Bel-Air Dead (Stone Barrington 20)

“Did he say why?”

“No. He just said he will see us at the meeting at two o’clock on stage four.”

“Well,” Stone said, sighing, “let’s hope that Rick’s and Dino’s optimism is not misplaced.”

52

Stone was tying a necktie in anticipation of the shareholders’ meeting when the phone in his room rang. “Hello?”

“Stone, it’s Ed Eagle.”

“Afternoon, Ed.”

“I have some interesting news regarding Dolly Parks/Carolyn Blaine.”

“Tell me.”

“I’ve had a phone call from the Santa Fe Police Department, from the detective in charge of the investigation into the murder of the wife of my client, Tip Hanks.”

“Something new?”

“Something old, actually. During the investigation a lipstick smear was found on a pillowcase in Mrs. Hanks’s bedroom. It wasn’t thought to be possible to extract a DNA sample from it at the time, but newer technology has prevailed, and the police have a fully constituted sample. All that remains now is to have Ms. Blaine tested for it.”

“That’s good news, Ed.”

“A problem, though; since there is no existing evidence that Ms. Blaine is Ms. Parks, there is no probable cause for the police to request a warrant requiring her to give a sample for testing.”

“That is a problem, isn’t it?”

“It is, unless you can help.”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Do you think there is some way you might be able to get a sample of her DNA?”

“What, exactly, did you have in mind, Ed?”

“I don’t know; get her into the sack and get a swab, I guess.”

“Aren’t you forgetting that Ms. Blaine, if she is Ms. Parks, is a lesbian?”

“More likely bisexual,” Eagle said, “in that she slept with Mr. Hanks as well as Mrs. Hanks.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Ed; she hasn’t shown the slightest interest in sex with me, and to tell you the truth, I have no interest in sex with her.”

“Force yourself,” Eagle said.

Stone laughed. “There’s got to be another way.”

“All right, find another way.”

“Ed, all I can tell you is that, should I have an opportunity to snag some small part of her precious

bodily fluids, I will do so.”

“I guess I can’t ask any more than that,” Eagle said.

“You have already done so.”