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“I didn’t send you his fingerprints.”
“The Maine State Police did.”
“Shall we return the corpse to them? It’s technically in their custody, anyway.”
“They’ll send a chopper down as soon as they can. In the meantime, keep him iced.”
“Don’t worry.”
“You can come back to Washington tomorrow. I’ll tell the Cabinet to expect you.”
“Fine.”
“You may be interested to know that Islesboro has had twenty-one inches of rain during the last two days. It’s a record.”
“I’ll alert the media, such as they are.”
“They already know. I read it in the Bangor newspaper.”
“You’re a subscriber?”
“We subscribe, in one way or another, to every news source in the world.”
“I had forgotten.”
“For shame.” Lance hung up, and Holly went back to the table and reported the news to Stone.
—
At midday, apolice chopper set down at the airfield and an ambulance met them there, the ferry service having beenrestored. They came to Stone’s house, removed the corpse, then flew it away.
Seth, without being told, disinfected and pressure-washed the garage floor, then left the outside door open to hurry the drying. Mr. Collins was no longer a houseguest.
4
The following day,Stone freed his airplane from its bonds, and since he had only Holly and half the fuel aboard, he got it off the runway in an amazingly short distance and flew back to Teterboro, where he turned the aircraft over to the people in the Strategic Services hangar and Holly over to the Air Force One crew, for transfer to Washington, and he was met by his factotum, Fred, in the Bentley and driven home.
Stone was greeted by his secretary, Joan Robertson, as he walked into his office. “There’s little to warrant your attention,” she said, “since I have proceeded on the basis that you would not return until the snow flies. You may go back to Maine now, if you wish.”
“What a warm and cheerful welcome!” Stone said, scratching the ears of Bob, his Labrador retriever. “At least Bob is glad to see me.”
“Lance Cabot called a few minutes ago, to pass on the news that knowledge of Mr. Collins’s existence has still not been claimed by any person or organization. No need to return the call.”
“Just as well.”
“I, however, have a theory about the identity of Mr. Collins.”
“I don’t suppose I can avoid hearing it, so spit it out.”
“I believe Lance knows full well the particulars of the corpse and its history, but he, for purposes of his own, will not admit to any of it.”
“That’s a theory about Lance, not about Mr. Collins.”
“Take it as you will,” she said, and flounced out.
“Don’t flounce!” Stone shouted after her but didn’t get the favor of a response.
Joan buzzed him. “Dino on one.”
