They got into the car. Stone got it started, then headed for home.
“The time it took to buy an ice cream cone seems to have been enough,” Dino said.
“I got lucky.”
“You usually do.”
As they turned off at Stone’s driveway, an elderly Mercedes convertible, top down, passed them going the other way.
“What was that?” Stone asked. “A fifty-seven 300?”
“More or less,” Dino said. “Did you see who was driving?”
“No,” Stone replied. “I was absorbed with the car — a very nice specimen. They must have just got off the ferry.”
“Probably.”
“I’ve always liked that year for Mercedes,” Stone said.
“Why, did you used to drive one?”
“No, at the time I became able to recognize the model, I couldn’t yet afford one.”
“Why don’t you buy one now?”
“My garages, both here and in New York, are too crowded,” Stone replied.
“You didn’t recognize the driver, then?”
“No. Was it the Jacksons?”
“I’ve never seen the Jacksons, but I’m certain it was not.”
“Why?”
“It was being driven by one of the Stone twins,” Dino said. “Take your pick.”
15
They had finished lunch and had divided up the Times, when the phone rang. Stone had a sudden twinge and hoped that Ms. Primrose was not calling to cancel. “Hello?”
“It’s Billy. The twins bought the house, the one down near the point. Get this: they’ve already engaged a builder from Camden for the renovation. He’s going to bring his crew over on the seven AM ferry every day and they will depart on the four o’clock.”
“Have they already closed?”
“Monday morning,” Billy said. “They’re faster than even you. They tried to hire Tracey, too, but she declined as gracefully as she could.”
“Smart girl.”
“I hope she was graceful enough.”
“So do I,” Stone said.
“Something else. They asked me about cleaning their family stuff out of the barn at the old house.”
“What did you reply to that?”
“I explained that the contracts among the past two owners specified that the contents of all buildings were included in the sale.”
“How did they take that?”
“Not well. They said they’d make the new owner an offer.”
“One that he can’t refuse?”
“Let’s not go there.”
“Have the Jacksons arrived yet?”
“They phoned from the air: ETA is two PM. I’m meeting them at the airstrip.”
Stone glanced at his watch: half an hour. “It’s important that I meet them before the twins do,” he said. “Can you ask them to expect me to drop by around three-thirty?”
“All right.”
“Thank you, Billy.” He hung up.
“Was that Billy?”
“It was, and with bad news.”
“They already bought the house?”
“You guessed it.”
“And you’re meeting the Jacksons at three-thirty?”
“You’re a good listener, Dino. I thought I’d invite them for dinner tonight. It’s a chance to get to know them, and it’ll give Primmy something to gossip about around the island.”
Something fairly loud flew over at a low altitude. “I think that’s the Jacksons’ Pilatus landing now. They’re a little early.
“Want me to go with you?” Dino asked.
“No, you’ll meet them tonight anyway.”
“As you wish,” Dino said. He went into Dick Stone’s little office and used the copying machine, then returned and gave both Stone and Viv copies of the Times crossword.
Stone worked on it until it was time to go meet the Jacksons.
He drove down in the MG. The gate was near Ed Rawls’s entrance, and theirs had an entry pod set up by an inner gate. Stone pressed the buzzer and gazed into the camera.
“Yes?” A tinny voice.
“It’s Stone Barrington.”
The gate opened immediately, then closed behind him.
Both Jacksons met him at the door and introduced themselves. They were handsome people, Stone thought, appearing younger than their years.
“Have a seat,” Henry Lee said.
“Do you mind if I have a look around first?” Stone asked.
“Sure. I’ll go with you,” Henry Lee replied. “I haven’t seen it all myself, yet.”
“I’ll get us some lemonade,” Grace said.
The two men walked through the house slowly, inspecting.
“It looks like the last people who lived here forgot to move out when they left,” Henry Lee said. “And it’s really nice furniture.”
There was a living room, dining room, kitchen, and a paneled study on the ground floor, and four bedrooms and baths upstairs. The master suite had two baths and dressing rooms.
“The garage is off the kitchen,” Henry Lee said.
They went back into the living room and sat down. Lemonade was served.
“I know you’ve been well briefed, but I just want to bring you up to date,” Stone said.
“You mean about the twins buying a house?” Henry Lee asked.
“Oh, that’s right. Billy met you at the airfield. He told you about the barn problem, then?”
“Yes, and we had a look at it. It’s empty and clean as a whistle,” Grace said.
“About the front gate,” Stone said. “I’d leave it open in the daytime. The neighbors won’t like to see it closed. Close it at bedtime.”
“Duly noted,” Grace said.
“Have you had a chance to familiarize yourselves with the security system?”
“It’s the standard Agency equipment, with a few new flourishes,” Henry Lee said. “We can actually see the property on-screen and peoples’ faces when they’re at the gate or door.”
“Good. Use it. You brought arms?”
“We did.”
“Keep them ready to use. Know that, if you feel it necessary to kill one or both of them, local law enforcement will look kindly on your actions. In fact, if you kill one of them, you’d better kill the other, too.”
“Got it,” Henry Lee said. “I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.”
“I’d like to invite the two of you to dinner at my house, this evening,” Stone said.
“We’d be delighted,” Grace said.
He gave them directions. “Six-thirty, for drinks. My friends from New York, Dino and Vivian Bacchetti, will be there...”
“We’ve been briefed on them, too.”
“And a local woman, Hester Primrose, who prefers Primmy. I think we can count on her to spread the word about you among the summer residents.”
“That’s grand,” Henry Lee said.
“I’d better get home, then,” Stone said, rising. “I hope this turns out to be a vacation for you, rather than a chore.”
“We’re enjoying it already,” Grace said. They walked him to the door.
“I must say, Tracey Hotchkiss did a wonderful job on the place.”
“You mean, it wasn’t always like this?” Henry Lee asked.
They waved him off.
16
They waited for Primmy to arrive before having their first drink. Her taste in clothing reminded Stone of Katharine Hepburn, a neighbor in Turtle Bay before her death, that is to say, eccentric. She wore suede pants with a Hermès scarf tied around her waist, like a skirt, and a tweed jacket. She was taller than Stone had imagined, pushing six feet, he estimated, and she filled out a sweater beautifully. She and Viv were introduced and got on immediately.
While Stone was mixing their drinks, the Jacksons arrived and introductions were reaccomplished.
“How did you come to be named Hester?” Grace asked Primmy. “Did your mother hate you?”