Double Jeopardy (Stone Barrington #57)(39)



“All right,” Stone said, getting out his phone. “Everybody back out of here, just the way you came in, and wait on the front porch.”

“You need some help working the scene?” Olshan said.

“We’re not going to work the scene,” Stone said. “We’ll leave that to the Maine State Police. Maybe it will get them interested in the twins again.” He made the call to Sergeant Tom Young. “Tom? Stone Barrington. We’ve got a double homicide for you, staged to look like a murder-suicide or a mutual suicide. At the Stone family house. Dino and I and two FBI agents will wait for you on the front porch. Take the helicopter and bring everybody.” He hung up.

To Stone’s surprise, Lance took a silver flask from inside his jacket and took a swig from it. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m used to reading about my people dying, but I’ve never witnessed the aftermath.” He looked shaken.



* * *





It took just under an hour before Tom’s crime scene team arrived on the front lawn; they didn’t bother with the airfield. As the chopper wound down, the doors opened and people carrying equipment and cases spilled out and followed Sergeant Young into the house. Stone and his party stayed on the porch, leaving the others to it.

“Shouldn’t you FBI types be taking an interest in this?” Carly asked Olshan. “After all, CIA officers are federal employees.”

“There are enough people in the house,” Olshan said. “We’ll leave them to make their conclusion, then we’ll get copies of their reports. It will go faster that way.”

Eventually, Tom Young came out of the house and collapsed into a porch chair. “Well,” he said, “I don’t buy either of the suicide stories. As far as we’re concerned, it’s a straight-up double homicide.”

“I concur,” Dino said, and everybody else nodded. “And your suspects are right across the road.”

“No, they’re not,” Billy said. “The twins left on a morning ferry. I don’t know where they went.”

Stone checked his watch. “And by this time, all the workmen have left the site. You won’t have anybody to interview until tomorrow, Tom.”

“A day late, and a dollar short,” Tom muttered.

“Not your fault,” Stone replied. “We came upon them by accident. Billy noticed an open car door.”

“It’s the little things that matter,” Tom said.

“You’d better check your people into the inn,” Stone said. “Billy, have they got rooms?”

“They’ve got four,” Billy replied. “Two are booked through the weekend. Shall I book you in?”

“They’ll give you dinner there, too,” Stone said.

Tom nodded. “Thanks.”

“Do you need us for anything else?” Stone asked.

“We’ll get your statements tomorrow,” Tom replied.

“Well, let’s get home, then.” Stone got up and led his party to the station wagon and the MG.



* * *





Back home, Stone said, “I’ll bet that somebody besides Lance could use a drink.”

“Hell, yes,” Dino said, and everybody else nodded. He explained to Viv and Primmy what had happened.

“Stone,” Primmy said, “you’re stuck with me until those boys are dead.”

“I’d better leave in a day or two,” Carly said. “I’ve got graduation ahead of me. So I’ve got to pack and ship my things somewhere and get Tim’s car back to his parents.”

“Do you have a car?” Stone asked.

“With my first paycheck on my new job,” she said, “wherever that may be.”

“Do you still want to practice law, or do you want to be a cop now?”

“I worked hard for that degree. I’ll stick with the law.”

“I understand that you interviewed with my firm, Woodman & Weld, a few weeks ago.”

“Yes, I guess I interviewed with at least a dozen.”

“Had any offers?”

“Two or three. None that I particularly wanted.”

“Woodman & Weld were impressed,” he said. Stone wrote a name on his business card and handed it to Carly. “Call Herb Fisher tomorrow. You’ll be starting a week from Monday as an associate. You’ll spend your first couple of weeks in bar exam class with the other new associates, and you can bunk at my house until you’ve had a chance to look for your own place.”

“You can just snap your fingers and do that?”

“Well, no. You started the process with the firm when the recruiters visited Yale. And you and I have had a pretty extensive series of conversations. I’ve talked it over with Herb and our managing partner, Bill Eggers. Everybody’s enthusiastic.”

“Wow,” she said. “It seems you’ve taken the trouble to solve all my problems at once.”

“You’ll be starting a new life. You’ll have plenty of problems to solve on your own.”



* * *





The following morning, the Maine State Police homicide detectives came to Stone’s house and took statements from everybody. Lance made arrangements for the Jacksons’ remains to be shipped home to Georgia.

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