Double Jeopardy

40

The following day, Stone flew Carly and Primmy to New Haven for Carly’s Yale Law commencement. Once on the ground, Stone put them into a cab. “I have a stop to make,” Stone said. “I’ll catch up with you.”

Stone took another cab to a location where he had earlier made a purchase over the phone. His package was ready, and he headed for Yale.

The graduates were lined up in their black gowns with blue sleeves and filing into the building. He found Primmy and they managed to get seats.

“We thought you were going to miss the ceremony,” she said. “Carly was nearly distraught.” Primmy pointed. “There she is!” Waves were exchanged.

Stone had not been to a graduation since his own from NYU, and he had forgotten how exciting they were for the graduates. They listened to speeches, including Carly’s valedictory address. Then the thing broke up, and Stone took them out to the parking lot. He handed Carly a key. “You drive.”

“Drive what?”

“Right there.” He pointed to a metallic blue BMW convertible with the top down. “Happy graduation!”

Carly nearly killed them twice on the drive to the airport. Stone arranged to leave the car in a hangar until she came back for it, then they boarded the Cessna and flew back to Islesboro.

“Let’s take a look at the island,” Stone said, dropping to about two hundred feet. He made some gentle turns, and one took them past the Rawls place and the twins’ house, just down the road. The driveway was being paved with cobblestones, and two painters’ trucks were parked out back. “Looks like finishing touches,” Stone said.

“Let’s get away from here,” Primmy said. “I have the feeling they can see who we are.”

Stone turned for the airfield and set down.

Back at the house there was a bottle of champagne and a good lunch waiting for them.

“I’m a lawyer now,” Carly said.

“Well,” Stone said, “there is a little thing left called the bar exam. Pass that, and you’ll get your license.”

“I didn’t tell you, but I took the Connecticut exam last month and finished in the top one percent, so I’m already licensed in Connecticut.”

At lunch, Primmy leaned over and whispered to Stone. “Did you see the Stone twins at the commencement ceremony?”

“They were there?”

“Yes, sitting in a section reserved for faculty.”

“I’m glad I didn’t see them. Did Carly?”

“I don’t see how she could have missed them.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem to have lessened her elation.”

“Were you elated when you graduated, Stone?”

“Was I! I felt free for the first time in my life. Then I went and joined the police force.”

After lunch, the phone rang, and Stone answered. “Yes?”

“It’s Rawls. I thought you’d like to know the twins, who I thought left this morning, are back.”

“They were at the Yale Law commencement,” Stone said, “but their airplane wasn’t at the airfield when we landed. We circled their place and didn’t see them, but it looks like the work is getting closer to being done.”

“Then they’ll be here all the time,” Ed said. “I don’t think Sally can take that. I’m going to have to move her, at least for the summer.”

“You’ve still got your place in Virginia, haven’t you?”

“Yes. They won’t know about that.”

“I guess we’ll go back to New York this week,” Stone said. “Carly is starting at Woodman & Weld next Monday, prepping for the bar exam. By the way, she and Primmy have cooked up something to do with the twins, but they won’t tell me what.”

“I don’t know what to say to that,” Ed said.

“Neither do I, but I expect we’ll find out this week.”

“I don’t think Sally knows, or I would. She can’t keep a secret.”

“Primmy and Carly are all too good at it. When I ask about it, all I get is blank stares.”

“Well, good luck to you. I’ll let you know if anything breaks over here.” Ed hung up.

“Listen, you two,” he said to Carly and Primmy. “I need to know what you’re up to.”

“No, you don’t,” Primmy said. “I’ll give you a hint, though, if you promise not to ask any further questions.”

“Oh, all right, I promise.”

“When we do it, it has to be done naked.”

Carly burst out laughing. “The perfect clue!” she said.

“By the way,” Primmy said, “are we going to see Ed Rawls anytime soon?”

“We can,” Stone said, holding up the car keys. “You can take the MG, but you have to call Ed and tell him you’re coming and be told how to get in.”

Primmy snatched up the keys. “Done. What’s his number?” She went into the next room and made the call, then returned. “Come on, Carly. We have to go see Ed.”

The two drove away in the MG.

Primmy and Carly sat down with Rawls on the front porch and told him what they had in mind.

“That’s very interesting,” Rawls said. “I think I can work with that, if I know when this is to take place.”

“Is half an hour’s notice enough?”

“I suppose so. I’m concerned about your safety, though.”

“We’ll be just fine,” Carly said. “We’ll be armed, if it comes to that.”

“My guess is you haven’t told Stone.”

“Good guess. Why make him nervous?”

“You mean, make me nervous, instead.”

“Nah, you don’t get nervous, Ed. You’re the coolest guy we know.”

“I’ll keep telling myself that,” Ed said. “Have you given any thought to the aftermath of your plan?”

“Yes,” Primmy said. “We thought we’d let you take care of that part. After all, what more can we give?”

“That’s one way of looking at it,” Ed replied.