Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 12

know the diary was in the safe.”
    â€œWho knew where it was?”
    â€œOnly three other people: Holly Barker, another woman of my acquaintance who was visiting, and her young son. The boy found the diary in an upstairs bedroom that Esme used for a study, and he was copying her handwriting, which was quite beautiful.”
    â€œDid you read any of the diary?”
    â€œNo. I felt I would have been intruding.”
    Sergeant Young made some notes in his notebook. “What time did this happen?”
    â€œI guess between eight and ten; that’s about when Holly and I were having dinner at the inn.”
    â€œAnybody know you were going?”
    â€œNo. Seth and Mabel Hotchkiss were on the mainland last night. But we were in Dick’s old MG, which is a pretty recognizable car. Just about anyone who might have seen us would have known it.”
    â€œWhy do you think he took the whole safe?”
    â€œI suppose because he tried to open it and failed. Probably wanted to work on it at his leisure.”
    â€œWas it an expensive safe? Hard to open, I mean?”
    â€œA friend of mine opened it in a few minutes, without the combination.”
    â€œWould that have been Ms. Barker?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou have any idea how the thief got into the house? I understand this place is supposed to be very secure.”
    â€œWe’re baffled. Our best guess is he had a key.”
    â€œWho else has keys?”
    â€œSeth and Mabel Hotchkiss. Caleb Stone had a key, but he gave it back to me. The locks are by a Swedish company called Assa. They’re just about impossible to pick, and you can only get a key or even a blank from the manufacturer through a dealer.”
    â€œI’ve heard about those locks,” Young said. “Are you sure the Hotchkisses are the only people with keys?”
    â€œI’ll find out,” Stone said. He picked up the phone, pressed the intercom button and tapped in Seth’s extension. “Seth, can you come to the study for a minute?” He listened, then hung up.
    Seth was there in less than a minute. “What can I do for you, Stone?”
    â€œYou know Sergeant Young, don’t you?”
    â€œKnow of him.” Seth shook his hand.
    â€œSeth, who else outside the family might have a key to the house?”
    Seth shrugged. “Nobody that I can think of. Dick was very strict about not giving a key to anybody but family. Caleb has one.”
    â€œHe returned it to me awhile back,” Stone said.
    â€œThen just me and Mabel.”
    â€œNo repairmen, workmen, maybe the contractor who built the house?”
    â€œNope. After the locks were installed, I always had to be here to open the door for anybody who came to fix anything. I fix most things myself.”
    â€œAny questions, Sergeant?”
    â€œWhat have you had to have fixed by somebody else?”
    â€œThat Viking stove in the kitchen needed some adjustment once. Mabel let the fellow in and stayed with him while he did it. The installer of the TV and audio stuff made several trips, but I was always with him.”
    â€œNobody else?”
    â€œNot that I can think of.”
    â€œWhat about regular maintenance? Furnace, air conditioning?”
    â€œI clean or replace the filters myself; I know how to light the pilot light.”
    â€œPlumber? Electrician?”
    â€œI do that stuff.”
    â€œThat’s all I’ve got,” Young said.
    â€œThanks, Seth. Oh, you should know that somebody got into the house last night and stole Dick’s safe out of the cabinet.”
    Seth looked dumbfounded.
    â€œI’ll tell you about it later.”
    Seth left the room, and Stone heard the back door close.
    Holly came back from her run and entered the study. “You two guys don’t look too happy,” she said.
    â€œGood guess,” Stone replied.

37
    S TONE AND HOLLY had lunch on the rear terrace, enjoying the sun, and as Mabel was taking away the dishes the doorbell rang. Dick Stone had installed an outside bell, apparently for occasions like this.
    Stone went to the door and found the remaining three Old Farts standing there.
    â€œGood afternoon,” Rawls said. “We disturbing you, Stone?”
    â€œNo, gentlemen, come in,” Stone replied, waving them inside. “We’re sitting out on the terrace.”
    Stone led them out onto the terrace. “Holly Barker, this is Ed Rawls, Harley Davis and Mack