Cut and Thrust

52

Stone waited dinner for Ann, and she managed to get home at eight o’clock, looking flustered.

“Anything bad happen?” Stone asked.

“That depends on your definition of ‘bad,’” she replied, then she threw up her hands. “Don’t ask!”

“All right, I won’t.” He led her to the study and poured her a martini. “Helene is putting the finishing touches on dinner,” he said.

“So, how was your day?”

“Well, let’s see. The police commissioner resigned from office and announced for mayor. The mayor appointed Dino to succeed as commissioner, effective immediately, and Fred tackled a gunman and saved the mayor’s life.”

“What? Tell me everything!”

Stone told her everything. He was about to pour them another drink when Fred entered the study.

“Excuse me, Mr. Barrington, dinner is served in the kitchen.”

“Fred,” Ann said, “I want to congratulate you on your bravery this afternoon. I’ve heard all about it, and that was a marvelous piece of work.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Fred said. “I saw my duty, and I done it, that’s all.”

“That’s all anyone can ask of a man,” Stone observed.

“Ah, Mr. Barrington, I’m sorry to bring this up, but I’ve been besieged by all sorts of newspaper and television people for interviews.”

“Do you want to become even more famous, Fred? If so, grant the interviews.”

“Oh, no, sir, I was trained to do my duty quietly and avoid public exposure.”

“Then ask Joan to tell them all that Mr. Flicker wishes to maintain his privacy and not grant any interviews or photos.”

“A very good plan, Mr. Barrington. I’ll tell Joan.”

Fred led them downstairs as if they didn’t know the way and seated Ann while Stone selected a bottle from the wine cooler. He decanted it and poured them each a glass.

“Oh, Greek food!” Ann enthused. “My favorite.”

“Now that Helene has heard you say that, you may never be given anything else,” Stone said.

They dined on dolmades — stuffed vine leaves — and moussaka — a casserole of lamb and aubergines covered with a béchamel sauce — and drank the sturdy Amarone Stone had chosen. Stone shooed Helene and Fred out of the kitchen, telling them to worry about the dishes tomorrow.

In Los Angeles, Billy and Betsy Burnett were leaving the studio together for the drive home.

“What happened in San Francisco?” Betsy asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Billy replied.

“Come on, Billy, do you think I don’t know why you went there for two nights?”

“Don’t make suppositions.”

“I’m not supposing, I know. And if you’ve resumed killing people, then I think I have a right to know so that I can help keep anyone from finding out. You’ll need an alibi, you know.”

“Darling,” Billy said, “I promise I will never put you in such a position that you will need to give me an alibi.”

“What happened in San Francisco?” she demanded.

“When I said nothing, I was telling the truth.”

“Billy, when you undertake something like that, something happens.”

“It’s not that I didn’t try,” Billy said, sighing. “I made two attempts, both foiled by circumstances.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Betsy said.

“Don’t be glad — it will have to be done at some point.”

“Will it really, Billy? Isn’t there another way?”

“Ed Eagle has been trying every other way for years, to no avail. It’s down to me, now. I’m all he has left.”

“Well, I can’t tell you not to get involved, I guess. Ed is a friend of Stone’s, and we owe Stone so much.”

“I was able to pass something on to Stone that I hope will help. Barbara is starting a campaign of interviews to make Ed look like the bad guy in all this.”

“That’s terrible!”

“Yes, and I hope that someone can do something to counteract her campaign.”

“Don’t worry yourself, Stone will think of something.”

“I hope you’re right,” Billy said. “Otherwise, I’m going to have to think of something else. Barbara and her husband are looking for a house in Bel-Air, I hear. If they find something in L.A., that will make her more accessible.”

“I just hope this all goes away,” Betsy said.

“It will go away,” Billy replied. “One way or another.”

Ann put her fork down. “That was just wonderful,” she said. “Now I think I have the fortitude to tell you what happened today.”

“That sounds bad.”

“As I said before, it depends on how you define ‘bad.’”

“Tell me.”

“You must never breathe a word of this to a living soul,” she said. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

Ann took a deep breath. “I think Kate may be pregnant.”