AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Stone picked up the phone. “I’m back,” he said.
“I figured that out,” Dino replied. “Dinner at P.J.’s at seven tomorrow night?”
“You’re on.” They both hung up. Joan buzzed immediately. “A Mrs. Collins to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment.”
“Any relation?”
“No idea.”
“Send her in.”
A tall, slender, and attractive woman in her thirties walked in and offered her hand. “I’m Vanessa Morgan,” she said.
“I’m sorry, I was told you were a Mrs. Collins.”
“I am the widow of John Collins, with whom I have heard you became acquainted after his death. We have been married for seven years, but since I long ago established myself in the fashion industry under my maiden name, I didn’t take his.”
“Please sit down, Ms. Morgan.”
She did so.
“How can I help you?”
“I wanted to hear directly from you what you know about John’s death.”
“Not much, I’m afraid. We had a terrible storm in Maine, during which your husband’s body was found aboard the island’s ferry. The weather prevented his removal to state police headquarters, so they prevailed upon me for the use of my garage, where the body was packed in ice until a helicopter could transport it. I’m afraid that is the limit of my knowledge, but I would like to ask you some questions, if I may.”
“All right.”
“How was your husband employed?”
“He was an officer of the Central Intelligence Agency, working in the directorate of operations, which is one of the reasons why we didn’t see much of each other.”
“What were the other reasons?”
“We just didn’t get on and didn’t enjoy each other’s company much. It was always a relief when he was called away.”
“Do you know when he first joined the Agency?”
“Two years before we were married. He was allowed to tell me only what I just told you.”
“Did he have any other family?”
“They are all dead.”
Stone wrote down a number and handed it to her. “You may call a Sergeant Young at this number to arrange disposition of the remains.”
“Disposition is all I require of them. He wanted to be cremated and scattered in the sea, if that matters. I plan to honor that.”
“Please tell Sergeant Young that.”
“All right.”
“Do you know who your husband’s immediate superior was at the Agency?”
“The only name he ever mentioned to me was Cabot. He didn’t mention a first name.”
“May I ask, how were you informed of your husband’s death?”
