu.
Later, after they had made love, Stone started to ask a question, but Vanessa stopped him. “No more questions,” she said. “I’ve told you all I’m allowed to tell you.”
“Who’s doing the allowing?”
“I said, no more questions. If you have enough energy to ask me questions, use it to fuck me again.”
“As I said earlier, you’re just full of good ideas.” He took her advice.
19
Vanessa insisted on sleeping in her own bed, and just after Stone had seen her off, Lance called. “Good evening.”
“It’s not evening, Lance. It’s very early in the morning.”
“Oh. Sorry about that. I have important news.”
“I’ve already heard it,” Stone said.
“That’s impossible.”
“No, it’s not, Lance. I got it from the horse’s mouth.”
“I assure you, I am the horse’s mouth.”
“All right, you first,” Stone said.
“No, you first.”
“All right, the Japanese have just bombed Pearl Harbor.”
“Be serious.”
“We lost six battleships. That’s not serious?”
“I order you to shut up and listen,” Lance said.
“I’m listening.”
Lance was silent for a moment. “Now I can’t remember what I was going to tell you.”
“Was it that John Collins is still alive?”
“It most certainly was not.”
“I just thought I’d take a stab.”
“I’ll call you back when I can remember why I called.”
“Could you make it after seven am?” Stone asked. “Then I can drown you out with the TV news.” He hung up, and so did Lance.
A moment later, the phone rang again. “I forgot to tell you something,” Vanessa said. “Don’t tell Lance Cabot that John is still alive.”
“I’m afraid I’ve already told him, but he didn’t believe me.”
“That’s good. Let’s keep it that way until tomorrow afternoon. John’s request. He wants to tell Lance himself.”
“All right,” Stone said. “Good night.” He hung up.
Stone was nodding off when the phone rang again.
“Hello.”
“It’s Lance. I’ve just received the most preposterous note.”
“Don’t tell me, it was from John Collins, saying he was still alive.”
“What? How could you possibly know that?”
“I gave you that news earlier this evening.”
“Yes, but of course I didn’t believe you.”
“Did you believe the guy who sent you the note?”
“He told me some things that only he and I could know, so I believe him.”
“Okay, can I go back to sleep now?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“If you think of anything else, don’t call me,” Stone said. He tried to hang up before Lance did, but he wasn’t fast enough.
The phone rang again, but Stone pulled a pillow over his head and did his best to ignore it. Eventually, it stopped ringing.
Stone had just gotten his breakfast off the dumbwaiter when the phone rang again.
“Is this Lance Cabot or John Collins?” Stone asked.
“That wasn’t funny,” Lance said.
“I thought it was logical, in the circumstances.”
“I remembered why I called you the first time last night.”
“Shoot.”
“The first meeting of the commission to investigate the death of John Collins is at three this afternoon, and it will be conducted online by your cochair, Hugh English.”
“I have two reasons for declining to accept that news,” Stone said. “One, I will have nothing to do with Hugh English, who is a self-righteous son of a bitch. In fact, I thought you had already ejected him from your service. Two, I assume that John Collins is not dead. That’s from the horse’s mouth.”
“Hugh has agreed to stay on for a few months to wrap up the commission.”
“Months? For a man who’s not dead yet?”
“It must be thorough.”
“Well, they will only have to call one witness: Mr. Collins. That should be thorough enough.”
“You’re assuming that Collins is still alive.”
“I am. I got it from an unimpeachable source.” He hung up and buzzed Joan.