"Woods, Stuart - Dead In The Water" - читать интересную книгу автора (Woods Stuart)

"I'm drinking it for you right now. Say, let me give you this
number."

Thomas shoved a card in front of him.

1'0

Stone read off both the phone and fax numbers. "Keep me posted on the
flight situation, will you? The boat is moored no more than a hundred
yards from this phone." "I will, baby." Stone said good-bye and hung
up. "Well, Thomas, it looks like you and me." He sipped the pifia co
lada It was perfect--cold, sweet, and pine apply "Let me know when
you're ready for dinner," Thomas said. "I'll keep a table for you."
Customers were drifting in now, and a waiter was seating them. Stone
watched as a large black man dressed in a white linen suit, and in the
company of a beautiful cafe-au-lait woman, entered and was shown to a
prime table overlooking the harbor. "Impressive-looking fellow," he
said. "That's Sir Winston Sutherland, the minister of justice," Thomas
said. "A mover and shaker?" "He both moves and shakes. And if his
own opinion holds, he just might be the next prime minister." Stone
heard a car door slam and turned to look. The blond woman from the
blue yacht, Expansive, had left a police car and, alone, was making her
way across the lawn toward the marina. "Very nice, huh?" Thomas said.
"Very nice indeed. She spent the afternoon with the local cops,
though. I wonder why." "Word is, the lady left Europe with a husband
but arrived in St. Marks without him." Stone turned and looked at the
bartender. "I didn't see anybody else on board when she came into the
harbor." "That's because she was all alone on that big boat."

"You mean she sailed it all the way across the Atlantic?"

"Well, not all the way," Thomas said. "Her husband was along for part
of the time."

"Is foul play suspected?"

"On this island, foul play is always suspected," Thomas replied. "That
lady is going to have to convince a number of people"--he pointed at
Sir Winston Sutherland--"that man first among them, that she is as
innocent as a newborn lamb."

"And how' difficult is that likely to be?" Stone asked. "It could be
very difficult indeed," Thomas said. "There's going to be a coroner's
jury over at the town meeting house tomorrow morning. Word is, Sir
Winston is asking the questions."

"Is that unusual?"

"Usually the coroner does it."