L.A. Dead (Stone Barrington 6)

Drake gazed out the window. "I honestly don't know."

"Do you deny altering the test results?"

Drake looked back at him. "I most certainly do." He looked away again. "That is, I don't know if the results were tampered with."

"And why don't you know?"

Drake sighed. "Vance came to me and said it was essential that the test prove that he was the father of the child. I conveyed that to someone at Hemolab."

"So I'm the child's father?"

"I said I don't know. I simply made Vance's wishes known. For all I know, he was the father. I suppose it could have gone either way, or there would have been no need for the test."

"Yes," Stone said, "it could have gone either way. I want to see the original test results."

"I'm afraid that will be impossible. At Vance's request, once the report was issued, the blood samples and the records were destroyed. The lab never knew who he was; the two subjects were simply labeled Aand B."

"Then you knew when you saw the results."

"No, I didn't. I didn't care, really. I wrote a letter saying that Vance was the father, that's all. I don't know if he was or not."

"So, the test was just to have something to show Arrington?"

"I suppose. But if you ever tell her that, I'll deny even speaking to you."

"Thank you, Doctor," Stone said. He left the office and went back to his car.

Dino looked across the dinner table at Stone. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course, I want to know; wouldn't you?"

"I'm not sure," Dino replied. "In the circumstances."

"What circumstances?"

Dino shrugged. "The present circumstances."

Stone thought about that. Arrington might still go to prison. In that case, he'd want to raise the boy-if he was the father. But if she were freed, then what? He and Arrington and their son would live happily ever after? That is, if the boy was, indeed, his son and not Vance's.

"If you've got to know, then here's what you have to do," Dino said. "You and Arrington and the boy have to go together to have blood drawn, two samples

of both yours and the boy's. She sends one set to a lab, and you send them to another. Then you compare results, and you'll know."

"Yes, I suppose we would."

"But if the news of the test should get out, well, you'd have a tabloid shitstorm on your hands."

"Yes, we would."

"I think you need to do some more thinking."

"I think you're right.

Chapter 59

Manolo drove Stone, Arrington, and Isabel to the courthouse, while Dino and Mary Ann followed in the station wagon. This time, they could not avoid the press, since the hearing had been placed on the court calendar, which was public. Even the underground garage was covered by the TV cameras, and it took both Stone and Manolo to keep them from following the group into the elevator.

There was another gaundet to run, between the elevator and the courtroom, but Stone was relieved to see Felipe Cordova sitting outside the courtroom, with Brandy Garcia at his side. Brandy winked at him as they passed. Stone told Isabel to wait to be called, then he took Arrington into the courtroom, where Marc Blumberg met them at the defense table. Dino and Mary Ann found seats. Stone set down his briefcase and a shopping bag he had been carrying.