“Please.”
“The specialty of the house is the rabbit in a cream sauce, and any of the pastas are excellent.”
“Thanks,” Stone said. “I’ll try the rabbit.”
“I’ll try the pasta,” Betty said, grimacing. “Which one.”
“The bolognese is good,” the waiter replied.
“Fine.”
“Shall I leave you the wine list?”
“Suggest something,” Stone said. “A big wine.”
“Try the Masi Amerone, the ’91.”
“Sold.”
“Something to start?”
“A Caesar salad,” Stone said.
“Make it two,” Betty echoed.
The waiter departed, leaving them with their drinks.
“Okay, so how did you come up with this place?” Betty asked.
“Arrington called me from here earlier this evening.”
“But she’s still in Virginia,” Betty said. “I made her flight reservations.”
“I’m going to have to trust your discretion.”
“Sure.”
“She’s not in Virginia; she disappeared nearly a week ago.”
“What?”
“Vance called me and asked me to come out here and find her.”
“Disappeared?”
“That’s right; he doesn’t know where she is.”
“I can’t believe this could have happened and I wouldn’t know about it.”
“He’s keeping it very quiet, because he doesn’t know what’s going on.”
“She just ran out on him?”
“He doesn’t know; she hasn’t been in touch with him.”
“And she called you?”
“Arrington must have read the piece in the trade paper; that’s why Vance invited the reporter to the party.”