Stone looked at the young woman and recognized her from the party. “Who are you?” he asked.

“I’m Kelli Keane from the Post. We’ve talked on the phone.”

“No,” Stone said to the sheriff, “I don’t want her inside.” He opened the door for the sheriff, then closed it behind them, leaving Kelli on the porch.

Kelli went back to the window by the door, switched off the phone’s flash, and took as many shots as she could. Then she moved to the next window and saw the two young people sitting on a sofa together and took some shots of them.

Chapter 52

52

Stone sat down in the hallway and began to talk to the sheriff. They were interrupted when the crime-scene team arrived and took their instructions from the sheriff, who then returned to Stone’s side.

“I’m sorry about all this,” he said to Stone, waving his hand at all the people in the hall.

“I’m a retired homicide detective,” Stone replied. “I know what you have to do.” He introduced Dino.

The sheriff listened as Stone related the facts of his morning, carefully and fully. “That’s it,” he said finally, “right up to this moment.”

“I’d like to talk with your son and his friend,” the sheriff said.

“Come with me.” Stone led him into the living room. “Peter, Hattie, this is the sheriff. He needs to ask you some questions.”

“Separately,” the sheriff said.

“Hattie, you come with me,” Stone replied. “Peter, can you answer his questions now?”

“Yes, Dad,” Peter said.

Stone led Hattie into the study, where they sat down on a sofa.

“I’m awfully sorry, Mr. Barrington,” she said.

“Thank you, Hattie. I’m all right. How do you think Peter is holding up?”

“A lot better than I would be,” she said.

Hattie’s parents came into the room and expressed their condolences.

“Is there anything we can do?” Sean Patrick asked.

“I don’t think so,” Stone said. “The sheriff will want to talk with you, I’m sure. I expect you’ll want to go back to New York this afternoon, and Mike will have room on his airplane for you.”

“I want to stay with Peter,” Hattie said.

“We’d be glad to have you, Hattie,” Stone replied, “but that’s up to your folks.”

They looked at each other and nodded. “You can stay on for the rest of the week, Hattie,” her father said. “We’ll arrange for you to get back.”

“Please let me deal with that,” Stone said. “I’ll need a day or two to handle matters here, then I’ll let you know when we can get Hattie home.”

The Eggerses and Mike Freeman came in, expressed their sorrow, and everyone sat quietly. Shortly, Peter came in.

“Hattie, the sheriff wants to talk with you now,” he said.

Hattie returned to the living room.