Cold Paradise (Stone Barrington 7)

“I guess so,” Dino replied. “But if he wants to create a very rich widow, he’s got all evening.”

“That’s the scary part,” Stone agreed. He looked up to see Guido and two other men approaching. They were carefully dressed in rented tuxedos, and Stone was relieved to see that the jackets were sufficiently loose-fitting not to reveal any weapons. “Evening, Guido,” he said.

“Yeah, you, too,” Guido said. “Everything cool?”

“So far.” Stone dug into a pocket and came up with three yellow lapel pins. “Put these into your buttonholes,” he said. “They will let security know you’re okay.”

The three men complied.

“Where you want us?” Guido asked.

“Wherever you think best. All the security people are looking for a tall man, but not for a beautiful woman, so you’re on your own, if she turns up.”

“Way I figure it,” Guido said, “if she’s coming, she’s coming for you. We’ll stick close.”

“Not too close,” Stone said. He didn’t want to have to explain to anybody who they were.

“Got it.” They wandered off.

At seven, the reception guests started to arrive, and the crowd became thicker.

“Jesus,” Dino said, “this is a hell of a lot of people.”

“Just two hundred of their closest friends,” Stone said. A big dance band began to play tunes from the thirties and forties in the garden. Stone liked the music. It was a beautiful night, and a handsome crowd of people. They wandered through the house and gardens, sipping champagne and chatting with people they knew, and everybody seemed to know everybody. Stone began to relax a little.

The party wore on into the evening. The guests talked, danced, congratulated the bride and groom and did all the other things people did at parties. Some were drunk, but not too drunk. Then, late in the evening, Stone turned toward the house and saw Arrington. She was leaving the main house on the arm of a tall, handsome man of about forty, beautifully dressed. After the shock of recognition, Stone’s next reaction was jealousy.

“Easy, pal,” Dino said. “You look like you want to shoot the guy.”

The tall man had already attracted the attention of a couple of security people, who looked at Stone inquiringly. He shook his head.

“Yeah, that’s all we need,” Dino said. “For security to shoot Arrington’s date.”

“Yes, that would be too bad,” Stone said. Arrington saw him and started toward him, leaving her companion at the bar.

“Hello, Dino,” she said, beaming at him and giving him a kiss on the lips.

“Hiya, kiddo,” Dino said, beaming back.

“Hello, Stone,” she said, almost shyly. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “I behaved badly the last time we saw each other,” she whispered. “I know we can work this out. I’m at the Breakers. Call me late tonight. I don’t care how late.”

Stone nodded, then a voice entered his ear.

“Crasher at the front door,” the voice said.

“Arrington, please excuse me,” Stone said. “I have to attend to something. I’ll call you later, I promise.” He made his way toward the front door, closely followed by Dino.

“Don’t you want me to handle the thing at the front door?” Dino asked. “Wouldn’t you rather stay here and talk to Arrington?”

“I just want to see what’s going on,” Stone said. They arrived at the front door in time to see two Palm Beach PD officers hustling a man into a van.

Another cop approached. “Unauthorized photographer,” he said. “We know him. He’s a stringer for one of the tabloids.”

“Good work,” Stone said. “You had any other problems at the front door?”

“Not really. We’ve had to frisk a few people, but no problems. Nobody as tall as the guy you’re looking for. An old man in a wheelchair set off all the alarms, but he was on the guest list.”

“Wheelchair?” Stone asked. “What kind of wheelchair?”