Back Cold Paradise Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Praise
  2. Praise
  3. Praise
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. Chapter 1
  8. Chapter 2
  9. Chapter 3
  10. Chapter 4
  11. Chapter 5
  12. Chapter 6
  13. Chapter 7
  14. Chapter 8
  15. Chapter 9
  16. Chapter 10
  17. Chapter 11
  18. Chapter 12
  19. Chapter 13
  20. Chapter 14
  21. Chapter 15
  22. Chapter 16
  23. Chapter 17
  24. Chapter 18
  25. Chapter 19
  26. Chapter 20
  27. Chapter 21
  28. Chapter 22
  29. Chapter 23
  30. Chapter 24
  31. Chapter 25
  32. Chapter 26
  33. Chapter 27
  34. Chapter 28
  35. Chapter 29
  36. Chapter 30
  37. Chapter 31
  38. Chapter 32
  39. Chapter 33
  40. Chapter 34
  41. Chapter 35
  42. Chapter 36
  43. Chapter 37
  44. Chapter 38
  45. Chapter 39
  46. Chapter 40
  47. Chapter 41
  48. Chapter 42
  49. Chapter 43
  50. Chapter 44
  51. Chapter 45
  52. Chapter 46
  53. Chapter 47
  54. Chapter 48
  55. Chapter 49
  56. Chapter 50
  57. Chapter 51
  58. Chapter 52
  59. Chapter 53
  60. Chapter 54
  61. Chapter 55
  62. Chapter 56
  63. Chapter 57
  64. Chapter 58
  65. Chapter 59
  66. Chapter 60
  67. Chapter 61
  68. Chapter 62
  69. Chapter 63
  70. Chapter 64
  71. Chapter 65
  72. Acknowledgements
  73. Teaser chapter

“The Breakers has golf, tennis, the beach, the works,” Callie said. She parked the car. “Come on, I’ll show you the inside of the place before we eat.” She led the way into a huge, twin-towered building and into a lobby that looked like some part of an Italianate cathedral.

“Jesus,” Stone said.

“Yeah. It was built by Henry Flagler, the railroad magnate, who seems to have built just about everything on the east coast of Florida. Come on, let’s get some lunch.” She led him out of the hotel and through another security gate, where she flashed a photo ID. A minute later, they were seated on a broad terrace, overlooking a huge swimming pool and the sea.

The sun shone brightly, but the breeze made it cool, and Stone put on his sweater.

“You dress well,” she said.

“Thanks. So do you.”

“Are your suits, by any chance, made by Doug Hayward?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I’ve met a number of men who go to him, and I dragged Thad in there once and made him have a suit made. Doug’s a nice man, isn’t he?”

“I’ve never met him.”

“Oh? How can he make your clothes without meeting you?”

“I inherited a lot of stuff from a friend who died last year. It was all from Hayward.”

They ordered lunch.

“Nice friend,” she said.

“Well, I’ve known his wife for a while. She insisted I take the clothes. In fact, she just shipped them to me and said I could send them to the Goodwill, if I didn’t want them. She was afraid they’d end up in some celebrity auction.”

“Celebrity? Who was he?”

“Your favorite movie star, Vance Calder.”

“Holy mackerel. I’ve been dining with Vance Calder’s clothes?”

“You have, indeed.”

“Who killed Vance Calder, anyway?”

“Good question. There were suspects, but no conviction.”

Their lunch came, and Stone dove into a chicken Caesar salad. “How much time do you spend here?” Stone asked.

“Quite a lot, it seems. Thad does more entertaining here than in New York, so I’ve just camped out on the yacht.”

“Does he have a New York apartment?”

“He keeps that suite you saw at the Four Seasons.”

Stone shook his head.

“Yes, I know, it’s a lot of money. Thad would really prefer to live in hotels full-time, but he thought he ought to have a home somewhere, so he bought the Palm Beach house. I think he bought it as much for dockage for the yacht as for the house, but he’s got a big-time designer doing the place up. There’s a warehouse in West Palm already bursting with stuff that’s ready to move in, as soon as the builders are gone.”

“Which is when?”