D.C. Dead (Stone Barrington 22)

“I can’t say I like your theory all that much.”

“Have you got a better one? Have you got a theory at all?”

“Yeah, I think Brix had a scene with his wife, offed her, then, out of remorse, offed himself.”

“No,” Stone said, “Brix left ahead of Mimi—they were in separate cars, remember, and when he heard she was dead he knew who had done it. His remorse was that his affair led to his wife’s death.”

“Why do you always like the complicated motives?” Dino asked. “What’s wrong with s he knew wsimple?”

“This is just one step removed from simple,” Stone said. “His lover saw Mimi leave the tennis court. Maybe there was a confrontation, words were exchanged, names called. Mimi turned to leave, and the lover grabbed the first thing handy—the brick—and hit her with it or threw it at her.”

“Having first paused to kiss the brick, leaving her Pagan Spring lipstick on it,” Dino said. “I like that part.”

“All right, I don’t know how the lipstick got on the brick,” Stone admitted. “I’ll give you that one.”

“Thanks, I feel so much better.”

“Oh, come on, you know this scenario works.”

“So tell me, how are we better off than before you and Milly did the deed?”

“We’re better off because we know who to talk to now,” Stone replied.

“We do? I missed another one.”

“The maids who clean the family quarters.”

“You’re saying Brix was using the family quarters to fuck his girlfriend?”

“I explained that, being in charge of the house, he had all the keys, and he knew the maids’ cleaning schedule.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.”

“Look, Dino, our backs are against the wall here. We ca

n either send the president and first lady a nice note accepting the FBI report and go home, or we can run down this lead. What’s it going to be?”

“I think ‘lead’ is too strong a term,” Dino said, “but what the hell? You talk to the maids, I’ll listen. Then we’ll write the Lees a nice note and go home.”

“Okay, I’ll set it up with the White House,” Stone said. “And, Dino, you cannot roll over in bed and tell Shelley about it. She has a vested interest in protecting the FBI in all this and she could screw it up for us.”

“You think she’d do that?” Dino asked.

“Inadvertently, maybe, but she might mention it to Kerry Smith, and that would not be good.”

“What about you, pal? You going to roll over in bed and tell Holly about this?”

“We’re working for Holly, sort of,” Stone pointed out. “God knows, we’ve had little else to tell her.”

“You seeing her tonight?”

“Yes. Here.”

“Then lock your door. I’m seeing Shelley here, too.”

“Will do.”

“Gee, I hope you won’t be all worn out after your matinee,” Dino said.