Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

and two bedrooms, en suite. There was also a small, book-lined study with a desk and a sofa. Ceiling fans kept the air moving, and air conditioning seemed unnecessary. A large flat-screen television set was built into a wall unit in the living room, and each bedroom had a smaller set.
    â€œMr. Barrington, would you and your guests like a drink before Hilda and I unpack for you?”
    â€œThank you, Jacob, you go ahead, and I’ll do the drinks.”
    â€œWould you like something pressed?”
    â€œThe blue blazer and the white linen trousers,” Stone asked.
    Jacob took similar instructions from the others, then dematerialized.
    Stone went to the bar, made a batch of vodka gimlets and served them from a tray. Everyone relaxed.
    â€œWell,” Genevieve said, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m glad I came.” She gave Dino a kiss.
    â€œI’ll drink to that,” Holly/Ginny said, raising her glass. “And here’s to Stone remembering my name.”
    As they took their first sips of their gimlets two gunshots rang out, at a not very great distance. Holly started to get to her feet, but Stone stopped her.
    â€œHolly, never run toward gunfire, unless you’re the police, and you are no longer the police.”
    They continued to sip their drinks, but the mood had changed.

7
    A t seven-thirty they walked up to the main building and into the open-air restaurant. A long bar occupied one side of the room, and a steel band was playing at one end of it. Stone estimated there were about fifty tables in the restaurant, and three-quarters of them were already full.
    They were having a drink at the bar when there was a stir in the room and Stone looked toward the door to see Sir Winston Sutherland, clad in his usual white linen suit, enter, accompanied by his wife. He was halfway to his table when he spotted Stone. He seated his wife, then walked back toward the bar, a small smile on his face. “Ah, Mr. Barrington,” he said, “welcome back to St. Marks.”
    â€œThank you, Sir Winston, or I should say, Prime Minister. Congratulations on your election.”
    â€œThank you, Mr. Barrington. We are glad to have the opportunity to apologize to you for the treatment you received at the airport this afternoon.”
    â€œI confess I was surprised; I thought there might be hard feelings left over from our courtroom appearance together some years ago.”
    â€œCertainly not; your conduct was professional at all times, at least when you were wearing the robes and wig. Though it seems we were right about the lovely Allison, after all.”
    â€œWell, you weren’t right about her murdering her husband, but I must admit you were a better judge of her character than I. She had me fooled, but not you.”
    Sir Winston beamed.
    â€œMay I introduce my friends? Mr. Bacchetti, Ms. James, Ms. Heller.”
    Sir Winston shook their hands. “We welcome all of you to St. Marks and wish you a most pleasant stay. Now, if you will excuse us.” He returned to his wife at their table.
    â€œHe was very cordial,” said Thomas, who had walked up behind the bar.
    â€œSurprisingly so,” Stone said.
    â€œYou notice he has adopted the regal first person plural, instead of the more democratic first person singular?”
    â€œI did notice that,” Stone said. “I would have thought that more appropriate for a king than for a prime minister.”
    â€œQuite so,” Thomas replied, “but Winston tends to blur the line between the two. Your table is ready; will you follow me?” He stepped from behind the bar and led them to a table in a sort of gazebo in one corner of the dining room, with a fine view of the sea in the medium distance. “Will you allow me to order for you?” Thomas asked.
    â€œThank you, Thomas; we’d like that,” Stone replied.
    Another round of gimlets arrived.
    â€œI have a feeling,” Genevieve said, “that by the time we leave here I will be thoroughly pickled in vodka gimlets.”
    â€œJust think of them as a preservative,” Dino said.
    The steel band was replaced by a pianist and a bass player, who played soft jazz and ballads through the evening.
    A first course of conch chowder arrived, followed by an enormous paella, made from local seafood. After dessert, Thomas brought them a pot of espresso and a bottle of good cognac and they invited him to pull up a chair.