They dined on dolmades—stuffed vine leaves—and moussaka—a casserole of lamb and aubergines covered with a béchamel sauce—and drank the sturdy Amarone Stone had chosen. Stone shooed Helene and Fred out of the kitchen, telling them to worry about the dishes tomorrow.

—

IN LOS ANGELES, Billy and Betsy Burnett were leaving the studio together for the drive home.

“What happened in San Francisco?” Betsy asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Billy replied.

“Come on, Billy, do you think I don’t know why you went there for two nights?”

“Don’t make suppositions.”

“I’m not supposing, I know. And if you’ve resumed killing people, then I think I have a right to know so that I can help keep anyone from finding out. You’ll need an alibi, you know.”

“Darling,” Billy said, “I promise I will never put you in such a position that you will need to give me an alibi.”

“What happened in San Francisco?” she demanded.

“When I said nothing, I was telling the truth.”

“Billy, when you undertake something like that, something happens.”

“It’s not that I didn’t try,” Billy said, sighing. “I made two attempts, both foiled by circumstances.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Betsy said.

“Don’t be glad—it will have to be done at some point.”

“Will it really, Billy? Isn’t there another way?”

“Ed Eagle has been trying every other way for years, to no avail. It’s down to me, now. I’m all he has left.”

“Well, I can’t tell you not to get involved, I guess. Ed is a friend of Stone’s, and we owe Stone so much.”

“I was able to pass something on to Stone that I hope will help. Barbara is starting a campaign of interviews to make Ed look like the bad guy in all this.”

“That’s terrible!”

“Yes, and I hope that someone can do something to counteract her campaign.”

“Don’t worry yourself, Stone will think of something.”

“I hope you’re right,” Billy said. “Otherwise, I’m going to have to think of something else. Barbara and her husband are looking for a house in Bel-Air, I hear. If they find something in L.A., that will make her more accessible.”

“I just hope this all goes away,” Betsy said.

“It will go away,” Billy replied. “One way or another.”

—

ANN PUT HER fork down. “That was just wonderful,” she said. “Now I think I have the fortitude to tell you what happened today.”

“That sounds bad.”

“As I said before, it depends on how you define ‘bad.’”

“Tell me.”

“You must never breathe a word of this to a living soul,” she said. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

Ann took a deep breath. “I think Kate may be pregnant.”

Chapter 53

Stone sat and stared at Ann. “Did Kate tell you that?”

“No, she didn’t, but you know how cool and calm Kate always is?”

“Yes, I’ve noticed that about her.”