D.C. Dead (29 page)

“And herself,” Dino said. “Don’t forget herself.”

“Her motive was jealousy of Brix, and she took herself out of the picture just as he did, and for the same reasons.”

Dino turned into the portico of the Hay-Adams. “I like it,” he said, switching off the engine. “Now, let’s go upstairs and write a report that says just that, then get the hell out of town before somebody else gets offed, making fools of us both.”

“Done,” Stone replied.

As they walked through the door, the phone was ringing. Stone got it. “Hello?”

“It’s Holly. Dinner with the Lees in the family quarters at eight. Shelley Bach and I are commanded, too.”

“What do they want?”

You know what they want, and you’d better have it ready.“

“See you there,” Stone said. He hung up and turned to Dino. “We’re dining with the Lees. Let’s get that report together.”

44

STONE AND DINO MET HOLLY AND SHELLEY AT WHITE HOUSE reception, and they rode up in the elevator together, all of them quiet.

Will and Kate Lee were sitting in the family quarters’ living room when the Secret Service agent ushered the group in. Hands were shaken, drinks were ordered from the butler.

The president spoke first: “From what I hear, you fellows are about done with your work.”

“We are, Mr. President,” Stone replied. He handed the president a brown hotel envelope. “Here’s our report,” he said.

The president dropped the envelope on the coffee table before him and took a sip of his drink. “I’d rather hear it from you.”

Stone looked at Dino. “Go,” Dino said.

“Mr. President, Mrs. Lee,” Stone said. “We have been unable to prove conclusively, with the available evidence, who is responsible for all that has occurred. All we can offer you is an opinion that is supported by what we have learned, and it would never stand up in a court of law.”

The president took another sip of his drink. “Kate and I are prepared to accept your conclusions and get on with our work and our lives. Let’s have it.”

“We believe that the key to what has happened is Brixton Kendrick’s former secretary, Charlotte Kirby,” Stone said. “We believe that she killed Emily Kendrick with an edging stone from the White House garden. She and Mr. Kendrick had been having an affair for some time, and her motive was jealousy. After that, the available evidence supports suicide by Mr. Kendrick.”

“Charlotte Kirby!” Lee said, half to himself. “I hardly knew her, but she seemed such a mild person.”

“She was anything but, Mr. President, from her own testimony, which we’ve outlined in our report.”

“And the other women?”

“All killed by Charlotte Kirby,” Stone said, “who then took her own life.”

Kate Lee spoke up. “So there’s no one left to prosecute or blame?”

“That’s correct,” Stone said. “We believe Ms. Kirby was more than a little mad, and as you will see in our report, she was probably made that way by Brixton Kendrick.”

“I just have one question, Stone,” the president said. “If I had not initiated your investigation, would Milly Hart and Muffy Brandon still be alive?”

“There’s no way we can know that, Mr. President,” Stone replied. “It’s very possible that Charlotte Kirby would have gone on her killing spree even if we hadn’t turned up. You are in no way to blame for her actions. That’s in our report, too.”

“Perhaps I’ll feel better about this after I’ve had time to digest it,” Lee said.

The butler came into the room. “Mr. President, Mrs. Lee, dinner is served.”

They went into the dining room and Kate Lee directed them to their seats. Her husband tasted the wine, and dinner began.

“Stone,” Kate Lee said, “I suppose you and Dino will be returning to New York soon.”

“Tomorrow morning,” Stone said.

“I expect you’ll be glad to get home,” the president said.

“I’ll tell you truthfully, Mr. President, the practice of law has never looked more attractive than it does now.”

“As does New York City police work,” Dino added, “as opposed to the D.C. brand.”

“I can understand that,” Lee said.

“Our visit here has been an education,” Stone said.

“Kate and I are grateful that you took the time to come down ho come dere. We thought your investigation would ease our minds, but I’m afraid it’s just given us more to grieve over.”

“I’m sorry for that, Mr. President.”

“Don’t be. We’ve learned to take things as they come. One of the first things that struck me after I took office was how little I could affect what happens. Presidential power is often an illusion. Kate, on the other hand, sees the effect of her work more immediately than I do. She runs an operation—it succeeds or fails. In order to get that kind of closure, I have to veto a bill.”

The sound of a ringing telephone came from the living room.

“I don’t like it when that phone rings in the evenings,” Lee said. “It’s never good news.”

The butler came into the dining room. “Assistant Director Bach,” he said, “your office is calling. They say it’s urgent.”

Shelley rose. “Excuse me, Mr. President, Mrs. Lee,” she said, then left the room.

“Stone,” the president said, “what is your work in New York like these days?”

“Well, my two largest clients for a while were Strategic Services, the security company, and my wife’s affairs.”

“We were very sorry to hear of her death,” the president said.

“Thank you, sir. I also spend a good deal of time supervising the legal work for an insurance group, Steele, that came to us recently.”

“I understand you get called upon by Lance Cabot from time to time,” Kate said.

“I’m afraid so,” Stone said wryly. “Sometimes I’m sorry I signed that contract with your agency.”

Kate laughed. “I suppose you’ve learned that our work isn’t great fun.”

“Perhaps not,” Stone said, “but it’s always interesting.”

“Dino,” the president said, “what keeps you occupied these days?”

“Well, Mr. President, even though New York City crime is down in almost every area, we still have enough murders, rapes, and robberies to keep my detectives in the Nineteenth Precinct busy.”

Shelley Bach returned to the dining room. “Mr. President, Mrs. Lee,” she said, “I’ve just had word that Fair Sutherlin has been murdered.”

There was a loud clink as the president dropped his fork onto his plate. “Where? How?” he asked.

“She was bludgeoned to death in her apartment, apparently late this afternoon,” Shelley replied. “Her body was discovered by her building superintendent less than half an hour ago, and, knowing that she was a federal employee, he called the FBI. My people are on their way to the scene, and, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go over there now.”

“Of course,” the president said. He and his wife stood and shook her hand. “Stone, Dino? I expect you’ll want to go there, too.”

“Yes, sir,” Stone said, standing. He and Dino said their good-byes.

“Holly,” Kate Lee said, “you’d better go, too. I want a full report as soon as possible.”

The four left the quarters and got into the elevator.

“I don’t think we’re going to be able to pin this one on Charlotte Kirby,” Stonirby,”e said as they rode down.

45

THEY ARRIVED AT FAIR SUTHERLIN’S APARTMENT BUILDING and took the elevator upstairs. The door to her apartment stood open, and men in suits were inside.

“Wait here a moment,” Shelley said. She took latex gloves, a hairnet, and booties from her handbag and donned them, then disappeared inside. A moment later, an agent appeared and issued the same equipment to Stone, Dino, and Holly.

“Careful, aren’t they?” Dino said. “Most cops would just blunder into the place.”

Fair Sutherlin’s body lay under a sheet in the living room.

Shelley called a man over. “This is Special Agent Dave King,” she said, “the supervisor on this investigation.”

“I thought that was you,” Holly said.

Shelley shook her head. “Dave and his people are homicide specialists. I’m just a bureaucrat, as far as they’re concerned.”