“I’m trying to find this alarming, Ed. Are you afraid they’re going to start shooting each other?”
“Something like that. Everybody’s really on edge. They were all shocked by the killings of Dick and his family and Don, but Janey’s murder has really got them spooked. A bunch of people have just packed up and left.”
“I can understand that, Ed, but why does that make it important for me to get back up there right away?”
Rawls cleared his throat. “Well, your name came up at the meeting.”
“In what regard?”
“Somebody, I forget who, asked a question that implied that you might have had something to do with Dick’s murder, since you inherited his house. The guy was shouted down, but the thing is, the idea is in the air now.”
“Oh, swell. Did somebody mention that I was in New York at the time of the murders and that I didn’t even know about Dick’s murder until the day after?”
“I said you weren’t on the island that night, but that just started a discussion about how anybody could get onto the island in a boat. I think you need to be seen up here dealing with this. There’s another meeting at five o’clock this afternoon, and I think you ought to be here for it.“
Stone clicked on the TV and went to the weather channel just in time to see the national radar displayed. “All right. I’ll be there,” he said. “But I don’t know what I can do to placate them at this point.”
“Just being there will let them know that you’re not afraid to show your face. That’ll mean something.”
“All right, Ed. I’ll see you this afternoon.” Stone hung up and called Holly.
“Hello?” She didn’t sound sleepy.
“Good morning. It’s Stone.”
“Good morning.”
“I just got a call from Ed Rawls. He thinks I’d better get back up there today, before the merry villagers torch my house and slay my cattle.”
“What?”
Stone explained the best he could what he didn’t understand himself. “Can you be ready to go at, say, one o’clock?”
“I’m sure I can. I’ll talk to Lance.”
“Pick you up at one?”
“I’ll come to your house.”
“Okay, bye.” Stone hung up and called Dino.
“I’ve got to go back to Maine this afternoon.” He explained the situation. “You want to go?”
“Can’t do it; a couple of big cases landed on my desk while I was gone, and I have to deal with them. Maybe later.”
“Go back to sleep.” Stone hung up and struggled out of bed.
THE MIRAGE TOUCHED down on the Islesboro airfield at 3:30 that afternoon, and he was surprised to find not a single airplane parked on the ramp. When he had departed the day before, there had been at least half a dozen there.
Seth Hotchkiss met them in the station wagon. “Glad you’re back,” he said, and that was all he said.
The drive through Dark Harbor was a little spooky; no cars were on the street or parked in front of the shop. He and Holly parked, went inside and found Jimmy Hotchkiss at his desk in the back office. He was wearing a gun on his belt.
“Hi, Jimmy,” Stone said.
“Hello, Stone. I thought you’d left the island.”
“I just flew Dino down to the city and brought back another friend.” He introduced Holly.