Page 79 of Distant Thunder

“Well, Mr. Barrington, you look clean for this one.”

Stone glared at him. “I’m always clean. I’m not a criminal, and I won’t be treated as one.”

“That’s right,” Dino said from the doorway behind Stone. “By the way, I’m clean, too.”

“Sorry, Commissioner.” The doorbell rang, and he went to answer it. Dino was right behind him. He came back. “That was the medical examiner. He’s on the job now.”

The senior detective sat down next to Stone. “A few questions,” he said.

“Of course.”

“How would you describe your relationship to Ms. Morgan?”

“We’ve been seeing each other socially, and we have traveled together. We were on the way out of town with the Bacchettis when this happened.”

“Where were you headed?”

“To Teterboro Airport.”

“And from there?”

“I think Dino has probably told you: that’s confidential.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that. He didn’t say why.”

“You heard about Rosie, at the precinct.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s why. The woman who hurt Rosie already made an attempt on my life and Dino’s.”

“The Polish woman?”

“More likely, the Russian woman.”

“Any news on her?”

“No, and there’s not likely to be. She’s clearly a pro, and she’s gone to ground.”

“You think she did this?”

“I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that she did. Still, she wouldn’t be walking the streets. I don’t think she would have been available for this. There’s probably another pro in the picture.”

Dino walked into the room in time to hear this exchange. “We can’t rule her out,” he said. “She has the qualifications, and she’s loose.”

“I can’t deny that,” Stone said.

The ME came in. “Time of death, half an hour ago. Cause of death, a thin needle to the heart, while being strangled.”

“Then it was Anna,” Stone said. “That was the name she gave us. She tried the same thing on Rosie, but failed to get it done.”

“Description?” the detective asked.

“Great question,” Dino said. “She was heavily made up and bewigged,” he said. “I can’t even tell you how tall she stood, but I’m guessing five-eight, on her feet. She was wearing heels at Clarke’s. She wasn’t skinny; she was very well equipped. God knows what she looks like now, or what she’ll look like tomorrow.”

Stone and Dino left the scene with Viv, who had joined them at the apartment while they were talking with the detectives. They took the elevator down.

“Are you going to order a search of the building?”

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