The Short Forever (Stone Barrington 8)

“Why don’t you get Erica to bed?” Stone asked Sarah. “I’m pretty bushed myself.”

By the time Sarah crawled into bed with him, he was out.

59

STONE AND DINO WERE HAVING BREAKFAST when the doorbell rang. Stone answered it, to find Detective Inspector Evelyn Throckmorton standing there with another officer, looking grim.

“Good morning,” Stone said.

“No, it isn’t,” Throckmorton replied, brushing past him and walking into the drawing room. “Come in here and sit down.”

“I was about to call you; how on earth did you find me here?” Stone asked.

“I had Miss Burroughs followed,” Throckmorton replied, “and my people weren’t the only ones doing so. Where is she?”

“Upstairs, asleep,” Stone replied.

“No, I’m not,” Erica said from the doorway.

Stone introduced her to the two men.

“I have only a few questions for you, Miss Burroughs,” Throckmorton said, and he proceeded to ask them. Ten minutes of grilling her produced nothing, and he told her she could go.

“Get some breakfast,” Stone said to her. “I’ll be a few minutes.”

“Well, Barrington,” Throckmorton said, “you’ve certainly managed to mix in a number of things, haven’t you?”

“I suppose I have,” Stone replied.

“How about Stanford Hedger’s death; did you mix in that?”

Stone had no trouble looking surprised. “He’s dead?”

“Knifed outside a Mayfair restaurant late last evening.”

“I saw him at Heathrow earlier in the evening,” Stone said, “and he was perfectly fine.”

“He was looking for Lance Cabot?”

“Yes.”

“And so were you, I suppose.”

“No.”

“Look, I know very well that you’re up to your ears in the Eastover matter, and I’m not in the least convinced that you had nothing to do with Hedger’s death.”

“May I speak to you alone for a moment?” Stone asked.

Throckmorton motioned for the detective to leave them.

“I think we both have a pretty good idea who might have dispatched Hedger, don’t we?” Stone asked when they were alone.

Throckmorton sighed. “Yes, I suppose I do. He had all the skills; he was ex–Special Air Services, you know.”

“I didn’t know, but I’m not surprised. I don’t suppose there’s anything but suspicion to link him to Hedger’s death?”

“He has half a dozen witnesses, all retired policemen, who swear he was in a card game at the time.”