D.C. Dead (Stone Barrington 22)

“Do you think she had an affair with Brix Kendrick?”

“On no evidence but evidencethe manner of her death, yes.”

“I wish I had met the guy,” Holly said. “I’d like to see what sort of man could string together that many affairs and get away with it in a town where everybody talks about everybody.”

“You could argue that he didn’t get away with it,” Stone said. “He’s dead, after all.”

“Do you think the March Hare killed Charlotte Kirby?”

“We never saw a gun, did we? I certainly want to see the police report. Can you get it for me?”

“Better if Shelley does that,” Holly said. “She has an official reason to ask for it, and I don’t.”

Stone chuckled. “That doesn’t seem to stop you from getting what you want from the cops.”

“Better not to ask too often,” Holly said. She raised herself onto one elbow. “Stone, do you have any idea, any thoughts at all, about who the March Hare is?”

“No,” Stone said. “Not an idea, not a thought.”

“That’s depressing.”

“Tell me about it.”

46

STONE AND HOLLY EME

RGED FROM THE BEDROOM TO FIND Dino breakfasting alone. “Shelley had an early meeting,” he said. “Your breakfast is on the sideboard.”

Stone and Holly helped themselves from the hot dishes and sat down. “I wanted to ask her to get us the police report on Charlotte Kirby’s murder,” Stone said.

“I already thought of that. She’ll fax it over to us.”

“Good man,” Holly said, looking at him funny. “You seem depressed, Dino. Not your usual cheerful self.”

“Dino, cheerful?” Stone said, laughing.

“I thought we were out of here this morning,” Dino said. “We’re not.”

“That is depressing, isn’t it?” said Stone.

“I don’t mind having you two around,” Holly said. “You put a little fun into my humdrum life.”

“Humdrum my ass,” Dino snorted. “The stuff you get into at the Agency, you’re probably having too much fun!”

“I wish we had some sort of lead—anything,” Stone said. “I don’t know what to do next.”

“How about Fair Sutherlin’s cell phone?” Dino suggested. “It’s disappeared, and the murderer must have taken it.”

Holly spoke up. “The Agency has a program for cell phone searches,” she said. “Can I use your laptop, Stone?”

“Sure, it’s on the desk.”

Holly sat down at the computer and began typing. “I’m logging on to the Agency mainframe,” she said, “then I can access the program.” She stopped. “There. What’s her number?”

Stone got his iPhone, looked up the number, and read it out.

Holly typed in the number, then waited, looking at the computer screen. “It’s searching.”