Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 12

know what sort of container they’re in.”
    â€œI don’t suppose it matters,” Caleb said, tucking the box under his arm.
    Stone struggled for something else to say. “I saw your boys over at the yacht club yesterday,” he said finally. “They’re the image of you at that age.”
    â€œYes, they are,” Caleb said. “I’m very proud of them. They’re doing well at Yale, and they’re the stars of the wrestling team, as I was.”
    Stone nodded.
    Caleb looked uncomfortable. “Would you mind if we borrowed the picnic boat to scatter the ashes? All we’ve got is a Boston Whaler, and it doesn’t seem appropriate to the occasion.”
    â€œPlease do,” Stone replied. “I suppose the keys are in it, since the yard delivered it yesterday.”
    â€œThank you,” Caleb said. “I’ll have the boys bring it back when we’re done.” He stood still for another moment, then said, “Well, I suppose I’d better go. Thank you for taking care of the funeral directors. Will you send me a bill?”
    â€œThe estate paid for it,” Stone said. “I’ve already sent them a check. I’ve dealt with the insurance company, and you should have a check from them within a week.”
    â€œThank you for that, too,” Caleb said and headed for the door.
    Stone walked him to the door, shook his hand and closed it after him. Stone had still not become accustomed to Caleb’s newfound civility and quiet nature.
    The phone rang, and Stone answered it in the study, at Dick’s desk.
    â€œIt’s Dino.”
    â€œHow are you? How did the meeting with Mary Ann and the lawyers go?”
    â€œLousy, but the one with Eduardo went better.”
    â€œWhy with Eduardo?”
    â€œIt was at his invitation.” Dino told him what had happened.
    â€œThat’s very good news, Dino.”
    â€œYeah, now I’m not stuck with just a salary and a pension.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do with it?”
    â€œI’m going to buy an apartment and invest the rest with a guy Eduardo recommended. So I’ll be out of your house as soon as I can find the right place.”
    â€œTake your time.”
    â€œHow’s it going up there?”
    â€œIt’s all very pleasant. I played golf yesterday with an old cohort of Dick’s and had lunch at the yacht club, but I have no leads on the murders.”
    â€œAm I going to have to come back up there and solve this for you?”
    â€œAny help would be appreciated.”
    â€œI’m going to be tied up here for a few days, then maybe I’ll do that.”
    â€œYou’d be welcome. How’s Elaine?”
    â€œAs ever. What did you expect?”
    â€œAs ever.”
    â€œI gotta run; I’ve got an appointment with a real estate agent.”
    â€œTake care.” Stone hung up. It was past his lunchtime, and he went into the kitchen and found Mabel fixing him a shrimp salad.
    â€œOh,” she said, “I thought of something. About that night.”
    â€œWhat did you think of?” Stone asked.
    â€œIt was the vacuum cleaner.”
    â€œWhat about the vacuum cleaner?”
    â€œIt was in Mr. Dick’s study, over by the door to the terrace.”
    â€œWhere would it ordinarily be?” he asked.
    She pointed to a door across the kitchen. “In there, in the broom closet.”
    â€œDo you think Dick used it?”
    She shook her head. “Mr. Dick never lifted a finger to clean anything; I don’t think he would know how to operate a vacuum cleaner.”
    â€œDid you mention this to the police?”
    â€œYes, and they put some powder on the handle, but they didn’t seem to find any fingerprints. When they were through with it, I cleaned the powder off and put it back in the broom closet.” She set his plate on the kitchen table.
    Stone sat down to eat. So whoever had killed Dick and his family had vacuumed as he left the house through the terrace door. Very neat fellow. Very smart, too. “Mabel, have you changed the bag in the vacuum since that night?”
    â€œThere was no bag in it,” she said. “I put a new one in.”
    Very smart fellow, indeed, Stone thought.

15
    T HE NEXT DAY STONE was sitting at Dick’s desk, trying to clean up the last details of the estate before sending a check to the foundation, when the phone rang. His hand was on the receiver before