6 Stone Barrington Novels by Stuart Woods Read Free Book Online Page B

spoken with her on the previous Sunday and said that at that time she seemed perfectly normal. If she should show signs of not recovering her memory, then I think a brain scan would be in order, to rule out a physical basis for her problem.”
    â€œDoes she know that Vance is dead?”
    â€œThat’s hard to say; I haven’t asked her that, directly, and when the police came here, I refused to allow her to be questioned.”
    â€œYou did the right thing,” Stone said.
    â€œArrington seems to have an idea that something may be wrong, but she tends to divert the conversation if it heads in a direction she doesn’t want it to go. She may very well be, unconsciously, protecting herself emotionally from a situation that she is not yet ready to confront.”
    â€œI see. Perhaps it’s time to explain to her what has happened.”
    â€œPerhaps it is. She’ll have to be told sooner or later, and since she seems to have an emotional attachment to you, it might be best that she hear it from you.”
    â€œAll right. Jim, I should tell you that, for the moment, I am acting as Arrington’s attorney, as well as her friend, and that, given the circumstances, you may be asked questions by the police. Should that occur, I advise you to rest on doctor-patient confidentiality and decline to answer. At a later date, with Arrington’s concurrence, I may ask you to give a statement to the police or the district attorney.”
    â€œI understand completely.”
    â€œShall we go and see Arrington, then?”
    â€œPlease follow me.” Judson led the way from his office, down a hallway to the last door on the right-hand side. He knocked softly.
    â€œCome in,” a woman’s voice replied.
    Judson opened the door. “Arrington, I’ve brought someone to see you,” he said. He stepped aside and ushered Stone into the room.
    The room appeared much like a guest room in a sumptuous home, except for the elevated hospital bed. On the far side of the room, a cabinet had, apparently, once held a television set, which had been removed. Sunlight streamed through the windows, which were open above a garden at the rear of the house. Arrington sat up in bed and held out her arms. “Stone!” she cried.
    Stone went to her and took her in his arms, kissing her on the cheek. To his surprise, she turned his head and gave him a wet kiss on the mouth. Stone glanced at the doctor, who evinced surprise.
    â€œHow are you feeling?” he asked.
    â€œMuch better. For a while, all I was doing was sleeping. What took you so long to get here?”
    â€œI had to come a great distance,” he replied. “Do you feel well enough to talk for a while?”
    â€œYes, I do; I feel very well, actually. I’m not quite sure why Dr. Judson is keeping me here.”
    â€œYour mother came to see you yesterday, remember?”
    â€œOf course. We had a very nice visit. I’m sorry to have alarmed her; it was a long way for her to come, to find me perfectly well.”
    â€œShe wanted to be sure Peter was all right without you.”
    Arrington’s face clouded slightly. “Yes, she told me. I’m a little confused about that.”
    â€œHow so?”
    â€œWell, apparently—this is very embarrassing—I had forgotten that I’m his mother.”
    â€œThat’s all right,” the doctor interjected. “Don’t worry about that.”
    â€œDid you remember who Peter’s father is?”
    â€œYes, after I was prompted, I’m ashamed to say. Stone, I’m so sorry; I wanted a chance to explain to you about Vance and me. I wrote to you in St. Mark’s, but I suppose you must have already left there by the time the letter arrived. Can I explain?”
    â€œYes, go ahead,” Stone said, sitting on the side of the bed.
    She took his hand in both of hers. “Stone, I think I knew that you were going to ask me to marry you when I