Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

politely. “May I come in?”
    â€œOf course, Captain,” she said. “I’m Irene Foster.” She led him into the living room, where a man was sitting in a reclining chair with a beer in his hand, watching a golf tournament on television. He picked up a remote control and pressed a button, and Tiger Woods froze in mid-drive.
    â€œHarold,” she said to him, “this is Captain duBois, of the St. Marks Police. Captain, this is my friend Harold Pitts, who is visiting from the States.”
    Pitts stood up and offered his hand, which duBois shook. “What can we do for you, Captain?”
    â€œMay I see your passports, please?”
    â€œSure; will you get mine, honey? It’s in the top drawer of the dresser.”
    â€œOf course,” Irene said, and left the room.
    â€œHow long have you been in St. Marks, Mr. Pitts?” duBois asked.
    â€œOh, less than a couple of weeks; I sailed down from Ft. Lauderdale in my boat.”
    â€œWhat is your work, may I ask?”
    â€œI’m retired; I used to have a home renovation business in Virginia,” he said. “Now I’m footloose and fancy-free.”
    â€œHow nice for you.”
    The woman returned with the passports and handed them to him. “I’m a permanent resident,” she said. “I own this house.”
    DuBois examined the passports closely, then handed them back. “They appear to be in order,” he said. “Where were the two of you earlier in the day?”
    â€œI haven’t left the house all day,” she replied. “Harold went down to his boat at the English Harbour Marina, then came back.”
    â€œI do a little work on it almost every day,” Pitts said.
    DuBois found these people boring—elderly, retired Americans with no possible axe to grind with Croft. “Have you seen the occupants of the house next door recently?”
    â€œI’ve never seen them,” Irene said. “I hear their name is Weatherby, but I don’t know if they’ve ever even moved in.”
    â€œThank you,” he said, rising. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”
    The woman showed him out, then returned.
    â€œThat had to be about Colonel Croft,” Pitts said to her.
    â€œI would imagine so,” she replied. “They must be checking on all the foreigners.”
    Pitts pressed a button, and Tiger Woods finished his drive, pulling it into the rough.
    â€œShit,” Pitts said.

    O n his way down the mountain, duBois stopped at number 56, the Robertson place, since his file said that he owned an airplane. He found it much the same as the Pemberton house. Where were all these people?

47
    W ill Lee was nearly dressed for a state dinner honoring the prime minister of Australia when he heard running footsteps through the master bedroom. He stuck his head out of his dressing room, but she had already disappeared into hers.
    â€œRunning just a tad late, aren’t you?” he called out.
    â€œSorry,” she yelled back. “Accident on the beltway screwed everything up.”
    Will came out of his dressing room, his bow tie hanging loose. “Don’t I remember a helicopter in the CIA appropriations bill?”
    â€œTwo helicopters,” she called back.
    He walked to the door of her dressing room and leaned against the doorjamb. He liked watching her undress, even when she was in a hurry. “And they were both down?”
    â€œCan you imagine what the press could do with a story that had me taking a helicopter so as not to be late for a dinner party?”
    â€œNot a dinner party, a state dinner; not even nearly the same thing.”
    â€œCertainly not as much fun.” She stepped into a red dress and turned her back. “Shut up and zip,” she said.
    He zipped. “Now you have to tie my tie. Tit for tat.”
    â€œOh, all right, come here.”
    He knew how to tie a bow tie; he just liked it when she did it. She stood close, concentrating.
    â€œWhat are you staring at?”
    â€œWhat I stare at every chance I get.”
    â€œThat is covered by a dress.”
    â€œOh, I like your face, too.”
    â€œYou’re sweet.”
    â€œEven when it hasn’t been washed and made up.”
    â€œOh, God,” she cried, running for her bathroom. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œI did tell you. Just as soon as you got my tie tied.”
    There was a sound of running water and