“But he went back to St. Marks and was …” Stone stopped. “You bought him out, didn’t you?”
She nodded sheepishly. “I called Sir Leslie, the barrister, remember?”
“Oh, yes. How much did it cost you?”
“Half a million.”
“You got a volume discount?”
“Stone, I couldn’t just let him be hanged.”
“Why not? He’s a triple murderer. And, when he thought you were going to be executed, he didn’t lift a hand to sav
e you from the gallows.”
“That’s true, of course, but still …”
A terrible thought struck Stone. “Please tell me Paul doesn’t know you’re alive.”
She slumped. “I’m afraid he does. Sir Leslie let it slip.”
“Good God. Where is Paul?”
“I don’t know, but he was in Easthampton last weekend.”
“You saw him?”
“I was in a shop on Sunday afternoon, and he passed by in the street.”
“You’re sure it was Paul?”
“Absolutely sure. He’s kept all that weight off, and he’s had a nose job, but I recognized him just by the way he walked.”
“Did he see you?”
“No. I mean, I don’t think so. Still, I got the hell out of the Hamptons, and as soon as I got to Palm Beach, I changed my hair color. What can I do about this, Stone?”
“It’s the money he wants, isn’t it? You could try buying him off.”
“Will you deal with that for me?”
“Well, there are two problems with that. First, I don’t know where to find him. Second, the last time he saw me, he wanted to kill me, and since I got him arrested, imprisoned and nearly hanged in St. Marks, I doubt if he feels any more kindly toward me. In fact, it makes me nervous just knowing he’s out there somewhere.”
“Apparently, he wants to kill me, too,” she said. “At least, that’s what he told Sir Leslie.”
“Grateful, isn’t he?”
“Stone, what am I going to do?”
“Well, Allison—excuse me, Liz—since we don’t know how to find him, I suppose we’re going to have to wait for him to find you.”
She nodded. “Or you.”
8
AFTER LUNCH, WHEN ALLISON, NOW LIZ, HAD LEFT him, Stone took a drive around Palm Beach before returning to the yacht. He thought about Paul Manning and how he would not like to renew his acquaintance with the man. During his career as a police officer, Stone had known a number of people who would have preferred to see him dead, rather than alive, but all of them were either dead themselves, or safely locked away in prison. Except Paul Manning. He flipped open his cell phone and dialed his office number.
“Stone Barrington’s office,” Joan said.