“Oh, just gossip on the beach. That couple who went home yesterday said something about it.” The colonel was silent, and Stone felt that his eyes might be boring into him from behind the reflective glasses. “I forget their names.”
“It is best not to repeat gossip, Mr. Barrington,” the colonel said, and it didn’t sound like a suggestion.
“Quite right,” Stone said. “May I buy you a drink, Colonel?”
The colonel looked at his watch. “I’m afraid I have an engagement,” he said. “Perhaps another time.” He stood up.
“I hope so,” Stone said.
“Will you be remaining in St. Marks for very long, Mr. Barrington?”
“Only until the weekend,” Stone said. “So much work waiting back in New York.”
“What a pity,” the colonel replied. “It would have been interesting to get to know you better.”
“Perhaps on some future visit,” Stone said. He offered his hand; the colonel shook it, then departed. When he had gone, Thomas sighed. “Stone, you want to be very careful of what you say to that gentleman.”
“Oh? Did I say somethi
ng wrong?”
“That business about the casinos is very closely held information.”
“The colonel did give the impression that I wasn’t supposed to know about it.”
“You recovered well, but still…Where on earth did you hear that? Not from me, certainly.”
“Just between you and me, it came up at dinner at Irene Foster’s house.”
“Ah.”
Stone shrugged. As he recalled, it had been Harry Pitts who knew about it, but he didn’t say so. “I visited Leslie Hewitt this afternoon, and I heard about Colonel Croft from him. I was surprised you hadn’t mentioned such an important figure.”
“It was my hope that you could visit St. Marks and depart without encountering the colonel,” Thomas said. “But now that you have, you should avoid further contact with him, if at all possible.”
“I think I would enjoy avoiding further contact with him,” Stone said. “He gives me the creeps.”
“He is the second most powerful man on the island, and he seems to derive a certain pleasure from making miserable the lives of people he dislikes. And it doesn’t take much to incur his dislike.”
“You seem to get on well with him.”
“I have made a point of it,” Thomas said. “I have to make a living here, and that might be impossible if the colonel didn’t wish it to be so.”
“Thomas, we talked this morning about the means of escaping this island. I hope you have a way out, should it become necessary.”
“You needn’t concern yourself about me, Stone,” Thomas replied. “I have always been a survivor and, even though I am enjoying my success, I know very well that my position here could become untenable if I make the wrong move.”
Stone nodded. “If I can ever be of help, I hope you’ll call on me.”
“Thank you; I hope that won’t be necessary.”
“By the way, speaking of escape routes, I visited Don Wells at the airport this afternoon, and he told me of a new arrival on the island, one Robertson, who has an airplane in one of Don’s hangars. Do you know him?”
“He has been in for dinner.” Thomas looked at Stone. “Are you thinking he might be your man?”
“It’s a possibility; do you have an opinion?”
Thomas shrugged. “I’ve seen the man only once; he spoke with a very good British accent.”