As they were standing on the street, looking for a cab, Sergeant Young approached them. “You’d have to phone for a taxi,” he said. “Can I give you a lift somewhere?”

“I need to go to a funeral parlor, then to the airport,” Stone said.

“I’ll drive you.”

They got into the state police car and drove away.

“Looks like you’ve made some more work for me,” Young said.

“Sorry about that,” Stone said.

“Don’t be. You made a valid point. I’ll come over there tomorrow and go over the whole thing again.”

“Thank you,” Stone said.

AT THE FUNERAL PARLOR, Stone made arrangements for the cremation of Dick, Barbara and Esme Stone and instructed that their ashes should be mingled and shipped to him in Dark Harbor. He and Dino were back on Islesboro by two o’clock.

8

WHEN STONE AND DINO left the Islesboro airport to drive back to the house, they were amazed at the number of cars on the road and parked outside the Dark Harbor ice cream parlor. Apparently, summer residents were pouring off the ferry.

Back at the house he found Lance and Holly working in Dick’s secret office.

“How’d everything go?” Lance asked.

Stone told him about the autopsy photographs. “At least I managed to get an open verdict, pending further investigation,” he said. He began looking for a secure place to lock up the crime scene, autopsy and ballistic reports, and to his surprise, he opened a cabinet and found a safe inside.

There had been nothing about a safe in Dick’s will or in the accompanying letter. Below the safe’s dial was a keyhole, and Stone went through Dick’s keys until he found one that fit, but it didn’t open the safe.

“Maybe I can help,” Holly said from behind him.

“You a safecracker?” Stone asked.

“I had some training at the Farm,” she said. The Farm was the CIA’s training facility for agents.

“You go right ahead,” Stone said, stepping out of her way.

Three minutes later, Holly stepped back from the safe.

“Now try your key,” she said.

Stone inserted Dick’s key in the lock and opened the door. “That was spectacular,” Stone said.

“Piece of cake,” Holly replied.