Dead In The Water

CHAPTER 39

Stone sat down on the sofa opposite the chart table. "You can't do it," he said. "You know the penalty if you're caught running. You'll be judged guilty without even the formality of a trial, and they'll hang you."

"They're going to hang me anyway," she said.

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Stone," she said. "Can't you see the way this is headed? They've stacked the deck against me in every possible way. The jury will probably be stacked against me, too. Sutherland wants my hide on his wall, and he's going to get his way."

"Allison, listen to me. We've got a shot at an acquittal, really we have."

"And if I'm not acquitted?"

"Then we turn on the pressure on the prime minister. Sutherland has already heard from both Connecticut senators and God knows who else. If they try to hang an American citizen under these circumstances, the world will fall on them. The pressure on the prime minister will be unbearable; he'll have to cave in."

"These people can do whatever the hell they want," she said. "They're in this insular little world of theirs, and nobody has ever cared about what went on here."

"Until now. Do you know that you're already very nearly world famous? Every television station on the planet has run a story about you. On American television you're right up there with Princess Di for air time."

"I'm the flavor of the week, that's all," she sighed. "And probably half the people who heard about it think I'm guilty. Anyway, there would only be forty-eight hours between a conviction and an execution. That's not enough time to build outrage and get some sort of intervention. Don't you think I've thought about this? I've hardly thought of anything else."

"But if you run and are caught, you'll appear guilty and you'll lose all that support. People will say, 'Well, she killed her husband and she got what she deserved.' Is that what you want?"

"I'm not going to get caught. That boat over there is the fastest thing afloat between here and Miami. We'll be in international waters fifteen minutes after we leave the harbor. They don't have anything that can stop us."

"Sutherland will go after you and extradite you."

"I can fight that in the American courts."

"And by the time the lawyers are finished with you, all the money will be gone. All of it, Allison, the house, yacht, and the twelve million in insurance money have gone right down the legal drain. Then, even if you win, you can never travel abroad. The minute you in another country, Sutherland can start extradition proceedings all over again. You'd be hounded for rest of your life."

"I'm hounded now; what,s the difference? At least I have a life. They won't catch me, Stone; they'll have to find me first."

"So you're going to change your identity and hide out somewhere, give up who you are and worry every day about being caught. You don't want to live as a fugitive, Allison, believe me."

This seemed to have an effect. Tears welled up in her eyes, and when she reached for a tissue her hands trembled. "It's better than dying on this godforsaken island," she managed to say.

"They'll think I helped you," Stone said. "I'm an officer of the court, you know; I'm obliged to prevent you from committing another crime, and to attempt to escape is a crime."

"You'll talk your way out of it, Stone. After all, you didn't suspect anything until now."

"They won't know that. They'll know that I had a drink in the bar with the captain of that yacht and that we talked for quite a while, and that I went down and took a tour of the yacht."

"Come with me, then; we'll both get out of here."

Stone shook his head. "I'm not going to become a party to a crime for you or anybody else, and I'm certainly not going to become a fugitive." He stood up.

"Where are you going?" she asked, alarmed.

"I'm going to get as far away from you as I possibly can, although, in the circumstances, that's not very far."

"You're going to turn me in, aren't you?" she asked.

"Of course not; I'm not going to be the instrument of your death. I'm trying to save your life." He turned to leave.

She stood up and grabbed him, turned him to her, and put her arms around his waist. "Don't go," she said. "Stay here with me; I'm so frightened."

Stone disentangled himself from her arms. "I'm leaving right now. We won't be seeing each other again, Allison." He turned and started up the companionway before she could speak again.

He was furious. The stupid girl was jeopardizing them both, herself most of all, and there was not a damn thing he could do about it. At the top of the steps he looked toward the Shipwright's Arms and saw three policemen striding across the lawn toward the marina. "Oh, shit!" he moaned, and ran back down the steps.

"What is it?" Allison asked.

Stone looked around the cabin for some place to hide her luggage. They'd look in the after cabin. "Quick, fix us a drink; the cops are coming." He opened the door to the engine room and started tossing duffels down the steps.

Allison ran to the bar, got two glasses of ice, and poured some brown whiskey into both of them.

There was the sharp rap of a nightstick on the deck. "Ahoy, Expansive!" a deep voice called.

"Answer him!" Stone whispered, closing the engine room door and diving for the sofa.

"Hello!" Allison called back. She was halfway to the with the drinks when the first policeman appeared the stairs.

"Good afternoon," the man said. "I am Colonel Buckler of the St.Marks police." Two other officers companionway behind him.

"Good afternoon, Colonel," Allison replied "We were just having a drink; can I get you something?"

"No, ma'am, thank you," the colonel said.

Stone stood up. "Colonel, I am Stone Barrington, Manning's lawyer. Is there something we can do for you?" He took a drink from Allison and sat down. Allison sat next to him. "Please," he said to the police, "be seated."

The policeman sat down gingerly at the chart table. "I understand Mrs.Manning has made some travel plans," he said.

Stone looked at him blankly, then at Allison.

"Come again?" Allison said.

"I believe you have recently chartered a yacht," the colonel said. Allison waved an arm about her. "Colonel, I already have a yacht; why should I want to charter another one?"

"Colonel," Stone said, "perhaps you could explain yourself?."

"Of course, Mr.Barrington," the policeman replied. "Earlier this afternoon a very fast yacht berthed here and cleared customs, stating his intention of picking up a charter passenger. And you were seen, not half an hour ago, having a drink at the bar of the Shipwright's Arms with that yacht's captain, and then going aboard her."

"That's quite true, Colonel," Stone said. "I met the man, whose name I believe is Sam, at the bar. I expressed an interest in his boat, and he was kind enough to offer me a tour." He said his charterer was a Mr.and Mrs.Chapman."

"Come, come, Mr.Barrington, you are being disingenuous," the policeman said.

"I assure you, I am not," Stone replied firmly.

"Colonel," Allison piped up, "why do you think I have anything to do with that yacht?"

"Yes, Colonel, why?" Stone asked.

"I am not a fool, Mr.Barrington," the man said.

"Of course you aren't," Stone agreed. "But what, specifically, causes you to believe that Mrs.Manning has chartered the yacht? Have you spoken was the captain?"

"Not yet," the man admitted.

"Well, when you do, I'm sure he will tell you what he told me, that someone else has chartered his yacht."

"Oh, I will speak to him, Mr.Barrington; you may be sure of that." He stood up. "In the meantime, Mrs.Manning is confined to this yacht and to the Shipwright's Arms."

Allison shrugged. "I've hardly left this yacht since I came to St.Marks, except at the insistence of Sir Winston Sutherland," she said. "I don't know why I would want to leave it now. You see, Colonel, I am quite looking forward to my trial and acquittal."

"She is not to go to the airport or anywhere else on the island or to board any other yacht," the colonel said, continuing to address Stone, "on pain of immediate arrest and close confinement."

"I quite understand, Colonel," Stone said, "and believe me, Mrs.Manning will follow your instructions to the letter."

The policeman saluted them smartly and, herding his colleagues before him, went up the companionway.

Stone followed them partway and watched as they marched off toward the Race.