Dead in the Water (Stone Barrington 3)

“We’ll be back at four,” Leslie said. “I hope we’ll have some news by then. I’ll call here if I hear anything before that time.”

Allison kissed and hugged them both, then they left the cell.

Outside the jail, Stone brought Hewitt up to date on what he had done, then asked, “Do you have any idea what’s going to happen?”

“I hope all these calls and faxes will have an effect,” Hewitt said. “I don’t think the prime minister has ever experienced anything quite like this.”

“Is he the sort of man who responds to pressure?”

Hewitt shrugged. “It’s hard to say. He’s always been a stubborn fellow, ever since he was a little boy. I just hope he doesn’t dig in his heels.”

“If we went to the residence, do you think he would see us?”

Hewitt shook his head. “No, that would be unheard of; we’d be damaging our own case. Do you want to come back to my place and wait?”

“I’d better go back to the marina and handle any calls that come in. Leslie, they’ve built a scaffold in the inner courtyard, and they’ve been testing it, I think.”

“I know; I heard them.”

“Have you ever been through anything like this with a client?”

“Once.”

“What happened?”

“They hanged him.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s meet back here at four o’clock, and if we haven’t heard anything we can wait with Allison. We can’t give up until…”

“Right,” Stone said. “I’ll meet you here at four.”

Back at the marina, Stone called Eggers again. “Anything to report?”

“We got on the Today show.”

“I saw it. You did good.”

“I hope we stirred up something. Oh, somebody finally got to Helms; he promised to call the secretary of state.”

“Has the president had anything to say?”

“Not publicly, but Woodman got a call back from the chief of staff’s secretary, saying that they were putting together a cable.”

“Great!”

“How’s the woman

holding up?”

“Like a champ. I’d be a gibbering idiot in her place.”

“So would I.”

“I think we’re going to pull this off, Bill; I don’t see how the prime minister can stand in the wind that’s blowing now.”

“I think you’re right, Stone.”