the side.
The yacht’s skipper leaned over and looked at him. “You!” he shouted angrily.
Stone swung the flashlight at him and caught him full on the side of the head. The man fell backward and out the other side of the dinghy. Stone hoisted himself half into the rubber boat and saw the other crew member coming at him with an oar. He pushed himself back into the water, narrowly avoiding the swinging blade. When he broke the surface again, a few feet away, he heard the dinghy’s outboard start up. Arrington was struggling with the man now, as the rubber boat started to move away from Stone.
Then, like the cavalry, Dino showed up. He was drifting toward the dinghy in the black Whaler, and he had his flashlight in his hand. He swung it mightily and made contact with the back of the man’s head. The man fell overboard.
“Help me get them!” Stone yelled. “We can’t just let them drown!” He was already swimming around the dinghy. With Arrington’s and Dino’s help, he got both the unconscious men back into the dinghy. They stank of alcohol.
“Are they hurt badly, do you think?” Arrington asked.
“They’ll live,” Dino said. “What do you want to do with them, Stone?” He was holding the dinghy next to the Whaler.
Stone hoisted himself into the dinghy. “Arrington, get into the boat with Dino,” he said. He began unscrewing the outboard from the dinghy’s plywood transom. “Hurry up!” He got the outboard loose and dropped it overboard, where it joinedContessa, then he flung the oars as far away as he could, hopped into the Whaler, and got the engines started.
From the direction of the shore a large motorboat was headed toward them. “I hope that isn’t a Coast Guard cutter,” Stone said. He switched off the Whaler’s running lights, put the throttles forward a little, and motored slowly for fifty yards as a spotlight played on the water behind them. For another few hundred yards he increased speed slightly, hoping to keep the sound of his engines quieter than those aboard the approaching boat, then he pushed the throttles wide open and roared away toward the mainland. A few seconds later they were doing forty knots through the black night. “Everybody keep a lookout for other boats!” he shouted over the engines.
Dino took off his jacket and helped Arrington into it. “How are you?”
“Don’t ask!” she shouted back.
53
An hour later they had secured the boat, hosed it down with fresh water, and removed the tape from its identifying marks. In the car, Stone sat up front, while Dino drove and Arrington occupied the rear seat.
“You think we got out of there without being seen well enough to identify us?” Dino asked.
“The captain ofContessa recognized me.”
“That’s not good.”
“Somehow, I don’t think he’ll mention it to the police; he knows he’s involved in a kidnapping.”
“He’ll mention it to Ippolito.”
“Good. I don’t think Ippolito will mention it to the cops, either.”
“What about his insurance company? Those guys don’t give up easily.”
“The yacht wasn’t insured.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope, the skipper told me they had liability only. I guess Ippolito believes in self-insurance. I hope so.” Stone directed Dino onto the freeway, then used his phone to call the Bel-Air’s night manager. “Is the room next to my suite free?” he asked.
“I’ll check,” the woman said. “Yes, it’s available.”
“Will you please have the adjoining door to my suite unlocked? I’ll be needing the extra space.”
“Of course, Mr. Barrington.”
“Thanks; I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He hung up and turned to Arrington. “How are you doing?”
“I’m pretty wet, but apart from that, I’m okay. Aren’t you taking me home?”
“No, not yet; we’ll sort that out later. You look awfully tired.”
“I am,” she said, and she stretched out on the back seat. “Let me know when we’re there.”
Back at the hotel, they parked and got Arrington to Stone’s suite.
“Thanks, Dino; I’d better put her to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Not too early,” Dino said, and left.
Arrington was out on her feet. Stone got her wet clothes off and put her into a hot shower long enough to wash away the salt, then he put her into a terry robe and took her to the room next door. He turned down the bed and tucked her into it.
She put her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Sleep here with me,” she said.
“I can’t,” he said. “You sleep; don’t think about anything, we’ll fix it tomorrow.”
But she was already out. He tucked the covers under her chin and went back to his own room. He took a shower and got into bed with a brandy, somehow unable to sleep. He dozed a little, and then it was dawn.
At six o’clock he called Vance Calder.
“Hello?” He seemed wide awake.
“Vance, I think you know who this is; don’t talk, listen. Do you remember where I’m staying?”
A pause. “Yes.”
“Get over here now; come through the back gate. I’ll be waiting.”
“Is it…”
“Shut up. Just get over here.” He hung up, and got into some clothes. When Vance drove up to the back gate, Stone was there to meet him. They walked up to Stone’s suite together.
“What’s going on, Stone? Why were you so careful on the phone?”
“For all I know, your lines are tapped; I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“What’s wrong? Has something happened to Arrington?”
“No. Arrington is asleep in the next room.”
Vance headed for the door, but Stone stopped him. “Don’t wake her; she’s had a rough night. Let’s have some breakfast.”
Vance finished his coffee and put down the cup. He had said little for the past hour; Stone had done all the talking. “Thank you, Stone,” he said finally. “What has Arrington had to say about…her experience?”
“Nothing; she was too exhausted.”
“It’s important that I talk to her before you do.”
“She’s your wife,” Stone said.
“I have some things to explain to her before you start asking her questions, as I know you will. Then you can ask your questions, and I’ll take her home.”
“I don’t think you should do that, Vance.”
“Why not?”
“Because this isn’t over by a long shot, and she may not be safe. I think it would be better if you arrange a suite here, move in, and not talk to anybody.”
Vance thought about that. “All right. I’d better go and get some clothes for us both.”
“Good idea; I’ll talk to the manager. Come back here when you’re done, and don’t tell your staff where you’re going.”
Vance nodded, got up, and left.
Stone called the manager. “Thank you for the adjoining room,” he said. “Is there a suite on the other side of it?”
“Yes, there is.” He checked for a moment. “And it’s empty.”
“Please open it up and slide the key under my door.”
“Certainly, Mr. Barrington.”
