D.C. Dead

40

Stone and Holly were sitting up in bed having breakfast the following morning when Stone’s cell phone buzzed on the bedside table.

“Dad? It’s Peter.”

“Peter! How are you?” Peter and Ben, Dino’s son, were in their first year at the Yale School of Drama. “I haven’t heard from you in a couple of weeks.”

“I know, I’ve got a play opening soon, and it’s been crazy here.”

“I expect so.”

“I was hoping you’d be able to come up for the opening?”

“I’d really love to do that, Peter, but I’m in Washington, D.C., working on something really important, and I don’t think I can get away.”

“So this is that murder at the White House, and those other women?”

Stone was stunned. “How on earth can you know that?”

“Haven’t you seen the morning papers? We get the Times delivered, and it’s on page eight.”

Stone covered the phone and turned toward Holly. “Will you please get the papers from the front door?” She got out of bed and padded, naked, into the living room. “How long is the play going to run? Maybe I can get up later.”

“Only four nights, through the weekend. Tell me about this thing you’re working on, Dad. It sounds like there might be a film in it.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Stone said. Holly returned with the papers. “The Times, page eight,” he said to her, and she began looking.

“Why not? It’s public property now.”

Holly shoved the paper in front of him. “Hang on, I’ve got the paper here.” Stone read the article, which took up half a page. “It appears,” he said to Peter, “that the New York Times knows as much about this case as I do.”

“The Washington Post,” Peter said. “That’s where the Times got the story.”

“Oh, yeah, I see that now.”

“When the play closes, Ben and I want to come down there and hear about this firsthand.”

“You stay right where you are, young fellow. You’ve got school to do, and Dino and I are up to our ears in all this.” Holly took the paper from him and started to read.

“Oh, all right, but when I’m back in New York or when you’re up here, I want to know everything.”

“All right, when it’s all over I’ll give you the details.”

“I’ve got to run, Dad, it’s dress rehearsal today.”

“Take care of yourself, Peter.” Stone hung up.

Holly put down the paper. “I don’t believe this. They’ve got Charlotte Kirby’s story, and your interview was only yesterday.”

“I don’t believe it either,” Stone said. “Charlotte would never have told a newspaper reporter all that. The White House must be going nuts.” The cell phone rang again, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”

“It’s Fair Sutherlin,” she said. “The White House has gone nuts over this story. What were you thinking, talking to the papers?”

“I haven’t talked to the papers, and neither has Dino. Do you think we’re insane?”

“Charlotte had to be sent home from work, and I don’t know how she can go on working here with this hanging over her head. How could you?”

“I’m telling you, I didn’t!” Stone said, with some heat.

“Who knew about this besides you and Dino?”

? width="“Just the principals in the investigation, nobody else. I haven’t even had a chance to tell the Lees.”

“Think, Stone: how could this have gotten out in all this detail?”

“I suppose Charlotte could have talked to somebody.”

“It wouldn’t be in her interests to do that,” Fair pointed out.

“I know, you’re right. Look, I’ve only just seen the papers. Let me get back to you when I know more.” He hung up before she could speak again.

Stone got out of bed, walked across the living room, and hammered on Dino’s door. “Dino! Get out here, we’ve got trouble!”

“All right, all right,” came the muffled reply.

Holly had gotten into a robe and followed Stone with the paper, then Dino came out of his bedroom in pajamas, looking sleepy “What?” he said.

Holly handed him the paper. Dino sank into a sofa and began to read. “What the fuck?” he said, finally.

“Where’s Shelley?” Stone asked.

“She slept at home last night. She left right after you and Holly disappeared.”

“She’s the only other person besides the three of us who knew about our conversation with Charlotte Kirby.”

“Oh, come on, Stone, you know better than that. Shelley would be jeopardizing her career by blabbing to the press about this.”

“You’d think so,” Stone said, “but we know it wasn’t any of the three of us. Who else knew about Charlotte Kirby?”

“Charlotte Kirby did, dummy,” Dino said. “She must have talked to somebody.”

“Isn’t there stuff in the story Charlotte didn’t know?” Holly asked.

Dino shook his head. “We were at a dinner party the other night where everybody at the table seemed to know most of it. But Charlotte would have been the only person who knew about her story.”

“Let’s go see Charlotte Kirby,” Stone said. “Where’s the FBI file? Her address is in there.”

“On the coffee table,” Dino said, reaching for the phone. “I want some breakfast first, and I need a shave and a shower.”

“So do I,” Stone said.

Holly went into the bedroom, then called out, “Your cell is ringing again.”

Stone went back into the bedroom and answered it.

“This is the White House operator,” a woman’s voice said. “Will you speak to the first lady?”

“Of course,” Stone said.

“Stone?” Kate Lee said.

“Mrs. Lee, I know why you’re calling.”

“I should think you do. What on earth is going on?”

Stone looked at Holly; he needed to hand off this call.

“I’m not here,” Holly whispered.

“We haven’t found out yet, but we’re working on it. May I call you back later today, when I should know more?”

“Oh, all right,” she said, “but it had better be good.” The first lady hung up.

“Oh, shit,” Stone said. He sat down on the bed and put his face in his hands.