Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

murder?”
    â€œPossibly; that will be up to Sir Winston Sutherland, of course, and I expect he’s pretty heavily involved in the investigation himself.”
    â€œIf you were running the investigation, who would be your initial suspects?”
    â€œWell, there are people in Parliament and in the government who are opposed to Sir Winston, but they keep quiet about it. Certainly, there’s no violence-prone clandestine resistance that we know of, and I would doubt that any native of the island would be likely to lay his hands on the kind of weapon that must have been used—that is, high-powered and silenced. Nobody heard a gunshot.”
    â€œSo they’ll look at foreigners?”
    â€œI expect so; visitors before residents, I should think.”
    â€œSo Robertson, Pemberton and Weatherby would not be among the first suspects?”
    â€œI’m only guessing, of course, but probably not. What are you thinking?”
    â€œI’m thinking that I want us to get to them before duBois or some cop does.”
    â€œYou want to just go and knock on their doors?”
    â€œNot yet, but if we get some sort of ID of one of the photos from Langley, yes.”
    There was a crunch of tires on gravel from the driveway, and they heard a car door slam.
    â€œWho would that be?” Holly asked.
    â€œEither somebody from the embassy with my laptop or the police, take your pick.” Pepper got up, went to the front door and opened it.
    Holly could see a young man hand Pepper something. Pepper closed the door, walked back to the dining table and set a very small laptop computer on it. “Let’s take a look at those photos,” he said, switching it on.

40
    S ir Winston Sutherland sat at his desk, reviewing a stack of files. His phone buzzed.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œPrime Minister,” his secretary said, “Major duBois is here, as per your request.”
    Sutherland closed the file he had been studying.
    A uniformed police officer of tall stature entered, came to attention and saluted. “Prime Minister, Major Marcel duBois reporting as ordered.”
    â€œAh, Major,” Sutherland said, looking him up and down. His uniform had obviously been cut to the man’s body, and he was the picture of military efficiency. “I expect you know why I have asked you here.”
    â€œI would imagine it might have something to do with the death of Colonel Croft,” duBois replied.
    â€œQuite,” Sutherland said. “I have been reading your file—especially your efficiency reports, as logged by Colonel Croft, and I am very impressed.”
    â€œThank you, Prime Minister.”
    â€œI am promoting you as his replacement, with the rank of lieutenant colonel,” Sutherland said.
    â€œThank you, sir,” duBois replied, but a flicker of disappointment showed on his face.
    â€œAh,” Sutherland said, “I detect ambition.”
    â€œOf course, Prime Minister.”
    â€œYou believe you should be given Croft’s rank, as well as his responsibilities.”
    â€œI believe that responsibility and rank should go hand in hand.”
    Sutherland beamed. “All right, full colonel.”
    DuBois permitted himself a small smile. “Thank you, Prime Minister.” He was pleased; after all, he had a pair of Colonel Croft’s eagles in his tunic pocket.
    The prime minister stood up and extended an open hand. “Allow me the pleasure of pinning on the emblems of your rank.”
    DuBois felt a little abashed, but he produced the eagles and stood at attention while the PM pinned them on. He watched as Sutherland turned to his desk and returned with a framed certificate. “Your commission,” he said.
    â€œThank you, Prime Minister.” He noted that the commission was for colonel; the PM had been playing with him. “I shall be constantly devoted to following your every command.”
    â€œYou’d better be,” the PM said, smiling. “My first command is, find the man who shot Colonel Croft.”
    â€œYes, sir,” duBois said.”
    â€œAnd how do you intend to go about it?” the PM asked.
    â€œI have already taken the liberty of canceling all leaves and ordering each man to duty for the duration of the investigation, seven days a week.”
    â€œIt had better not take seven days,” the PM said. “What will be your first steps?”
    â€œI shall order the immediate interrogation of