Dead in the Water by Stuart Woods Page A

was looking at him the way he had once looked at perps in interrogations.
    “Chris, have you got something on your mind about me?”
    “It just seems odd that you would just happen to be here when Allison Manning came sailing in. Could that be a bit more than a coincidence?”
    Stone pointed toward the marina. “If you’ll go down to the marina office and check their reservations log, you’ll find that I booked my charter nearly three months ago, and since you’re from New York, you’ll know firsthand about the blizzard. If not for that I would now be south of Guadeloupe somewhere with a rum and tonic in one hand and the girl of my dreams in the other.”
    “And who is the girl of your dreams?”
    “Her name is Arrington Carter; she’s a magazine writer, a freelancer.”
    “I’ve met her,” Wheaton said. “As a matter of fact, I saw her two nights ago in the company of an actual movie star.”
    Stone nodded. “Vance Calder. She’s working on a New Yorker profile of him that she was offered after the snowstorm hit; that’s why she’s not here now.”
    “Aren’t you just a little uncomfortable knowing that your girlfriend is in New York with Vance Calder, instead of here with you?”
    “Not really.” He smiled. “As a matter of fact, Vance introduced us last fall.” This was not quite a lie. “And she’s not in New York, she’s in L.A. They both went out there today.”
    “Ah,” Wheaton said, sounding disappointed.
    I hope I bent that needle, Stone thought, but it irritated him no end that she knew about Arrington and Vance. He hoped it didn’t show.
    There was a brief silence, then Wheaton turned to her producer.
    “Jake, when we’re done tomorrow, you take the tape back to New York and do the editing; you can play me the track over the phone later in the week.”
    “And where will you be?” Burrows asked.
    “I’ll be here,” she said. “I’m staying for the trial, and so is the camera crew. You work it out with Don or whoever.”
    “Chris, don’t you think you’re pushing it just a bit on your first assignment?”
    “I know a good story when I see one,” she said. “You can explain that to them in New York. I think the network might want a feed for the evening news, too. Check on that, will you?”
    “Sure.”
    Stone began to feel good about this. Now all Allison had to do was charm Chris Wheaton out of her socks, and that might not be easy.

Chapter
17
    A fter dinner Stone said good night to the 60 Minutes people and walked back toward the marina. He had no sooner set foot on the dock when he found himself grabbed from both sides by two shadowy figures. He made a point of not struggling.
    “Is one of you Thomas Hardy’s brother?” he asked the darkness.
    “Both of us is,” a deep voice replied.
    “My name is Stone Barrington; I live on the smaller of the two yachts over there. I’m the one who asked Thomas to find some security.” The pressure on his arms relaxed, but he was not let go.
    “You got some ID, then?” the voice asked.
    “Right-hand rear pocket,” he said. “My New York driver’s license.” He felt some fumbling, and a flashlight came on.
    “Okay, then, Mr. Barrington, we’ll know you next time.”
    “Gentlemen…” Stone began.
    “Henry and Arliss,” the voice said.
    “Henry and Arliss, I think our purposes would be better served if you stood over there under the lamp by the gate, instead of lurking in the dark. You can do the most good by being seen to be keeping people away from Mrs. Manning.”
    “I see your point,” Henry replied. “You expecting anybody else? Anybody at all?”
    “Not until early tomorrow morning, when some people, including a camera crew, will be coming down here. Please keep them at the gate until you’ve called me. Just rap on the hull; I’ll be awake.”
    “Of which boat?” Henry asked.
    Stone decided to pretend there was no meaning in the question. “The smaller one.”
    “Good night, then, Mr.