Dead in the Water (Stone Barrington 3)

“What can I do for you, Mr. Potter?”

“I understand you are the attorney for the estate of Paul Manning.”

“No, that’s incorrect. I represent Mr. Manning’s widow in…another matter. I believe the estate is being handled by a firm in Greenwich, Connecticut.” He gave the man the name of the firm.

There was a long silence.

“Is there something else I can do for you?”

“I wonder, Mr. Barrington, have you, during the past few days, had occasion to meet a Mrs. Elizabeth Manning?”

“Yes, I have. She arrived in St. Marks the day before yesterday.”

“Ah, good; I wonder if you could tell me where she’s staying?”

“Do you represent Mrs. Manning?”

“I represent her mother, who is an old friend. Usually, when Libby travels, she keeps in close telephone contact with her mother, but nothing has been heard from her, and Mrs. Peters—that’s her mother—is concerned.”

“Mr. Potter, I’m afraid I have some very bad news. Mrs. Manning was killed yesterday in an airplane crash. She was on her way home to Palm Beach.”

“Oh, dear God!” the man cried, more upset than Stone would have expected an attorney to be. “Are you absolutely positive? Could there be any mistake?”

“I’m positive. In fact, I witnessed the crash. It was a light, twin-engined airplane that flies people to Antigua, where they make airline connections. There was an engine fire; the pilot tried to ditch in the water, stalled, and the airplane disintegrated. All three people aboard, Mrs. Manning among them, were killed instantly. I believe the local government has been trying to notify Mrs. Manning’s next of kin, but apparently they’ve not yet contacted Mrs. Peters.”

“No, I’m sure they haven’t; I spoke with her not ten minutes ago. This is just terrible; Libby’s mother is so dependent upon her.”

“I suggest you get in touch with the minister of justice in St. Marks, whose name is Sir Winston Sutherland, at Government House in the capital city.”

“I shall certainly do that. I will want to make arrangements to bring the body home for burial.”

“I’m afraid that two of the three bodies, including Mrs. Manning’s, went down with the fuselage of the airplane in deep water. I should think that it is unlikely in the extreme that it will ever be recovered.”

“Oh, how terrible.”

“Mr. Potter, do you know if Elizabeth Manning had any life insurance?”

“Why do you ask?”

“It occurs to me that you might need an affidavit to establish death. I can supply that, having been a witness, and there was another witness, who I’m sure would be glad to do the same.”

“Oh, good. Yes, there was a small insurance policy, little more than enough to cover the burial expenses. You are an attorney, you said?”

“Yes, I practice in New York.”

“I suppose there will be an inquest.”

“Yes, I should think so.”

“I wonder if you would undertake to act for this firm in the matter of obtaining a death certificate and any other legalities which might arise. I’m afraid that Mrs. Peters could not afford to send me down there, and in any case, I would find it physically impossible to make the trip.”

“I’m leaving St. Marks to return to New York the middle of next week, but until that time I would be happy to handle any details that might come up, including the death certificate.”

“Let me give you my address and phone number.”

Stone wrote down the information.

“You may send your bill here.”