L.A. Dead

"I think you're right. Let me make another call to see if I can find out more."

"Let me know when you do."

"See you later." Stone hung up and buzzed Louise. "What time is it in Hawaii?" he asked.

"Three or four hours earlier than here, I think."

"You've got Betty Southard's hotel number, haven't you?"

"She's moved to a rented cottage, and I have the number."

"Go ahead and get her on the phone, and let's hope she's an early riser."

"I'll buzz you."

Stone sat thinking about Beverly Walters and Felipe Cordova and what they could mean to the charges against Arrington. The phone buzzed, and Stone picked it up. "Betty?"

"Aloha, stranger," she said.

"Hope I didn't get you up."

"You know I'm an early riser," she said. "Wish you were here to get my heart started in the morning."

"A pleasant thought, but I'm still needed here. You enjoying yourself?"

"So much that I'm thinking of making a permanent move here. Will you come see me?"

"When you least expect it."

"Why'd you call? Surely not just to wake me up."

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Beverly Walters. Did she and Vance ever have a thing?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because she's the key prosecution witness against Arrington, and I need to know as much as possible about her."

"Vance didn't keep much from me, but he never mentioned Beverly in those terms. Anyway, he was pretty tight with her husband, Gordon."

"If he was sleeping with her, where do you think it might have happened?"

"In his RV, more than likely, but just about any place that was convenient."

"Did he ever bring her to the bungalow?"

"Not when I was around, but he didn't do that with his women, except maybe after hours. A few mornings there were signs in the bungalow that someone had been there."

"When was the last time you can remember?"

"No more than a day or two before he was shot."

"Did you ever find anything in the bungalow belonging to a woman?"

"Once or twice-a lipstick or a scarf. When I did, I just left it on Vance's desk and said nothing about it."

"Anything that you could identify as belonging to Walters?"

"Come to think of it, the lipstick I found was one I've seen her wear, but I suppose that's a pretty tenuous co

"Yes, it is. Nothing else?"

"Nothing I can think of. I'll call you if I think of anything else."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that. It could be important."

"How's Arrington bearing up?"

"I don't know, to tell you the truth. She's not communicating with me at the moment."

"Uh, oh; I don't want to know about that."

"Good, because I'm not going to tell you about it. What do you have pla

"The beach, of course. Can't you hear the surf over the phone?"

"You know, I think I can."

"That's all you need to know about my day."

"You take care, then."

"Bye-bye."

Stone hung up. That had been a disappointment. He called Dino.

"Yes?"

"It's me. How's it going?"

"I'm having a lovely time sitting around the pool, while Mary A

"Any thaw there?"

"A little, maybe; I'll have to pump Mary A

"What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing, just got married. That seems to have disappointed her."

"But…"

"Listen, Stone, you don't have to convince me. She's behaved badly and won't admit it. I'm just saying that you're going to have to make the move, whether it's logical or not. It's how women work."

"Tell me about it."

"I shouldn't have to. What's up with you? Anything happening?"

"Marc Blumberg has filed for a motion to dismiss the charges against Arrington, so he'll probably turn up over there pretty soon to prep her for her testimony."

"What are the chances of shutting this thing down early?"

"In my view? Two: slim and very slim."

"I guess you've got to make the effort."

"You bet. I don't want to hang around LA. for another six months waiting for this to come to trial. I'm getting homesick for a little New York grit in my teeth, you know?"

"Yeah? Fu

"You wouldn't last a month out here, Dino. It's all too easy; you're a New Yorker; you like things tough."

"Call Arrington and make nice, then maybe we can all have di

"Without Dolce?"

"Without Mrs. Barrington."

"Don't say that."

"Call her."

"Okay; see you later." Stone hung up and stared at the phone. He might as well get it over with.

Chapter 52

Manolo answered the phone. "Good morning, Manolo," Stone said. "It's Stone Barrington. May I speak with Mrs. Calder?"

"Good morning, Mr. Barrington; it's good to hear from you. I'll see if she's in."

She'd damned well better be in, Stone thought. Next time she decamps I'll let her wait out the trial in jail. "Thank you."

She kept him waiting for a long time. This wasn't going to be easy. "Yes?" she said finally, coldly.

"Good morning."

"What can I do for you?"

"You can be civil, for a start."

"I'm listening; what do you want?"

"I invited Dino and Mary A

"Oh, I do hope Mrs. Barrington can make it."

"I hope not. And she's Mrs. Barrington only in her own mind, nowhere else."

"How did that happen, Stone? Did you get drunk and wake up married?"

"I could ask you the same question, but I think we should do our best to put our respective marriages behind us and get on with our lives."

Long silence. "You have a point," she admitted finally. "If it makes any difference, I was on the rebound," he said. There was another silence while she thought about that. "Come for di

Stone chose his clothes carefully-a tan tropical wool suit, brown alligator loafers, and a pale yellow silk shirt, open at the collar, as a concession to L.A. Arrington had always responded to well-dressed men, and he wanted very much for her to respond. He entered through the front gate, the TV crew having departed for more sordid pastures, and parked in front of the house.

Manolo greeted him, beaming. "Good evening, Mr. Barrington," he said. "It's good to see you back here." There was relief in his voice, as if he'd feared that Stone might never be allowed in the house again.

"Good evening, Manolo," Stone said.

"They're having drinks out by the pool; shall I pour you a Wild Turkey?"

"I feel like something breezier," Stone said. "How about a vodka gimlet, straight up?"

"Of course."

Stone followed Manolo down the broad central hallway, past the spot where Vance Calder had bled out his life on the tiles, and emerged into the garden, past the spot where Felipe Cordova had left his big shoeprint. Where had Beverly Walters stood? he wondered.

Dino waved from a seat near the pool bar, where he, Mary A

"Thank you, Manolo," he said.

"That looks good," Arrington said. She pulled his hand toward her and sipped from his drink. "Oh, a vodka gimlet. Let's all have one,

Manolo." Manolo went back to work while, at the other end of the pool, Isabel set a table for di