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Back The Short Forever Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. AUTHOR’S NOTE

“Where is the client located?”

“In Washington; you can infer what you wish from that.”

“I will. Do you have any idea what Bartholomew really wants?”

“I don’t even know what he told you he wants.”

“He told me a cock-and-bull story, and I’m annoyed.”

“I hope you haven’t done anything rash.”

“Like quit?”

“Yes.”

“Not yet, but I’m going to, if he keeps lying to me.”

“Stick it out, Stone. I can’t tell you why you should, but I’d appreciate it.”

“Oh, all right, Bill.”

“Thanks. I’ll remember.” He hung up.

Stone called Dino.

“How you doin’?” Dino asked cheerfully.

“I had a strange weekend.”

“Tell me.”

Stone told him.

“And she inherits the guy’s business?”

“Apparently so. What do you think?”

“You know what I think,” Dino chuckled, “but I have a more suspicious mind than you do.”

“I think I prefer not being suspicious right now.”

“I’ll be willing to bet you hear from Sarah before the day’s out.”

“She’s grieving,” Stone said.

“Yeah, sure. I gotta go; anything else?”

“Nope.”

“She’s going to call you.” Dino hung up.

Stone stood up and stretched, and the phone rang. He picked it up. “Hello?”

“It’s Sarah,” she said.

15

SHE SOUNDED PERFECTLY NORMAL—not depressed, not upset, just Sarah.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Perfectly all right, thank you.”

“What was the outcome of the inquest?”

“Accidental death,” she replied. “Had you expected another outcome?”

“No, I was sure that would be the verdict.”

“Sir Bernard seemed to think I might have purposely gybed the yacht; is that what you think?”

“No, and I told him so.”

“Did he say to you that I might have done it on purpose?”

“No, and I don’t think he believes that—not from anything he said in our conversation.”

“What about Lance? Does he believe I killed James?”

“Lance doesn’t know anything about sailing; he didn’t really understand what happened. I explained it to him, and he seemed satisfied.”

She was silent for a moment. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

“All right.”

She seemed to be having trouble getting it out. Finally she spoke. “I didn’t intentionally cause James’s death, but I’m not really very sorry he’s dead. Does that sound awful?”

Stone avoided a direct answer. “Please tell me what you mean.”

“I wouldn’t have gone through with it—the marriage, I mean.”

“Then why were you having an engagement party?”

“My parents pressed me, told me I was getting old. I’m thirty-two, for Christ’s sake!”

“Maybe they just want grandchildren.”