Joan came back on the line. “The funds are winging their way. I figure they’re within sight of Penobscot Bay right now.”

“My banker will call when they are perched on his windowsill,” Billy said.

“Joan,” Stone said. “Ed is going to give you some info about streaming. Will you see if you can get it done?”

“Sure. I’ll call him on his cell.” She clicked off.

Stone heard another phone ringing at the other end, then another.

“Okay,” Billy said. “We have received the funds. You’re the proud owner of a large, white elephant.”

“Thanks so much,” Stone said. “I’ll hang up now and place myself in the hands of Ed and Joan. Thanks for your help, Billy.”

“Thanks for the sale, Stone.”

“Oh, something else: Is there someone on the island who decorates houses nicely, or do I have to go to Camden?”

“There is an excellent interior designer in residence here,” Billy said. “Her name is Tracey Hotchkiss. Would you like her number?”

“Any relation?”

“She has the good fortune to be married to me,” Billy replied.

“Well, tell her she has an assignment.”

“You want to talk to her about style?”

“Have her go over to my house. Seth will let her in. That should give her an idea. Tell her she can spend half a million dollars. And I want everything: furniture, pictures, sheets, towels, rugs, kitchen stuff, the works. Tell her I want it to look like someone has always lived there.”

“Tracey can do that.”

“Have her call me if she needs any more information, or if she runs out of budget. I gotta run.” He hung up.

The computer on Stone’s desk popped on with some information about streaming. After a moment, Joan came back into the room, elbowed Stone out of the way, and took over his keyboard. She tapped a few keys, then a few more, then an image popped onto the screen. Stone found himself looking at a large room with a group of people sitting around a conference table. The view was from high up in a corner of the room. Someone was operating the camera, because the picture zoomed slowly out, until nearly the whole space was on camera. The image was sharp and clear.

“Now, if you will excuse us,” a man at the center of the table said, “we will retire to consider our decision.” Everyone stood as they left the room and Stone now saw the Stone twins, dressed in suits and ties. Then the oddest thing happened: the two young men turned and stared up at the camera.

Stone had the immediate feeling that they were watching him. They were apparently not wearing microphones, but there was a live mic somewhere in the room which caught a murmur of what they were saying. Stone was certain that the name “Barrington” came from the lips of one of them. A chill ran through him.