“Unless he turns out not to be John Collins.”
“Then a new mystery begins,” Dino said. “I love a mystery.”
22
When Stone got home he walked into the house and heard someone clearing his throat. He went to the study and found Lance Cabot sitting on the sofa before a fire, a drink in his hand.
“All cozy, are we?”
“Come in, Stone.”
“Thank you so much,” Stone replied. He poured himself a brandy. “Something more for you?”
“I’m fine. Have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Stone sank into the other end of the sofa and took a sip of brandy. “You seem pensive, Lance. What’s going on?”
“I may have to kill John Collins.”
“Again? Wasn’t once enough?”
“Apparently not.”
Stone sat quietly and waited for Lance to explain.
“If you hear from him, you have to tell me.”
“Why?”
“Because if I’m going to kill him, I have to find him, and you, perhaps, might help.”
“Why do you think I would become involved in a murder?”
“If he’s already dead, it wouldn’t be murder, would it?”
“If he’s alive, it would be.”
“Have you heard from him?”
“Why would he get in touch with me?”
“He may be jealous. I mean, you are fucking his wife.”
“His widow. And any fucking we may have done was conducted on that basis.”
“I don’t think he sees it that way.”
“Well, I wouldn’t know about how he sees things.”
“Will you let me know if he contacts you?”
“I don’t think I will,” Stone said. “What you’ve told me could make me complicit in a murder.”
“Oh, don’t come over all legal on me.”
“It’s what I do. I have to live as I advise my clients. Tell me, what has he done to deserve being murdered?”
“He has disappointed me.”
“Oh, that. Surely others who have disappointed you have not been punished by death.”
“Not many.”
Stone didn’t want to know about that.
“He’s getting money from somewhere.”
“Everybody has to eat.”
“I’ve had a watch on his accounts, so it can’t be coming from those. Have you given him money?”
“He hasn’t gotten a cent from me.”
“Vanessa may have found some way to get it to him.”
“She hasn’t confided in me.”
“It’s hard to run down a man who doesn’t appear to need money.”
“I haven’t had any experience with that.”
“Maybe he has an offshore account that I don’t know about.”
Stone sighed and had another sip of brandy.
“Does he?” Lance asked.
“If you don’t know that, why would I?”
“Why do you keep giving me evasive answers?”
“I’m just trying to stay logical. Your assumption seems to be that I know all about Collins, but I don’t. You know a great deal about him, so why are you asking me these things?”
“Because I think that if you knew something that I should know, you wouldn’t tell me.”
Stone polished off his brandy. “This is becoming tiresome, Lance, so I’m going to bed. You know where the guest rooms are, so pick one.” He stood up. “Good night.”
Lance didn’t respond, so Stone walked out of the room and went upstairs. As he walked into his bedroom a light came on in the security panel, then it went out. Apparently, Lance had opened and closed the front door. Stone armed the system and got into bed. The phone rang.
“Hello?”
“It’s Vanessa. How are you?”
“Sleepy. I was just going to bed.”
“I wish I were there with you.”
“Then neither of us would get any sleep.”
“John called me again tonight.”
“And what did he have to say?”
“Nothing of any substance. He wants to meet you.”
“Why?”
Silence.
“I have to go to sleep now. Is there anything else that can’t wait until tomorrow?”
“I guess not.”
“Good night, then.” He hung up and was soon asleep.
23
Stone arrived at Patroon before dinner and was shown to their usual table. A martini was set down across the table for him.
“For your guest,” the waiter said. “Your usual?”
“Yes, please.”
Stone’s cell phone rang. “Yes?”
“It’s Jack Collins.”
“Good evening. Your martini awaits you.”
“It’s my understanding that you’ve invited another guest. Who is he?”
“His name is Dino Bacchetti.”
“The police commissioner of New York?”
“That is correct. Dino and I were partners when we were police detectives.”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this.”
“Why? Have you committed a crime in New York?”
“Well, no.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Silence for a moment. “You want a witness,” Collins said.
“I do. You may bring one, too, if you like.”
“Who would I bring?”
“Anyone you like. Anyone you trust.”
“There are very few of those.”
“Then don’t bring one,” Stone said. “Your martini is getting warm.”
A man slid into the seat across from him, raised his glass, and sipped his martini.
“You’re wearing a disguise,” Stone said. “Gray wig, eyebrows, and moustache. Who are you hiding from?”
“From those who might wish to harm me.”
“Who are they?”
“I have my suspicions, but I can’t prove it yet.”
“Who tried to kill you?”
“Russian mobsters, I believe.”
“And whom did they kill instead?”
“Someone I sent to a meeting on my behalf.”
“Was he Agency?”
“You know enough about them to know that I can’t answer that.”
“You could if the answer was no. Since it’s not, he was. How did you choose him for the task?”
“I trusted him, and he was willing.”
“Did he impersonate you?”
“Yes.”
“You must feel bad about what happened to him.”
“I do, and I expect to exact revenge, at some point.”
“Where were you when he was shot?”
“Observing.”
“And where was he?”
“On the ferry, at their request.”
“Given the weather, it would have been very difficult for you to observe from ashore.”
“You have a point.”
“Why did the Russians want you dead?”
“Because I know their plans.”
“What are their plans?”
“I think it’s best that you don’t have that information just yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because then they would want you dead, too.”
“Why haven’t they tried again?”
“Because they don’t know what I look like.”
“Thus, your disguise?”
“You’re very quick. The disguise protects you, too.”
“Ah.”
Dino arrived and was seated before Collins could bolt. Stone introduced the two men.
“Think of Dino as part of your disguise,” Stone said.
“How so?”
“Because they wouldn’t expect you to be dining with the police commissioner.”
Collins laughed. “Point taken.”
“Would you like to order?”
“Thank you, I’ll have the Dover sole.”
“And a Caesar salad? Very good here.”
“Thank you, yes.”
They ordered.
“Another martini?” Stone asked.
“No, I think I’d better keep my wits about me.”
“I assume you’ve checked the exits and plotted an escape route.”