Stone Barrington 06-11

returned, tying the sash on a dressing gown and wearing shoes.
    “Where are the police?” Stone asked. “Surely they’ve had time to get here.”
    “I didn’t call the police,” she said.
    “Why not?”
    “I called you, instead.”
    “Start at the beginning, and tell me what happened.”
    “I was lying on the sofa there, reading a script, when I heard two shots. The glass door shattered, and I rolled off the sofa onto the floor and crawled over to the bar as fast as I could. My gun was in a drawer there.”
    “Dino, will you take a look around out back?”
    “Sure.”
    “Wait a minute,” Charlene said. She went to a wall switch and turned on the lights around the pool. “That’ll help.”
    Dino slapped the clip back into Charlene’s gun, worked the action, then went outside, the pistol hanging at his side.
    “Do you think this was a serious attempt on your life?” Stone asked.
    “Come here,” Charlene replied, leading him around the sofa and pointing.
    Stone looked at the two neat holes halfway down the back cushion.
    “My head was right under the holes,” Charlene said.
    “You should have called the police immediately; they should be trying to find out who did this.”
    “I know who did it,” Charlene said. “I saw her.”
    Stone’s innards froze. “Her?”
    “I believe these days she calls herself Mrs. Stone Barrington.”
    “Oh, Jesus,” Stone said.

Fifty-six

    S TONE FOUND A PARING KNIFE BEHIND THE BAR AND cut into the sofa, just as Dino returned from the pool area.
    “It’s clear out there,” he said. “The guy must have come up from the beach, since no traffic passed us on the way in here.” He looked at what Stone was doing. “Whatcha got there?”
    “Two slugs,” Stone said, holding them up. “And it wasn’t a guy.”
    Dino took the two lumps and looked closely at them. “Holy shit,” he said.
    “What?”
    “These are mine.” He held one up and pointed. “See? I made a mark there on each one, so if I ever got involved in a shootout, I’d know which slugs came from my weapon. These came from the thirty-two automatic I loaned you, Stone. How’d that happen?”
    “It seems that Dolce took the gun from my house.”
    Dino groaned. “Are the cops coming?”
    “I didn’t call them,” Charlene said.
    “Why not?” Stone asked. “I told you to call nine-one-one.”
    “Two reasons: First, the tabloids would make my life hell if they found out that somebody shot up my house; second, I know who her father is.”
    Stone nodded. “All right.”
    “Also, once I had the Beretta in my hand, I figured I could handle her.”
    “Yeah, I thought I could handle her, too,” Stone said. He turned to Dino. “Is Eduardo still in L.A.?”
    Dino nodded. “At the Bel-Air.”
    Stone turned back to Charlene. “You want to come with us? Maybe you shouldn’t stay here tonight.”
    “I’ll come with you,” she said. “I’ll sleep at the studio in my RV; let me get some things.” She disappeared into the bedroom again.
    Stone picked up the phone, dialed the Bel-Air, and asked for Eduardo.
    “Yes?”
    “Eduardo, it’s Stone Barrington.”
    “Good evening, Stone.”
    “It’s important that I come and see you right away.”
    “Of course; I’ll be here.”
    “I’ll be there in an hour.”
    “Have you had dinner?”
    “No.”
    “I’ll order something.”
    “Thank you.” He hung up as Charlene emerged from her bedroom, wearing jeans and a sweater and carrying a small duffel.

    They drove into town, not talking much, Charlene wedged into the space behind the two front seats. Stone dropped Dino at the bungalow. “Tell Mary Ann I’m sorry I can’t have dinner, but don’t tell her what’s happened.”
    “I’ll send her back to Arrington’s with the car,” Dino said. “I’m coming with you.”
    “You don’t have to, Dino.”
    “I’m coming.”
    “I’ll be right back.” He drove Charlene to her RV and got her settled there. “Will you be all right here?”
    “Sure, I will. The fridge is full; I’ll eat something and watch TV. Will you come back later?”
    “Probably not,” Stone said. “I have to take care of this.”
    “I understand.”
    “And thanks for not calling the police.”
    She gave him a little kiss. “Go safely.” She held up the Beretta. “You want this?”
    “Thanks, I have my own.” He left her and drove back to the bungalow for Dino. Mary Ann was about to leave in Arrington’s station wagon, and Stone traded cars with