Worst Fears Realized (Stone Barrington 5)

“It’s in pretty good shape for the first day, I think.”

“My husband, David, and I are going to grab a bite at our local joint, the George Washington Tavern; why don’t you join us? It’s real casual, and a lot of the weekend crowd will be there.”

“Thanks, I think I’d like that,” Stone replied.

“Want us to pick you up?”

“Just give me directions; I’ll meet you.”

“Go back down the hill to the Depot, cross the river, then a right at the intersection, and you’ll see it on your right. About seven?”

“See you there.” Stone hung up, relieved not to have to spend his first evening in Connecticut alone.

Pity about Bruce Goldsmith, he thought. But not much of a Pity.

42

S TONE ARRIVED AT THE RESTAURANT AND found the parking lot nearly full. He found a spot and went inside. Carolyn Klemm spotted him from a seat near the fireplace and waved him over.

“This is my husband, David,” she said.

Stone shook David Klemm’s hand.

“Welcome to Washington,” David said. “You’re going to love it.”

They ordered drinks and got a menu. Stone was facing the restaurant’s entrance, and he looked up to see Captain Warkowski, from Sing Sing, enter the room, in company with a middle-aged woman. Warkowski saw him and nodded; Stone nodded back. The couple were taken to a booth in the back room.

“Somebody you know?” Carolyn asked.

“Not very well; I met him in passing, once.”

“A local?”

“No, he’s from New York State, I think; that’s where I met him, anyway.”

“We saw the story, in the Times about the bombing of Sarah’s opening—a terrible business,” Carolyn said. “Is she all right?”

“Yes, she is.”

“When can we expect to see her here?”

“Sarah’s gone back to England; she’s planning to live there.”

“Oh, I’m sorry; somehow I thought you would be sharing the cottage.”

“That was the plan, but the incident at the gallery changed her mind, I think.”

“Well, we’ll have to have a few single women to dinner,” Carolyn said. “There aren’t many around, but there are a couple of very nice divorcées.”

“Oh, don’t bother,” Stone said.

“No, we’d like to have you to dinner; we entertain a lot. Leave it to me.”

They ordered dinner, and a procession of arriving diners stopped by their table. The Klemms introduced Stone to a dozen people in a matter of minutes, giving a running account of who they were. Most of them were New Yorkers, up for the weekend, like Stone.

“Do you know anyone at all up here?” Carolyn asked.

“Just some people from California who have a house in Roxbury.”