Page 34 of Distant Thunder

“Did you believe the guy who sent you the note?”

“He told me some things that only he and I could know, so I believe him.”

“Okay, can I go back to sleep now?”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

“If you think of anything else, don’t call me,” Stone said. He tried to hang up before Lance did, but he wasn’t fast enough.

The phone rang again, but Stone pulled a pillow over his head and did his best to ignore it. Eventually, it stopped ringing.

—

Stone had justgotten his breakfast off the dumbwaiter when the phone rang again.

“Is this Lance Cabot or John Collins?” Stone asked.

“That wasn’t funny,” Lance said.

“I thought it was logical, in the circumstances.”

“I remembered why I called you the first time last night.”

“Shoot.”

“The first meeting of the commission to investigate the death of John Collins is at three this afternoon, and it will be conducted online by your cochair, Hugh English.”

“I have two reasons for declining to accept that news,” Stone said. “One, I will have nothing to do with Hugh English,who is a self-righteous son of a bitch. In fact, I thought you had already ejected him from your service. Two, I assume that John Collins is not dead. That’s from the horse’s mouth.”

“Hugh has agreed to stay on for a few months to wrap up the commission.”

“Months? For a man who’s not dead yet?”

“It must be thorough.”

“Well, they will only have to call one witness: Mr. Collins. That should be thorough enough.”

“You’re assuming that Collins is still alive.”

“I am. I got it from an unimpeachable source.” He hung up and buzzed Joan.

“Yes, sir?”

“Hold all my calls, especially any from Lance Cabot or Hugh English.”

“Okay, who’s Hugh English?”

“That’s need-to-know information.” He hung up.

20

When Stone gotto his desk he found a phone message from Sergeant Young of the Maine State Police. He called back.

“Sergeant Young.”

“Good morning. It’s Stone Barrington, returning your call.”

“Oh, yes, Stone, thank you for calling.”

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