D.C. Dead (30 page)

“That’s not true,” Dave King said to them. “Assistant Director Bach always sees something we don’t. We’re happy to have her at a scene.”

Shelley made a motion with her hand, and Dave King stooped and pulled back the bloodstained sheet. Fair’s face bore an expression of surprise. The eyes were open, the right side of her head was crushed, and her hair was matted with blood.

Stone turned away, feeling horribly sad.

“Maybe this homicide isn’t connected to the others,” Holly said.

“That’s nice of you, Holly,” Stone replied, “but it’s clear that Dino and I backed away from this too soon.”

“Thanks, Holly,” Dino said, “but Stone’s right.”

Shelley spoke up. “If this is connected, and I’m inclined to think it is, then Fair must have been having an affair with Brix Kendrick, too. All the other victims were.”

“We never turned up any evidence to connect her to Brix,” Stone said.

“Just one more thing we missed,” Dino added.

Dave King brought over a large clear plastic bag containing what appeared to be a marble statuette, covered with blood. “The murder weapon,” he said.

“That’s a weapon of opportunity,” Dino said. “Indicates her murderer didn’t necessarily come here to kill her. Indicates anger, too. But it wasn’t a burglary gone wrong. I’ll bet nothing’s missing.”

Fair’s large handbag, tagged, sat on the floor near her body.

“Anything missing from that?” he asked Dave King. “Money? Credit cards?”

“The bag seems to be intact,” King replied.

“May we look in the bedroom?” Stone asked.

“Sure, just don’t move anything.”

Stone walked into the bedroom and looked around. It seemed the same as it had been on his earlier visit. Her tube of Pagan Spring lipstick was still on the dresser. So much for clues, he thought.

Dino walked to the dressing table and raised the lid on a jewelry box. “Some nice pearls,” he said, “and a few rings and bracelets.”

“You’re right,” Stone said, “it wasn’t a burglary.”

There was a scream from the other room, and they both ran back there. The young woman who had shown them into Fair Sutherlin’s office earlier stood in the doorway, being consoled by Shelley Bach, who finally got her quieted down.

“Who are you?” Shelley asked.

“My name is Rose Marie Dyvig,” she said, and spelled the last name, as if she were accustomed to doing so. “I’m Ms. Sutherlin’s secretary. One of them.”

“Dino and I can confirm that,” Stone said.

“I came to check on her,” the young woman said. “She got a call on her cell phone late this afternoon and left the White House, saying she’d be back in an hour. I waited for her, because I had some papers to deliver that needed her signature. Finally, I called her a couple of times, and when I didn’t get a reply and when she didn’t come back, I came over here.”

Shelley sat her down and turned to Dave King. “Did you find her cell phone?” she asked.

“No, there wasn’t one anywhere in the room—not in her handbag, either.”

“The murderer took it,” Dino said, “so we couldn’t check it to see who called her this afternoon.”

“That was very thorough,” Stone said. “I wonder what else she took.”

“Why do you think it was a woman?” Holly asked.

“It’s the March Hare,” Stone replied.

“Who else?” Dino asked.

“I don’t think there’s anything more we can do here,” Shelley said. “Let’s get out and let my people do their work.”

Shelley walked Rose Marie Dyvig to her car, parked at the curb, then Stone and Dino went to the Agency SUV that they had been loaned, and Shelley and Holly to their respective cars.

“You ladies may as well join us for dinner at the Hay-Adams,” Stone called out. They both nodded and got into their cars.

“Have you told the hotel we’re checking out tomorrow?” Dino asked.

“No.”

“Just as well. Looks like we’re not going anywhere.”

ROOM SERVICE DID ITS usual fine work, and they dined without much chat. After dinner, the two couples adjourned to the bedrooms and closed the doors.

STONE AND HOLLY LAY naked in bed, holding hands, but they had not otherwise touched each other.

“You seemed familiar with Fair Sutherlin’s apartment,” she said. “Did you sleep with her?”

“Yes,” Stone said. “Once. Dino and I went to a dinner party there, too.”

“Don’t get the idea that I mind,” Holly said.

“Thanks for not minding.”

“We don’t have that kind of relationship,” Holly said. “What was your impression of her?”

“I liked her. I admired the way she did her work.”

“Do you think she had an affair with Brix Kendrick?”

“On no evidence but evidencethe manner of her death, yes.”

“I wish I had met the guy,” Holly said. “I’d like to see what sort of man could string together that many affairs and get away with it in a town where everybody talks about everybody.”

“You could argue that he didn’t get away with it,” Stone said. “He’s dead, after all.”

“Do you think the March Hare killed Charlotte Kirby?”

“We never saw a gun, did we? I certainly want to see the police report. Can you get it for me?”

“Better if Shelley does that,” Holly said. “She has an official reason to ask for it, and I don’t.”

Stone chuckled. “That doesn’t seem to stop you from getting what you want from the cops.”

“Better not to ask too often,” Holly said. She raised herself onto one elbow. “Stone, do you have any idea, any thoughts at all, about who the March Hare is?”

“No,” Stone said. “Not an idea, not a thought.”

“That’s depressing.”

“Tell me about it.”

46

STONE AND HOLLY EMERGED FROM THE BEDROOM TO FIND Dino breakfasting alone. “Shelley had an early meeting,” he said. “Your breakfast is on the sideboard.”

Stone and Holly helped themselves from the hot dishes and sat down. “I wanted to ask her to get us the police report on Charlotte Kirby’s murder,” Stone said.

“I already thought of that. She’ll fax it over to us.”

“Good man,” Holly said, looking at him funny. “You seem depressed, Dino. Not your usual cheerful self.”

“Dino, cheerful?” Stone said, laughing.

“I thought we were out of here this morning,” Dino said. “We’re not.”

“That is depressing, isn’t it?” said Stone.

“I don’t mind having you two around,” Holly said. “You put a little fun into my humdrum life.”

“Humdrum my ass,” Dino snorted. “The stuff you get into at the Agency, you’re probably having too much fun!”

“I wish we had some sort of lead—anything,” Stone said. “I don’t know what to do next.”

“How about Fair Sutherlin’s cell phone?” Dino suggested. “It’s disappeared, and the murderer must have taken it.”

Holly spoke up. “The Agency has a program for cell phone searches,” she said. “Can I use your laptop, Stone?”

“Sure, it’s on the desk.”

Holly sat down at the computer and began typing. “I’m logging on to the Agency mainframe,” she said, “then I can access the program.” She stopped. “There. What’s her number?”

Stone got his iPhone, looked up the number, and read it out.

Holly typed in the number, then waited, looking at the computer screen. “It’s searching.”

“You could use that program at the NYPD, Dino,” Stone said.