Worst Fears Realized

and looked at the Matilda Stone. “I knew you’d find it immediately.”
    “I haven’t seen it since I was, I don’t know, eleven or twelve.” He waved an arm. “Who owns all this?”
    “Jack and Hillary Beacon,” she replied. “He’s the CEO of Celltell, the wireless-phone company. Do you know it?”
    Stone nodded. “I bought some of the stock, as a matter of fact. I don’t have much, but it’s done well.”
    “This is the heart of one of the country’s great private collections. The rest is scattered around theapartment, which runs to seventeen rooms, or on loan to museums.”
    “It’s astonishing.”
    William appeared with a tray holding the bottle of Krug, two lovely champagne flutes, some canapés, and something wrapped in a napkin.
    “Come, let’s sit down,” Sarah said, drawing him to the sofa before the fireplace, in which a cheerful fire burned.
    William poured them both a flute of the wine and nodded at the napkin on the tray. “Yours, I believe, Mr. Barrington.”
    Stone winced.
    “Something for me, I hope,” Sarah said.
    “I’m afraid not,” Stone replied. “The Krug is for you.”
    “William,” she said, “you and Martha may go, now; Mr. Barrington and I will take care of ourselves for the rest of the evening.”
    “If you need anything, please ring, Miss Buckminster,” William said.
    “I’ll do no such thing. You and Martha take the rest of the evening off.”
    “Thank you, Miss, and good night. Good night, Mr. Barrington.”
    “Good night, William, and thank you for…” He nodded toward the napkin. William left them alone.
    “All right, I’m dying to know what’s in the napkin,” Sarah said.
    “I’m afraid it’s rather embarrassing,” Stone said. “I forgot that I had put it in the bag with the wine.”
    She slid the tray toward her and began unwrappingthe napkin. “Jesus Christ!” she said, recoiling from the weapon. “You might as well have brought a rattlesnake!” She picked up the pistol by the barrel with thumb and forefinger and handed it to him. “Hide it somewhere,” she said.
    Stone took the weapon and tucked it into his belt at the small of his back.
    “I remember that you used to go armed, Stone, but that was when you were a policeman. What’s your excuse now?”
    “I’m afraid I’m in a rather delicate position,” Stone said.
    “An angry husband?”
    “Hardly. You remember Dino.”
    “How could I forget the ’orrible little man?”
    “Some years ago, Dino and I sent someone to prison, and he’s apparently decided to make us pay for it.”
    “Who is this person?”
    “We don’t know, really. We only know that he’s…tried to harm people close to us.”
    “Isthat why you didn’t show up for lunch?”
    “Yes, it is. I was so glad to hear from you that I completely forgot that I have to be circumspect about whom I see. This started only very recently, and I’m still getting used to the idea that I shouldn’t endanger other people by associating with them.”
    “Well, this is really very exciting, isn’t it?”
    “I just don’t want it to get too exciting.”
    “Surely, you don’t think you’re endangering me simply by having dinner.”
    “I took some precautions to see that I wasn’t followed, and there are several police officers downstairs. One of them is operating your elevator.”
    Sarah burst out laughing. “This is hilarious,” she said. “I must say, I’ve never had a gun served with champagne.” She sipped the wine. “And Krug! It’s delicious.” She leaned over and kissed him. “And so are you.”
    “When did you get back?”
    “Yesterday; I’m still not entirely over the jet lag. I came by way of London, saw my parents for a few days.”
    “Are you going back to Tuscany?”
    “I haven’t decided. I’m back for a show of my work that will open next week—all the work that I’ve done for the past six years.”
    “I can’t wait to see it,” Stone said.
    “I’ll give you a preview; I promise. Now you know that allI have done these past years is cloister myself in Tuscany and work; bring me up to date on you.”
    “I’ll give you the short version. What exactly was I doing the last time we saw each other?”
    “You were still on the police force, although I heard through friends that you left, and I remember that you had inherited that lovely old house from an aunt, I believe, and you were doing most of the remodeling work yourself.”
    “A great aunt, and yes, I couldn’t