Part 17 (2/2)
”No, she's not.”
”You just don't want to believe it, because you think she killed him so she could have you.”
Stone winced at the truth. ”She pa.s.sed a polygraph yesterday, aced it,” he said lamely.
”Yeah, I saw Blumberg's press conference on CNN. I don't believe it; she must have been on drugs, or something.”
”The examiner told me drugs couldn't fool him.” It had occurred to him that Arrington had seemed eerily calm since she had left the clinic.
”Look, Stone, I've been getting updates from Rick Grant, and while they may not have her cold, his people really believe she whacked her husband.”
”I'm aware of their opinion,” Stone said. ”But don't judge her so soon. I'm here, on the spot, up to my ears in this, and my instincts tell me she's innocent.”
”Stone, n.o.body's innocent innocent, you know that. Everybody's guilty of something something.”
”Not murder; not Arrington. She doesn't have it in her.”
”Whatever you say, pal.”
”There's something else.”
”What?”
”I ended it with Dolce last night.”
”Good news, at last! What made you see the light?”
”We had a transatlantic conversation that I didn't like the tone of, for one thing.”
”And Arrington's free, for another thing?”
”There is that,” Stone admitted sheepishly. ”It was something I hadn't expected.”
”Have you told Eduardo?”
”I have a call in to him now.”
”That should be an interesting conversation.”
”Any advice as to how I should handle it?”
”Oh, I don't know; how do you feel about South America?”
”Come on, Dino; how should I break it to him?”
”Right between the eyes, dead straight; he might respect that.”
”I hope so.”
”Then again, he might not. He dotes on that girl; if he thinks you've done her wrong, well . . .”
”Well, what?”
”You might not be well for very long.”
”Dino, this isn't Sicily.”
”To Eduardo, everywhere everywhere is Sicily.” is Sicily.”
”I see your point,” Stone said.
”I think everything is going to depend on what Dolce says to Eduardo,” Dino said. ”How p.i.s.sed off was she when you broke it to her?”
”Pretty p.i.s.sed off.”
”Oh.”
”Yeah.”
”Maybe she'll cool off before she talks to the old man.”
”Maybe.”
”For your sake, I hope so.”
”Thanks.”
”You want me to take some time off, come out there?”
”I don't know what you could do, Dino, except keep me company. That, I wouldn't mind.”
”You let me know if something comes up and you need me, okay?”
”Okay.”
”I got a meeting; talk to you later.”
Stone hung up. Why did everybody think Arrington was guilty, except him? Was he completely nuts? Blinded by how he felt about her? He made himself a sandwich in the bungalow's kitchen, then went into Betty's office. ”How's the mail coming?”
Betty consulted a steno pad. ”Nearly done,” she said, ”and opinion is running about two to one against Arrington.”
”Swell,” Stone said. He looked at his watch. ”I've got to run; I'm meeting Marc Blumberg at the house.”
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