Dirt (Stone Barrington 2)

Amanda said nothing; she stared into the middle distance and thought about what a Hickock collapse could do to her.

“I think you can see why it’s in our mutual interests to cooperate with each other,” Peebles said. “The first crack in the dike has already appeared.”

“Crack?”

“Glynnis Hickock’s divorce action.”

“You think Glynnis knows about this?”

“Do you think Hickock could be involved with her half-brother in something as complex as this and Glynnis not know about it?”

“Surely she wouldn’t jeopardize Dick’s fortune by some intemperate action,” Amanda said. “That wouldn’t be in her own best interests.”

“A woman scorned doesn’t always act in her own best interests,” Peebles said. “Anyway, Glynnis is a wealthy woman in her own right. If Hickock sank it wouldn’t cause more than a ripple in her lifestyle. And if she’s mad enough, she could sink him very deep. The odds would heavily favor a prison term, and she could plausibly deny all knowledge.”

Amanda stared at a squirrel outside the car, her mind racing.

“I think you can see why this DIRT thing has to be stopped,” Peebles said.

Amanda snapped back to attention. “Yes,” she said. “But so far, I don’t have a clue who’s involved. Stone Barrington is still investigating, but he’s been in the hospital.”

“Hospital?”

“Someone… this goes no further.”

“Of course not.”

“Someone broke into his house, and when he investigated, he got hit over the head.”

“I must say, I’m not surprised.”

“What do you know that I don’t know?” Amanda asked.

“You must understand, I’m in a very difficult position. T

he… allegations about me in the scandal sheet are very, very dangerous to my interests. I’m already persona non grata in London, with my wife and my father-in-law, and if the old man were sufficiently riled, he could, quite literally, destroy me. I’d never hold a job again, anywhere in the world.”

“Why is your position any worse than anybody else’s in this wretched business?” Amanda asked.

“Because I suspect – although I can’t prove it – that one of the people, perhaps the only person, behind DIRT may be someone I was once… involved with.”

“A lover?”

“That’s too strong a term, I think. No, there was never any love in it.”

“Who is this person?”

“His name is Geoffrey.”

“Geoffrey what?”

“When I knew him – this was nearly a year ago – he called himself Power, but I doubt that’s his name. I went through his wallet once, and I found three driver’s licenses, in different names.”

Amanda was alert now. “What were the other two names?”

“I don’t remember. I didn’t have any reason to, at the time; I figured they were aliases, too.”

“Geoffrey Power. Is Geoffrey his real first name?”