“Who’s your guest?” Joan asked.

“His name is Ed,” Stone replied. “That’s all you need to know.”

“Whatever you say.”

When she had returned to her office, Stone called Dino.

“Bacchetti.”

“Welcome me home,” Stone said.

“Okay, welcome home.”

“You two free for dinner at my house this evening?”

“Special occasion?”

“Not exactly, but I think you’ll find the company interesting.”

“You mean, it won’t be just you?”

“Holly’s here, and another guest.”

“Male or female?”

“I’ll let you figure it out. Six-thirty for drinks?”

“We can do that. What are you being so mysterious about?”

“All will be revealed at dinner.”

“Really?”

“Well, maybe not all—just enough to keep you engaged.”

“Okay, pal, we’ll see you at six-thirty.” Dino hung up.

24

STONE AND HOLLY SAT in the study with the Bacchettis; Ed Rawls had not appeared yet.

“So where’s your guest?” Dino asked.

“He’ll be along.”

“Ah, now we know gender—progress!”

“I think you’ll find him an interesting man, if you can set aside any preconceived notions you might have.”

“Preconceived notions—more progress! Is it Al Capone? I have some preconceived notions about him.”

The phone buzzed, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”

“I fell asleep, so I’m running a few minutes late,” Ed said.

“We’ll drink one for you.”

“Is he not going to show?” Dino asked.

“He’ll show, but he’ll be a little late.”

“Why don’t you fill me in so I can dispel my preconceived notions?”

“Oh, all right, it’s Ed Rawls.”

Dino stared at him with furrowed brow. “Sounds familiar,” he said, then his face fell. “Holy shit, that Ed Rawls? Isn’t he in a federal pen?”

“No, he was pardoned a couple of years ago. He’s been living on Islesboro since then. This is the first time he’s been off the island.”

“You’re having a traitor as your guest of honor for dinner?”

“Dino, watch your preconceived notions.”

“You mean he’s not a traitor?”

“He is not. He was the Agency’s station chief in Stockholm, and he got in bed with a pretty girl.”

“Was the pretty girl Russian?”

“She was, but he thought she was Swedish. The KGB blackmailed him into giving them some information, but he was smart enough to only give them harmless stuff. Kate Lee got on to him and nailed him. He pled guilty and got twenty years, served seven, I think.”

“About when he’d be eligible for parole.”

“He would have had to serve every day of it, but he was helpful to his government in ways I don’t even know about, and Will pardoned him on the last day of his presidency.”

“Well, if Will thinks he’s okay, I guess that’s good enough for me,” Dino said.

“That’s awfully good of you, Dino,” his wife, Viv, said.

“Sarcasm is unattractive,” he replied.

“It was irony.”

“Whatever.”