“Will you come and take a look?” Stone said. “I’d really like your opinion; it might help me learn who killed Dick.”

“Since you put it that way,” Rhinehart said. Stone shook his hand. “After work?” “Around six.”

“See you then.” Stone led Dino out of the place.

22

DINO WAS FUMING as they drove away from the cabinet shop.

“Jesus, I’m glad you’re not a cop anymore. You’ve gone all squishy soft. We might have gotten something out of him.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Stone said. “He was trying to be cooperative, against his better instincts, and I didn’t want to piss him off.”

“Why the hell should you care if you piss him off?”

“Because it’s a small island, and I might need some cabinetwork done someday. And because we need him.”

“What, that business about breaking into Dick’s house?”

“You know anybody more qualified?”

“Now that you mentioned it, no,” Dino replied, settling down a little. “Of course, it’s a perfect opportunity for him to case the place in preparation for a later visit, maybe in the winter, when you’re not here.”

“No, Rhinehart has too much to lose. He’s got a new life now and, apparently, a good one. He’s not going to piss in his own well.”

“Oh, all right,” Dino said. “I never could talk to you when you get this way.”

RHINEHART SHOWED UP at six, when Stone and Dino were having a drink in the study.

“Would you like a drink, Hal?”

“Thanks, no. I’d better get started. I’m going to go outside, and I want you to go through the house and make sure that every window and door is closed and locked, then turn on the alarm system.” He turned and left.

“You take the upstairs,” Stone said to Dino, then headed for the kitchen. He went around the ground floor, checking and locking windows and doors, then went to the front door, tapped in the alarm code, then back to the study and his drink. Dino was already there. He had barely sat down when he looked up to see Hal Rhinehart standing in the doorway.

“How the hell did you get in?” Dino asked.

“Upstairs bathroom window on the south side,” Rhinehart said.

“What are you, a human fly?”

“No, the climbing part was easy; there was a ladder leaning against the house.”

Stone looked at Dino. “I believe that was one of your windows,” he said. “You want to go close it and double-check the others?”

Dino got up and stalked from the room.

Rhinehart crooked a finger. “Come here, I want to show you something.” He led Stone to the keypad by the front door, then opened the door. “Tap in the code,” he said, looking away.

Stone tapped in the code.

“Now look at the little screen on the keypad. What does it say?”