Stone Barrington 06-11

flights, you should alert the other hotels in town to call you if he checks in.”
    “Okay, Stone, I’ll do that.”
    “It seems that every time we start to get a line on the guy, he changes hotels.”
    “I’ll get back to you.”
    Stone hung up.
    “You think he’s in another hotel?” Dino asked.
    “That’s my guess,” Stone said. Then he thought for a moment. “Unless …”
    “Unless what?”
    “Come on,” Stone said, “let’s get back to the yacht, quick.”

32
    S TONE DROVE AS QUICKLY AS HE COULD, WITHOUT GETTING arrested, through West Palm and across the bridge. Traffic was heavy and frustrating, and it took them nearly half an hour to reach the Shames residence. The front door stood open, and he ran quickly through the central hall and out the open back door, with Dino close on his heels.
    As he came up the gangplank he was presented with an uncharacteristic sight on Toscana : a mess. Towels and books were scattered indiscriminately across the afterdeck. Normally, Juanito made a mess disappear as soon as it presented itself.
    Stone turned around and was not surprised to see a gun in Dino’s hand. He put a finger to his lips, then motioned for Dino to follow him. He walked through the saloon and down the corridor toward his cabin. His cabin door was open, and so was every other door in the passageway. He went into his cabin to retrieve the 9mm automatic from under his pillow. It was gone. He went back into the passage and climbed a few steps to the bridge, and as he approached it, he could hear music. He stepped onto the bridge, ready for anything. A portable radio rested on the dash above the wheel, softly playing rock music.
    Stone crossed the bridge and left it on the other side, returning along the port corridor. Again, every cabin door was open.
    He heard a footstep from somewhere aft and tiptoed toward it. Dino brushed past him, the gun out in front. He was armed, and he would lead the way; there was no talk about it. Stone followed him into the saloon.
    “What the hell!” a man’s voice shouted. “Who are you?”
    Stone stepped around Dino to find Thad Shames standing in the saloon. “Thad,” he said. “It’s all right, Dino.”
    “What’s going on here, Stone?” Shames demanded, clearly startled. “Who is this?”
    “Thad, I’m sorry we frightened you. This is Lieutenant Dino Bacchetti, of the New York Police Department. Dino, this is Thad Shames, our host here.”
    Dino put the gun away, and the two men shook hands.
    Thad collapsed onto a sofa. “Tell me what’s happened,” he said.
    “I don’t know what’s happened,” Stone replied. “We came back to the yacht a few minutes ago to find it deserted, and all the cabin doors open.”
    “No Callie or Liz? No crew?”
    “Nobody.”
    “There’s nobody in the main house, either,” Thad said, “but the front and rear doors were open.”
    “I know; we just came through there.”
    “Do you think Callie and Liz might have gone shopping or something?”
    “I don’t think so; they did that earlier today.”
    “Did you check the pool?”
    “Pool? What pool?”
    “There’s a pool on the property, you know.”
    “No, I didn’t know. It must be very well concealed.”
    “Come on, let’s take a look.” Thad led the way down the gangplank and into the gardens. Instead of taking the path to the house, he turned right and appeared to be about to walk through a hedge, when he turned and disappeared.
    Stone followed and discovered a gap in the hedge, concealed by a quick left turn, followed by a right. He caught up with Thad, who had stopped and, with his hands on his hips, was staring ahead.
    “Isn’t that lovely?” Thad said softly.
    Stone looked and saw a beautiful swimming pool, completely surrounded by the high hedge. Beside it, perhaps thirty feet away, lay two women, asleep on their backs, naked.
    Thad motioned them back through the gap in the hedge. “Let’s give them a little warning,” he said. “Callie? Liz?” he called out loudly.
    “Yes?” Callie’s voice replied. “We’re out here.”
    Shames led them through the hedge a second time. Callie and Liz were tying robes around themselves. “There you are,” he said. “I thought you had both decamped.” He pecked Callie on the cheek, then embraced Liz at more length.
    “Not likely,” Callie said. “We thought we’d be safe here.”
    “Where’s the crew?” Stone asked.
    “I gave them the afternoon off. We weren’t expecting you,