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Back Below the Belt Save as PDF
Chapters (67)
  1. Cover
  2. BOOKS BY STUART WOODS
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
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  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  66. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  67. What’s next onyour reading list?

“I’ll tell you what’s unwise,” Ed said, “burning down my house, that’s what. But I appreciate your calling, because now I know who the bastard is who did it. Tell me, do you have a nice house somewhere that I can burn down for you? And I promise not to leave a corpse in the living room.” Ed hung up.

He was angry, and he needed to blow off some steam. He looked up the number of the builder in Islesboro who had built his house there.

“Bill Haynes,” the man said.

“Bill, it’s Ed Rawls. How you doing?”

“Just fine, Ed. I heard about your house.”

“Yeah, so did I. You want to rebuild it for me?”

“Sure, glad to.”

“You still got the plans?”

“Yep.”

“Well, get out there and get to work. By the way, there’s a secret cellar next door, with a tunnel running from the house. I’d like that sealed off, please. It’s of no further use to me.”

“It will be done.”

“How long is it going to take to finish the place?”

“Well, let’s see, I’ll get some people out there tomorrow to clean up what’s there, and, assuming the pad is in good shape, we’ll start framing early next week. After that, I’ll need a couple of months, I guess, if you want it built exactly like before.”

“I do.”

“Then I’m on it, Ed. It’s going to cost you more per square foot than it did when I built it the first time, but that’s just inflation.”

“I’m okay with that. Give me a price.”

Haynes did.

“Agreed. You can send me a contract at my place in Virginia.” He gave the man the address and phone number. “Call if you have any questions as you proceed.”

The two men said goodbye and hung up. Ed felt better than he had in weeks. He went to the little study bar and poured himself a drink, then turned on the TV. The satellite was still working; he had forgotten to turn off that service. He switched to the D.C. CBS station for the news, just in time to see a promo for 60 Minutes. They were devoting the entire show to Nelson Knott. He went to the listings and set the show to be recorded on the DVR.

This is going to be interesting, he thought.

38

STONE AND HOLLY took an afternoon run, and when they got back to the house the message light was flashing on his phone. “Don’t miss 60 Minutes tomorrow,” Will Lee’s voice said. “If you’re going out, be sure and record it. I’ll be in town tomorrow. I’ll call you for lunch.”

“What’s on 60 Minutes?” Holly asked.

Stone switched on the TV and looked it up. “Financial skullduggery, baseball, and children with wild pets.”

“I wonder which of those Will found so fascinating.”