Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 12

a quick breath. “That is astonishingly generous,” he said.
    â€œLance,” Stone said, “what reason do you have for thinking that Dick murdered his family and killed himself?”
    â€œThat is the opinion of the sheriff and the state police in Maine,” Lance said. “My superiors would like for you and me to determine if he’s right.”
    â€œDo you think Dick was mentally ill? You’ve seen him more recently than I.”
    â€œI have no reason to think so, and certainly the contents of his letter to you and his will are lucid and make him seem sound of mind.”
    â€œSo the sheriff wants us to believe that a man who has spent his career handling intricate intelligence matters and who has just received the promotion of a lifetime is so nuts and despondent as to murder his family and commit suicide?”
    â€œAt this date, I suppose the sheriff’s conclusions are preliminary and based only on the physical evidence.”
    â€œAnd what is the physical evidence?”
    â€œI have no idea.”
    â€œThen I guess we’d better go to Maine,” Stone said.
    â€œI could take some time,” Dino said. “Mind if I come along? It would keep me out of Mary Ann’s way.”
    â€œWe could always use another experienced homicide investigator,” Lance said.
    â€œThen I’ll fly us up tomorrow morning,” Stone said.

3
    S TONE CAME DOWN to breakfast to find Dino dressed and drinking orange juice in the kitchen. “Sleep well?”
    â€œNot as well as I thought I would,” Dino said. “I’m not used to sleeping alone.”
    Stone scrambled them some eggs and fried bacon in the microwave. “Was divorce mentioned?”
    â€œNo, but death was. Mine.”
    â€œYou think she wants out?”
    â€œShe was madder than I’ve ever seen her, and that’s saying a lot.”
    â€œYou should leave a message about where we’ll be.”
    â€œWhere will we be?”
    Stone picked up the phone and buzzed his office.
    â€œGood morning,” Joan Robertson, his secretary, said.
    â€œGood morning. I have a couple of things for you to do.”
    â€œShoot.”
    â€œThere’s an inn on the island of Islesboro, in Maine; I think it’s called the Dark Harbor Inn. If it isn’t, find it on the Internet and book four rooms for me, starting tonight. Make it for three nights, but tell them we might need to stay longer.”
    â€œGot it.”
    â€œThere’s a will on my desk, witnessed by four people. Please call them all and ask them to confirm that they witnessed the will of Richard Stone.”
    â€œRight.”
    â€œOne of the witnesses is a man called Seth Hotchkiss, a family retainer. When you speak to him, ask him about a taxi service on the island and arrange for a cab to meet us at the airstrip on Islesboro at noon today.”
    â€œGot it.”
    â€œAlso, find out what county Islesboro is in, call the sheriff, tell him I’m Richard Stone’s executor, and I’d be grateful if the lead investigator on Stone’s death would meet me at his house in Islesboro around one o’clock today.”
    â€œDone.”
    â€œI suppose they have cell-phone service up there, but in any event, I’ll check in with you after we arrive.”
    â€œOkay. I’ll hold the fort.”
    Stone hung up and finished his eggs.
    â€œHow’s the flying weather?” Dino asked.
    â€œLooks good on TV and the Internet. I’ll get an aviation forecast in a few minutes and file a flight plan.”
    Â 
    THE FOUR OF THEM arrived at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey a little before 10:00 A . M . in Lance’s car. Stone did a preflight inspection of the airplane and got everybody aboard.
    Their route took them north to Carmel, then northeast through Connecticut and Massachusetts to Kennebunk, Maine, then direct. Ceiling and visibility were unlimited.
    â€œWhat kind of airport they got up there?” Dino asked.
    â€œI looked it up in the directory,” Stone replied. “It’s a paved strip of 2,450 feet, with a paved tie-down area. No fuel, no services.”
    â€œIsn’t that kind of short?”
    â€œThe airplane can handle it.”
    â€œCan the pilot handle it?”
    â€œPray that he can.”
    Stone pointed out Rockland, as they flew over it during their descent. “That’s a bigger airport that can take jets, for future reference.