Stone Barrington 06-11

“This would seem conclusive,” he said.
    “Yes.”
    “Who employed these ‘Hemolab’ people?” he asked, reading the name of the laboratory from the letterhead.
    “Arrington, I suppose.”
    Eduardo nodded and handed back the document and stood up. “I am sorry to have taken your time, Stone,” he said, “but I had to explore this with you in order to know what to do.”
    Stone wasn’t sure what he meant by that. “You are always welcome here, Eduardo.”
    “Thank you,” he replied.
    Stone followed him to the door, helped him on with his coat, and handed him his umbrella.
    “Dolce is ill, you know,” Eduardo said suddenly.
    “What? What’s wrong with her?”
    “Her heart is ill; it has always been so, I think. I had hoped you could make her well, but I see, now, that it will not happen.”
    “What can I do to help, Eduardo?”
    “Nothing, I think, short of marrying her, and after what you have told me today, I think that would destroy both of you.”
    “Is there anything I can do?”
    Eduardo turned and looked at Stone, and his eyes were ineffably sad. “You can only keep away from her,” he said. “I think she may be … dangerous.” Then, without another word, he turned and walked down the steps and back to his car.
    Stone watched as the limousine moved off down the street, and the shiver that ran through him was not caused by the dampness.

Thirty-one

    S TONE MET WITH HIS ANXIOUS CLIENTS AND SOOTHED their nerves. He spoke to the insurance agent and got approval to begin repairs, then, because he could not bear to look at his damaged house, he went downtown to ABC Carpets and picked out new ones, arranging for their people to measure and install them. As he got in and out of taxicabs, he caught himself looking around to see if he had unwanted company, but he did not see Dolce.
    At half past eight he was at Elaine’s, giving her a kiss on arrival and being shown to his usual table.
    Elaine sat down for a minute. “So,” she said, “you’re up to your ass in this Vance Calder thing.”
    “I’m afraid so.”
    “I always liked Arrington,” she said. “I wouldn’t have thought she could kill anybody.”
    “I don’t think she did.”
    “Can you prove it?”
    “I guess the only way I can prove that is by proving somebody else did it. Otherwise, even if she’s tried and acquitted, too many people will believe she’s guilty, and a smart lawyer got her off.”
    “I hear she’s got a smart lawyer—besides you, I mean.”
    “That’s right; he’s doing a good job, so far.”
    “Stone.” She looked at him sadly.
    “Yes?”
    “Sometimes people do things you wouldn’t think they could do. People get stressed, you know, and the cork pops.”
    Stone nodded.
    “If you want to get through this okay, you’d better get used to the idea that you may be wrong about her.”
    “I don’t think I am.”
    “Protect yourself; don’t tear out your guts hoping.”
    It was the first advice he’d ever gotten from her. “I’ll try,” he said. He looked up to see Dino and Mary Ann coming through the door. He especially wanted to see Mary Ann.
    Everybody hugged, kissed, sat down, and ordered drinks.
    “You got a little sun,” Dino said, inspecting him.
    “Out there, you get it just walking around.”
    Elaine got up to greet some customers, giving his shoulder a squeeze as she left.
    “What was that?” Dino asked.
    “Encouragement,” Stone replied. “I think she thinks Arrington did it.”
    “Doesn’t everybody?” Dino asked.
    “Do you?”
    “Let’s put it this way: I think I’m probably more objective about it than you are.”
    “Oh.”
    “Let me ask you something, Stone: If you all of a sudden found out for sure that she did it, would you try to get her off, anyway?”
    “That’s my job.”
    “You’re not her lawyer; Blumberg is.”
    Stone looked into his drink. “It’s still my job.”
    “Oh,” Dino said, “it’s like that.”
    “Well!” Mary Ann interjected. “Isn’t it nice to all be together again, and right here at home!”
    “Don’t try to cheer him up,” Dino said to his wife. “It won’t work.”
    Michael, the headwaiter, brought menus, and they studied them silently for a minute, then ordered. Stone ordered another drink, too.
    “Two before dinner,” Dino said.
    “He’s entitled,” Mary Ann pointed out.
    They chatted in a desultory manner until dinner arrived, then ate, mostly in silence.
    “Mary Ann,” Stone said, when the dishes had