“When?”
“The day before yesterday.”
“Have you been to the police?”
“I can’t do that; the tabloids would be all over me. I need your help, Stone.”
“Vance, you’d really be a lot better off going to the police; there’s nothing I can do about this.”
“You can find, her, Stone; if anybody can, you can. I want you to come out here.”
“Vance, really…”
“The Centurion Studios jet is at Atlantic Aviation at Teterboro Airport right now, waiting for you. You can be here by morning.”
“Vance, I appreciate your confidence in me, but…”
“Stone, Arrington is pregnant.”
Stone felt as if he’d been struck hard in the chest. He could count.
“Stone? Are you still there?”
“I’ll be at Teterboro in an hour, Vance.”
“You’ll be met at the Santa Monica airport.”
“Write down everything you can think of, Vance; we’ll have a lot to talk about.”
“I will. And thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Stone said, then hung up. He returned to the table. “You’re buying dinner, Dino,” he said. “I’m off to La-La Land.”
“About what?” Dino asked.
“I’ll call you,” Stone said.
“You didn’t answer my question about Allison Manning.”
“That will have to wait, I’m afraid.” He kissed Elaine on the cheek, then walked out of the restaurant and started looking for a cab.
Key West
February 10, 1997