Dead in the Water (35 page)
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 :ar 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. Vance," he was finally able to say. "How'd you 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 chmlce." "How is Arrington, Vance?" "That's what I'm calling about, Stone. Arrington has disappeared." "What do you mean, oasappeareu. "Just that; she s vamshed. "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
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to my editor, HarperCollins vice president and. associate publisher Gladys Justin Cart, and her associate editor, Elissa Altman, for their hard work, and to my literary agent, Morton Janldow, his principal associate, Anne Sibbald, and all the people at Janidow & Nesbit for their careful attention to my career over the years. I must also thank my wife, Chris, who is always the first to read a manuscript, for her keen eye and sharp tongue, which help keep my characters in line.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
STONE BARRING TON first made his appearance in New York Dead and came back for Dirt and now Dead in the Water. He will next appear in Swimming to Catalina, which will be published b.HarperCollins in the spring of 1998. I apologize to those few readers who have complained about his sexual nature, but he doesn't seem to be able to control himself.
INTRIGUE...
HOLLYWOOD STYLE.
With each brilliant new book, Stuart Woods thrills his growing audience with the explosive action and dizzying plot twists that have made him international bestseller. Swimming to Catalina, his newest novel, takes New York lawyer-turned-sleuth Stone Barrington to Tinseltown on his most dangerous case yet.
Vince Calder, Hollywood's hottest actor, summons Stone when his wife, Arrington, who also happens to be Stone's ex-girlfriend, vanishes. Now Stone must look past LAs gaudy glitz and glamour to discover its dark secrets before the final curtain drops.." on him!
Coming May 1998 in hardcover from
HarperCollinsPublisbers
STUART WOODS is the author of seventeen novels, including Dirt, Choke, Palindrome, Chief.s, Dead in the Water, and Swimming to Catalina. He lives on a Florida beach and in Litchfield County, Connecticut. You may read about and correspond with Stuart Woods on-line at http://www, stuartwoods.com.
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