Dark Harbor (5 page)

“It would then appear that the only way to reconcile the trajectory of the bullet with the place where it struck the desk would be with Mr. Stone sitting in an upright position?”

“It would seem so.”

“With the gun held so?” Stone again assumed the awkward position he had demonstrated earlier.

“Yes.”

“Would this trajectory also be consistent with the gun being fired by a person unknown standing next to and above Mr. Stone’s position?”

The doctor took a deep breath. “Yes, it would be.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Your Honor, I suggest that the preponderance of the evidence suggests that this was murder, not suicide, that it was likely that the shooter first shot Mr. Stone, then went upstairs and shot his wife and daughter.”

“What about the noise of the gunshot?” the coroner asked.

Stone went to the evidence table and picked up the Keltec .380 in its plastic bag. “The pistol was silenced, Your Honor.”

The coroner turned to Trooper Young. “Sergeant, do you have anything further to add?”

“No, sir,” the trooper said.

The coroner faced his small audience again. “The verdict of this court is declared to be open, that the victims could have been killed by either Mr. Stone or by an unknown party, and that the police investigation should continue. This court is adjourned until such time that there is further evidence to hear in this case. The bodies of the victims are released for burial.”

The coroner rapped once with his gavel, then gathered his papers, got up and left the room.

Outside the courtroom Stone was met by the television crew and the young woman from the press, but he declined to speak further, referring them to the testimony in the courtroom.

As they were standing on the street, looking for a cab, Sergeant Young approached them. “You’d have to phone for a taxi,” he said. “Can I give you a lift somewhere?”

“I need to go to a funeral parlor, then to the airport,” Stone said.

“I’ll drive you.”

They got into the state police car and drove away. “Looks like you’ve made some more work for me,” Young said. “Sorry about that,” Stone said.

“Don’t be. You made a valid point. I’ll come over there tomorrow and go over the whole thing again.” “Thank you,” Stone said.

AT THE FUNERAL PARLOR, Stone made arrangements for the cremation of Dick, Barbara and Esme Stone and instructed that their ashes should be mingled and shipped to him in Dark Harbor. He and Dino were back on Islesboro by two o’clock.

Chapter 8

WHEN STONE AND DINO left the Islesboro airport to drive back to the house, they were amazed at the number of cars on the road and parked outside the Dark Harbor ice cream parlor. Apparently, summer residents were pouring off the ferry.

Back at the house he found Lance and Holly working in Dick’s secret office.

“How’d everything go?” Lance asked.

Stone told him about the autopsy photographs. “At least I managed to get an open verdict, pending further investigation,” he said. He began looking for a secure place to lock up the crime scene, autopsy and ballistic reports, and to his surprise, he opened a cabinet and found a safe inside.

There had been nothing about a safe in Dick’s will or in the accompanying letter. Below the safe’s dial was a keyhole, and Stone went through Dick’s keys until he found one that fit, but it didn’t open the safe.

“Maybe I can help,” Holly said from behind him.

“You a safecracker?” Stone asked.

“I had some training at the Farm,” she said. The Farm was the CIA’s training facility for agents.

“You go right ahead,” Stone said, stepping out of her way.

Three minutes later, Holly stepped back from the safe.

“Now try your key,” she said.

Stone inserted Dick’s key in the lock and opened the door. “That was spectacular,” Stone said.

“Piece of cake,” Holly replied.

Stone removed the contents of the safe—a couple of bundles of documents and envelopes—and placed them on the desk. Holly wrote down the combination to the safe and handed it to Stone. Stone went through the papers and found a deed to the house, a cancelled mortgage, the household insurance policies and some correspondence with the house’s architect. He also found two insurance policies with a face value of a million dollars each: the beneficiary of one was Dick’s parents, and the other, Caleb Stone. They had both been taken out on the same day, some twelve years before, with an agent in Camden. He opened the safe, put all the papers back inside and locked it.

Lance came out of the little office reading a sheet of paper. “Uh, oh,” he said. “Holly and I have business back in New York; Langley is sending an airplane to Rockland for us.”

Stone picked up the phone and paged Seth Hotchkiss, who came into the room a moment later. “What’s up?” he asked.

“Seth, Mr. Cabot and Ms. Barker have to get to Rockland, where an airplane is meeting them this afternoon. Should I fly them over there, or is there another way, given the packed ferries today?”

“Easiest thing is for them to take the ferry, and I’ll call a taxi from Camden to meet them on the other side,” Seth said. “What time’s the plane at Rockland?”

“It’s landing at four o’clock,” Lance said.

“Then we’d better get started. You can make the three-thirty ferry, and you’ll be a few minutes late getting to Rockland.”

“They’ll wait for us,” Lance said. He turned to Holly. “Let’s get packed.”

Dino came into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Holly and I have to go back to New York.”

“Can you take me with you?”

“Sure. Get packed.”

Dino turned to Stone. “I just talked to Mary Ann. She’s hired a lawyer, and he wants a meeting, so I’d better get back down there.”

“I guess you’d better,” Stone agreed. “You’ve got your key to my house and the alarm codes. I’ll tell Joan you’re coming, and the housekeeper will lay in some food for you. You’re going to need a lawyer, and I’m going to be tied up with this, so call Bill Eggers at Woodman & Weld and ask him to recommend somebody. Do
not
meet with them without your own lawyer present.”

“Gotcha.”

A few minutes later they were standing beside the old Ford station wagon in front of the house.

“So much for a Maine vacation,” Holly said.

“You can come back later in the summer,” Stone said.

“Are you staying all summer?”

“I’m not planning to, but who knows? I’ve got a triple homicide on my hands and no suspects.”

“Good luck,” Holly said. “Call me on my cell if you want to bounce anything off me.”

“Will do.” Stone hugged Holly and shook Lance’s hand.

“I’m still on this,” Lance said, “and I’ll be in touch if I come up with anything. Please keep Dick’s little office locked until I can get somebody up here to remove the equipment.” He handed Stone the key.

“Sure.” Stone shook Dino’s hand. “Let me know what’s happening, and give Elaine a kiss for me.”

A moment later, they were driving away, and Stone went back into the house. It seemed suddenly very empty.

Mabel came into the room. “Stone, what should I do about all the clothes upstairs?”

Stone thought about it for a moment. “Take anything that you and Seth want, then pack it all up and give it to some local charity.”

“The church has a clothing drive every summer,” she said.

“That’s perfect.” Stone called Joan and told her to expect Dino. As he was hanging up, the doorbell rang. He opened it to find Caleb Stone standing on the doorstep.

“Come in, Caleb,” Stone said, offering his hand.

“Can I talk with you for a minute?” Caleb asked.

“Sure, come on into Dick’s study. You want a drink?”

I wouldn’t mind a Scotch.“

Stone poured the drink, and they sat down in the big wing chairs before the fireplace. Stone waited for Caleb to speak.

“I owe you an apology,” Caleb said.

“What for?”

“First of all, for the way I behaved that summer when you were up here.”

“That was a long time ago.” It may have been a long time ago, he reflected, but every time he saw Caleb he felt a flash of anxiety and anger at the way Caleb had treated Dick and him that summer.

“It’s been on my mind. Also, for the way I behaved when you told me about Dick’s will.”

“I know it came from out of the blue,” Stone said. “You had a right to be upset. Caleb, I wish I had some leeway in disbursing the estate, but I just don’t. As I’m sure you’ve noted, Dick’s will was so explicit as not to allow any interpretation.”

“I understand that,” Caleb said, “and I’ll just have to learn to live with it. How did the inquest go? I couldn’t bring myself to be there.”

“You’ve another shock in store, I’m afraid. There’s little doubt in my mind that Dick, Barbara and Esme were all murdered by some unknown person. Dick didn’t kill his family or himself.”

Caleb looked stunned. He took a deep swig from his drink. “Well, that’s both a shock and a relief. I couldn’t imagine that Dick had done that, but I can’t imagine that there’s anyone who’d want them dead, either.”

Stone opened the safe, took out the inquest papers and took Caleb through the procedure, showing him the photographs.

“I see your point,” Caleb said.

“I intend to pursue this,” Stone said. “You’re probably not aware that I spent fourteen years in the New York Police Department, eleven of them as a detective investigating homicides. Dino Bacchetti, who just left, was my partner. He and I agree that this wasn’t a murder/suicide, and the coroner has issued an open verdict.”

“I knew you were a cop, but that was all I knew. I’m glad you’ve got the experience to look into this. I want Dick’s killer caught and punished.”

“I’m going to need your help,” Stone said. “Can you think of anyone, on the island or off, who had any sort of grudge against Dick?”

Caleb looked thoughtful but shook his head. “I can’t. Dick wasn’t the sort of fellow that people had grudges against.”

“That’s my memory of him, too. I’d like you to think about this, and if you come up with anything at all, please call me. I’ll be here for a while, and this is my number in New York, when I go back.” Stone handed him a card.

“I’ll certainly do that,” Caleb said.

“There’s something else, Caleb, and I’m glad to say this is good news.” Stone took the insurance policies from the safe and handed them to him. “Dick took out these policies twelve years ago, leaving a million dollars each to his parents and to you.”

Caleb’s mouth dropped open. “Good God,” he finally managed to say.

“Your parents are dead, aren’t they?”

Caleb nodded. “Both of them.”

“Were you and Dick their heirs?”

“Yes, their only heirs.”

“Then half of their policy will go to you, the other half to the foundation.”

“A million and a half dollars,” Caleb said tonelessly.

Stone took the policies back. “I’ll get in touch with the insurance agent and make the claim, and I’ll have the insurance company send you both checks. You’re well equipped to handle the estate and tax consequences.”

“Yes, I can do that.” Caleb stood up. “Thank you, Stone, for telling me about this.”

“I would have told you sooner, but I found the policies only a few minutes ago.” Stone walked him to the front door. “One more thing: As you’re aware, Dick specified that his ashes be scattered in the harbor here; do you want me to take care of that?”

“I’d like to do it myself,” Caleb said. “It’s the last thing I can do for him.”

“I’ve made arrangements with a funeral parlor in Belfast. I’ll call you when I receive the ashes.”

“Thank you.” Caleb dug into a pocket. “Oh, I expect you’ll want my key to this house. Dick gave it to me when he built it, in case of an emergency, but you’ve got Seth and Mabel Hotchkiss here to deal with any problems.”

Stone took the key. “Thank you, Caleb.” They shook hands, and Stone went back into the house. He looked at the key. There was a tag attached to it, and written on the tag was “Dick’s House, all doors.”

Chapter 9

STONE HAD DINNER alone that evening, watched a movie on satellite television and got to bed late. It was after nine when he woke up the following morning.

He was having breakfast when Seth came into the kitchen. “I thought I might take a drive around the island this morning,” Stone said. “You need the station wagon?”

“I’ve got to go over to Camden to pick up some parts for the washing machine,” Seth said, “but Dick’s other car is in the garage, ready to go. The key is in the bunch I gave you.”

“Thanks,” Stone said, pushing back from the table. He got his sunglasses, walked out of the house and opened the garage door. “Wow,” he said, walking up to the little car. A moment’s inspection revealed it to be an MG TF 1500, the last of the classic series, built in 1954. It was silver, with a red leather interior, beautifully restored. Apparently, Dick Stone had not liked newer cars.

Stone got into the car, switched on the ignition, pressed the starter button, and the engine caught. He let it warm up for a moment, then found reverse and backed out of the garage. A moment later he was wending his way down the road toward Dark Harbor, the wind in his hair and a song in his heart.

He stopped in front of the Dark Harbor Shop, went inside and bought a
New York Times.
The owner, who also was a real estate agent, was working at his desk in the back of the shop and gave him a wave. The young girl working behind the old-fashioned soda fountain smiled at him as he left.

Stone took the little car north until he ran out of road, then turned around and went back by a different route, passing the ferry terminal and the golf course. Soon he was back in the village and on the way home. You could see all of Islesboro in under an hour.

As he approached the house he saw another dirt road forking to the left and, just for the hell of it, turned down it. It immediately began to narrow, but there was no place to turn around, so he continued. After a hundred yards he drove through an open gate, then another fifty yards down the road came to an abrupt halt. A large tree trunk, trimmed of its branches, was stretched across the road.