“An hour and forty-five minutes, if we beat the worst of the traffic. If we don’t, who knows?” He tapped a number into the car phone.

“Mayflower Inn,” a woman’s voice said.

“Hi, this is Stone Barrington. May I have a table for two at eight?”

“Of course, Mr. Barrington. We’ll see you then.”

“We’re going to a country inn?” Holly asked.

“Only for dinner.” He left the park, turned right on Central Park West, then left onto Seventy-second Street.

“Why won’t you tell me where we’re going?” Holly asked.

“What’s the matter, don’t you like surprises?”

“I like them if they’re pleasant ones, and when they happen suddenly,” Holly said. “But not when I have to ponder them for an hour and forty-five minutes.”

“Daisy isn’t worried.”

“Yes, she is. She’s just being polite.”

“You be polite.”

“All right, I’ll shut up.” She laid her head against the headrest.

Stone switched on the radio and pushed a button, tuning it to 96.3 FM. Classical music filled the car. “Mozart,” he said.

“I know.”

He turned onto the Henry Hudson Parkway, then reached under the dash and fiddled with something. A loud beeping ensued, accompanied by flashing red lights. Then everything was quiet.

“What was that?”

“That was my super-duper radar detector and laser diffuser.”

She leaned over and looked at the speedometer as he changed lanes and accelerated. “I’d arrest you in Florida,” she said.

“I’ll get arrested in New York, if my detector doesn’t work. Would that make you happy?”

“Very. I like to see justice done.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Soon they were taking the curves of the Saw Mill River Parkway.

“Aren’t radar detectors illegal in New York State?” she asked.

“I’m not going to answer that without a lawyer present.”

“There is a lawyer present.”

“Oh, yeah. My lawyer just advised me not to answer. Anyway, we’re just passing through.”

“You mean, we’re going to another state?”

“Other states are not very far away, when you live in New York City.”

“You ever heard of the Mann Act?”

He laughed. “You think I’m transporting you across a state line for immoral purposes?”

“I certainly hope so,” she replied.

They turned onto an interstate, then, after a few minutes, another. Twenty minutes after that, they were driving along country roads with forest on both sides.

“We’re in Connecticut,” she said.

“You recognize the trees?”

“No, I was tipped off by the sign a few miles back that said, ‘Welcome to Connecticut.’ ”

“No wonder you’re such a good cop.”

“I don’t miss much,” she said.

Holly dozed and woke up as they came to a stop sign. “Where are we?”