“Your old Mercedes?”

“No, that’s a short-range car, it’s tucked away in my garage. I’m driving a rental.”

“Is this a long-range trip?”

“It is. I’m headed to Islesboro. I’ll drive as far as Augusta, then get a lightplane charter to the island. It occurred to me that when the mailing hits the media I’m going to be getting a lot of phone calls and interview requests that I want no part of.”

“I expect you’re right. Would you like to stay at my place until yours is finished?”

“Thank you, that would suit me very well.”

“I’ll call Seth Hotchkiss and tell him and Mary to expect you. Knock on his door when you get there, and he’ll let you in.”

“Perfecto. Have you had any blowback from the mailing yet?”

“No, and I don’t expect any, since nobody will associate me with your book.”

“Well, there are a couple of mentions of you.”

“I’d forgotten about that, but they were innocuous.”

“I guess that describes them. What are you going to do with the Parkers now? Once the news is out, they’ll no longer be a threat to Nelson Knott or Christian St. Clair.”

“No, but the press will be looking hard for them. They’d be a hot interview.”

“The DVD will cover that. They’ve got enough quotes for a week, anyway.”

“I’ll just leave them where they be, I think. I’m sure they’re enjoying the vacation, and I don’t want to cut it short.”

“Good idea. Let me give you my latest cell number.”

Stone wrote it down.

“You might give that to the Parkers, too, should they want to reach me.”

“You know, Ed, you might have saved their lives by figuring out that St. Clair had people following them.”

“Maybe, who knows?”

“What are you going to do for the rest of the year?”

“I’m going to finish my house and furnish it, then I’m just going to sit around and watch the election campaigns on TV. When it’s over I won’t have anything else to do.”

“You’ll think of something,” Stone said.

“Maybe I’ll take a look at the new crop of widows up there. We seem to get three or four a season.”

“I’m sure the attention would make them happy.”

“Okay, you take care.”

“Give me a call when you’re in the house, and I’ll give you some tips on how to run the place.”

“Will do. Bye.” They both hung up.

—

STONE HAD A sandwich for lunch and was reading a contract later when Joan buzzed. “A producer at 60 Minutes is on one for you.”

“Did he say what it was about?”

“Nope.”

Stone picked up the phone. “This is Stone Barrington.”

“Mr. Barrington, we’ve received your mailing, and—”

“My mailing? What mailing?”