speechless.
'Good-bye, Manning,' Stone said. 'I'll be a witness at your trial; I'll tell the court how you admitted your identity to me and that you told me how you faked your death. Funny thing is, without our conversation today, they might not have been able to prove who you really were. So I'll see you in St.Marks.' He smiled broadly. 'And there won't be any attorney-client confidentiality.'
The cops put Manning into their car.
'How about some dinner tonight?' Dino asked.
'Absolutely; we'll celebrate.'
'Elaine's at eight-thirty?'
'That will be great,' Stone replied.
Alma appeared in the garage. 'Is everything all right?'
'Everything is all right,' Stone said.
Late that night, Stone and Dino sat over the remains of their dinner at Elaine's.
'All in all,' Stone said, 'it's been a very satisfying day.'
'Glad I could help,' Dino said. 'That guy from Boston, the insurance dick, was in my office this afternoon. He's a very happy man.'
'Why?'
'Because he's going to get at least some of his money back from Allison Manning's estate.' 'He'd better not count on it.'
'Why not?'
'Because, unless I miss my guess, that money has disappeared into the worldwide banking system and will never be seen again. Allison moved it the day before her trial.'
Dino looked at Stone sharply. 'What was that stuff said about his wife not being dead?'
'I think Manning is still in denial.'
'Is she dead?'
Stone was still trying to figure out how to answer Dino's question when Elaine came over to the table.
'Phone call for you, Stone,' she said, pointing at of the two pay phones on the wall nearby. 'Excuse me, Dino,' Stone said. He got up and went the phone. 'Hello?' he said, sticking a finger in the other ear to blot out some of the noise.
'Stone?'
'Yeah? Who's this?'
'Stone, this is Vance Calder.'
That stopped Stone in his tracks for a minute. 'Hello Vance,' he was finally able to say. 'How'd you find me here?'
'There was no answer at your house, and I remembered that Arrington said you were at Elaine's a lot. I took a chance.'
'How is Arrington, Vance?'
'That's what I'm calling about, Stone. Arrington has disappeared.'
'What do you mean, disappeared?'
'Just that; she's vanished.'
'When?'
'The day before yesterday.'
'Have you been to the police?'
'I can't do that; the tabloids would be all over me. I need your help, Stone.'
'Vance, you'd really be a lot better off going to the police; there's nothing I can do about this.'
'You can find, her, Stone; if anybody can, you can. I want you to come out here.'
'Vance, really…'
'The Centurion Studios jet is at Atlantic Aviation at Teterboro Airport right now, waiting for you. You can be here by morning.'
'Vance, I appreciate your confidence in me, but…'
'Stone, Arrington is pregnant.'
Stone felt as if he'd been struck hard in the chest. He could count.
'Stone? Are you still there?'
'I'll be at Teterboro in an hour, Vance.'
'You'll be met at the Santa Monica airport.'
'Write down everything you can think of, Vance; we'll have a lot to talk about.'
'I will. And thank you.'
'Don't thank me yet,' Stone said, then hung up. He returned to the table. 'You're buying dinner, Dino,' he said. 'I'm off to La-La Land.'
'About what?' Dino asked.
'I'll call you,' Stone said.
'You didn't answer my question about Allison Manning.'
'That will have to wait, I'm afraid.' He kissed Elaine on the cheek, then walked out of the restaurant and started looking for a cab.
Key West February 10, 1997
Stuart Woods
