Desperate Measures

60

Stone woke the following morning and checked the news shows for something on the arrest of Mike Adams, but there was nothing. He was able to hold his curiosity until after lunch, then he called Dino.

“Bacchetti.”

“It’s Stone. Why is there nothing on the news about Mike Adams?”

“You want the whole story?”

“Please.”

“Okay,” Dino said, “young Mike called Herbie Fisher at the first opportunity, and Herbie arrived as if he’d been shot out of a cannon, clutching a copy of the DA’s offer of immunity on all charges, in return for Mike’s testifying against the other two. You’ll recall that, faced with Mike’s testimony and his logbook of their movements, they both bought a deal of life in prison without the possibility of parole. So, the DA declined to prosecute, and Mike walked.”

“Shit.”

“No, really. We have no evidence that Mike has committed a crime, unless you consider dressing up like a killer a crime. His gun was licensed, and the chemical in the hypo kit was insulin. Herbie produced a note from his doctor confirming that he’s a diabetic. Also, I had twenty men searching that hotel and the adjacent building, and they found absolutely nothing to indicate that Mike planned to commit a crime there. Finally, no corpses have turned up in trash cans.”

“There’s nothing you can do, then?” Stone asked. “That black costume, combined with the fact that he didn’t report being shot at by Faith, indicates he’s not quite as innocent as we all thought.”

“For all practical purposes, yes, there’s nothing more we can do. What we think doesn’t matter.”

“I’m still surprised his recent arrest wasn’t on the news.”

“Herbie managed to get a gag order for that, pointing out that if the news story ran, large numbers of people would believe that Mike is guilty, when there is no evidence to support that contention. Mike’s life would probably be ruined. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that a member of the older generation may have made a phone call or two, as well. Also, if the story ran we’d get our asses sued for false arrest and defamation, and that includes you, too.”

“It makes a neat package, doesn’t it.”

“Look at it this way,” Dino said. “The fucking case is cleared.”

Joan stuck her head in Stone’s door. “Caroline Whitehorn is on line two.”

“I gotta run,” Stone said.

Dino hung up.

Stone steeled himself for the blast from Caroline about having Mike arrested. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Caroline.”

“How are you?”

“Very well, thanks. I called to thank you.”

Stone was mystified. “For what?”

“Oh, I know you’re being shy and all that, but your man Herb Fisher saved our cousin Mike from a fate worse than death.”

“I did hear about that.”

“Would you like to have dinner with Charlotte and me this week?”

“Caroline,” Stone said, “I regret that I don’t have the emotional capacity or the moral fiber to deal with the two of you, and if I made a choice, it would probably be the wrong one, so I’m just going to have to take a pass.”

“I understand,” Caroline said. “We can be a little hard to take.”

“Thank you for your understanding.” He said goodbye and hung up.

Joan buzzed him again. “Edith Beresford on one,” she said.

Stone picked up the phone. “Edie?”

“That’s me.”

“I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear from you. Let’s have dinner.”

“Sold,” she said.