Swimming to Catalina

to go to the toilet; he squirmed for a while, then went into the chandlery.
    “Pardon me, have you got a john I can use?”
    “Sure,” the girl behind the counter said. “Down the hall, second door on your left.”
    Stone looked out at the car, then down the hallway. “Would you do me a favor for just a minute?”
    “What’s that?”
    “Could you keep an eye on the white Mercedes convertible, parked right there?” He pointed.
    “Sure.”
    He walked quickly to the men’s room, used it, and hurried out. The Mercedes was gone.
    “It’s gone,” Stone said to the girl.
    “Yeah, a woman just got in it and left.”
    “Shit,” he muttered.
    “What? Did you want me to shoot out the tires or something?”
    “Sorry, thanks for your help. Oh, what did she look like?”
    “Tall, dark hair, wearing a bikini with a guy’s shirt over it.”
    “Thanks.” Stone ran for the parking lot and looked up and down. The car was nowhere in sight. He ran to his own car and raced through the car park to the street, looking both ways. Lots of traffic, no white Mercedes. No Arrington.
    He pounded on the wheel again and again, swearing.

22
    Stone found the Greek restaurant on Melrose, was seated at a good table, and ordered a drink. He had half an hour’s wait before Rick Grant showed up. “Sorry to be late,” Grant said as he slid into a chair and ordered a scotch. “Somebody squatted in my office for half an hour just as I was about to leave.”
    “That’s okay; it gave me some thinking time, not that it did much good.”
    “How’d it go with Arrington’s car?”
    “Your guys did good; they were still there when I arrived. Marina Del Rey is a big place; lots of people there. I waited and watched for more than two hours, and the second I went to the can she drove away.”
    “The girl was the driver?”
    “Yeah; somebody saw her.”
    “Were you in plain sight all of this time?”
    “Most of it I was sitting in my car; I did walk around a little when I first got there.”
    “Could somebody have recognized you?”

    “Well, I was standing on top of an ice machine with binoculars for a good five minutes. I’d have been hard to miss.”
    “If somebody had an eye on you, she could have waited for you to disappear into the john before driving off.”
    “I don’t think Arrington isavoiding me,” Stone replied. “After all, she’s tried to telephone me twice.”
    “Good point. Was anybody with her when she drove off?”
    “No, and what’s more, she was wearing a bikini under a man’s shirt.”
    “Sounds like she was just sunning herself on somebody’s boat and decided to leave.”
    “Yeah, that’s twice she’s been seen alone in her car, and I have to think she could have driven anywhere she wanted to, including back to Calder’s house.”
    “Doesn’t sound like there’s any duress involved.”
    Stone sighed. “There’s all kinds of duress.”
    Grant handed him a menu. “Let’s order.”
    “You order for me; I don’t think I can get my mind around a menu right now.”
    Grant ordered for both of them, and soon Stone was enjoying a selection of pâtés and a moussaka, along with a Cypriot wine.
    “Feeling better?” Grant asked.
    “Yeah, I am; I guess I was a little depressed.”
    “Not without cause. You’ve got a real mystery on your hands.”
    Stone looked around; the restaurant was only half full and was very quiet. “You mind if I make a phone call?” He produced his pocket phone.”
    “Go ahead.”
    “Calder called me in New York; he thinks I’m backthere.” He dialed the number in Bel-Air.
    “Good evening, Mr. Calder’s residence.” It was the Filipino butler.
    “Good evening, this is Stone Barrington; I’m returning Mr. Calder’s call.”
    “Oh, yes, Mr. Barrington; please hold.”
    “Stone?”
    “Hello, Vance.”
    “Did you have a good flight home?”
    “Yes, thanks.”
    “I understand you stayed over for a couple of days.”
    “Betty is very attractive.”
    “Of course she is; I don’t blame you a bit.”
    “Is Arrington back home yet?”
    “Not yet; she’s still out in the Valley, but everything is all right.”
    “Vance, are you absolutely certain about that? I have to tell you that my impression when I was out there is that things are not entirely all right.”
    “Well, I can see how you might have gotten that impression, but I assure you, they are.”
    “How’s shooting going on your film?”
    “We wrapped today,” Calder said, “and I think