Unnatural Acts (Stone Barrington 23)

“I came into my trust from my mother when I turned twenty-one,” Dink said, “and I’m well set up now. I snowed my dad, and he let me use a really nice apartment his firm owns. And guess who I’m having dinner with tonight?”

“Who?”

“Vanessa.”

“You dog. Fuck her once for me, will you?”

“I’d be delighted. If you see Carson, better not mention Vanessa.”

“Yeah, they’re, like, second-best friends, or something. Why did you come up here? It could be dangerous for you, you know. That cop that questioned me acted like he was going to make the world fall on you.”

“I figured that out,” Dink said. “They’re going to do nothing to any of us, because it would get Herb Fisher’s name in the papers, and his clients wouldn’t like it if their lawyer got charged with rape. It’s not dangerous, believe me, and I’ve got plans, sort of, for Mr. Fisher.”

Parker smiled. “Tell me.”

Dink leaned in. “Here’s what I need from you.” He had just finished telling Parker what he wanted when there was a knock at the door, and a woman came in. Dink and Parker stood.

“Mr. Fisher? I’m Mrs. Elliott. We spoke on the phone.”

“Of course, Mrs. Elliott. Do you have news for us?”

“Yes, I do. Mr. Mosely has been approved for discharge, just as soon as his father can come to sign him out.”

“That’s wonderful news, Mrs. Elliott. Congratulations, Parker, on completing your treatment. Mrs. Elliott, it occurs to me that I can give Parker a lift back to New York and save his father the trouble of a drive out here.”

“I’m afraid a parent will have to give written authorization,” she said.

“That’s all right, I have his father’s power of attorney, so I can sign him out. Isn’t this great, Parker? We can surprise your dad.”

“Oh, it’s great,” Parker said.

“Well, all right,” Mrs. Elliott said. “Parker, why don’t I walk you back to your room, and your can pack your things. Mr. Fisher, you may wait here, if you like, for Mr. Mosely to come back.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Elliott, for everything.” Dink shook hands with her, and she left with Parker.

Half an hour later, they were driving back to the city. “You can bunk with me for a while,” Dink said. “There are two bedrooms.”

“Great,” Parker replied. “I’m looking forward to this.”

49

The chopper slowed as it reached East Hampton and ran along the beach. The pilot looked back at Dino and Rosie. “It’s the smallest one,” he said over the intercom, while pointing down. “There’s a guy on the front porch. I’ll fly past and approach from the landward side. There’s a backyard.”

Dino looked down and from their height of about two hundred feet saw a man sitting at a table on the front porch of the house; he seemed to be eating breakfast. Dino gave the pilot a thumbs-up. “I see him,” he said. “There’s a hedge behind the house that separates it from what looks like a park. Can you put it down on that side of the hedge?”

“Sure thing,” the pilot said. Well past the house now, he swung inland.

Dino felt the deceleration and heard the chopper’s noise decline. “They must have some sort of quiet mode,” he said to Rosie.

“That’s right,” the pilot said, “we do. With the house and the hedge between us, he probably won’t hear us land.”

“Perfect,” Dino said. He looked out the window at the enormous beach houses. “Abney must have a very old house,” he said to Rosie. “His is a lot smaller than the others, and on less land.”

The chopper slowed again and Dino could look over the pilot’s shoulder through the windshield and see their landing spot coming. “Tighten your seat belt,” he said to Rosie.

“Can I take the train back?” Rosie asked. She was looking a little pale.

“Sissy!” Dino said, and he heard the pilot chuckle.