“Would you like to keep her for a couple of days, then return her to the city?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Good. Now I have a puzzle for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Carla and I picnicked today at the spot where you and Holly and I watched Ab Kramer’s house.”
“Yes?”
“A truck arrived, and four men unloaded a large crate that, from the way they carried it, appeared to be empty.”
“So Ab is packing up something?”
“I don’t think so. A few minutes later the four men returned with the crate and practically tossed it back into the truck. I think it was still empty.”
Barton’s brow furrowed, then his eyebrows suddenly went up. “What were the dimensions of the crate?”
“I don’t know exactly, but it appeared to be around seven or eight feet by four or five feet, and it was deeper at the bottom than at the top.”
“Around the size it would take to hold a large mahogany secretary?”
Stone was about to reply when Carla came back into the room, and Barton signaled to stop their conversation.
“Somehow I sense you two have been talking about me,” Carla said.
“Actually, we have,” Stone said. “After running into our mutual acquaintance last night at the inn, I think it might be best if you didn’t come back to the house with me.”
“You mean you are abandoning me in the wilds of Connecticut?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. Barton has agreed to shelter you for a bit, then return you to New York. I’ll pack your things and leave them on my front stoop, and you and Barton can collect them when you go to the Mayflower Inn for dinner this evening.”
“Why the Mayflower?” Barton asked.
“Because a former friend of Carla is staying there, and I think it would be a good idea if he saw the two of you together.”
“Rather,” Carla said, “than the two of us?”
“Yes. It would cause more grief than you can imagine if Harlan saw you and me together.”
“If you say so,” she replied.
Stone drained his teacup and stood up. “Will you two excuse me, then?”
“Of course,” Barton said. “I’ll walk you out. Be right back, Carla.”
Stone and Barton shuffled through the leaves to where he had parked his car.
“That was deftly done,” Barton said.
“It seemed the best solution to the problem for all concerned.”
“I’m grateful for your solution.”
“Barton, you were saying that the crate I saw at Ab’s house was of a size and shape to hold a mahogany secretary?”
“Yes.”