Free D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods Page B

that she’s going to get pulled into the investigation and get her name in the paper and her husband will divorce her.”
    Then another couple joined the two, and the subject of their conversation changed.
    Holly kept her voice low. “I don’t know which is more interesting: that she knows you’r knrsae in town, or that Kendrick was having affairs.”
    “Neither do I,” Stone said. “I thought our investigation was a closely held secret.”
    “Well,” Holly said, “it may be a secret, but it’s apparently not closely held.”
    “Apparently not.”
    “You remember in the movie when somebody says to Jack Nicholson, ‘Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown’?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well: Stone, it’s Washington.”
    “I learn a little more about it every day,” Stone said.

    “Oh, by the way, don’t make any plans for lunch tomorrow.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because you’re going to be invited to have it with the president.”
    “How do you know that?” Stone asked.
    “Stone, it’s Washington.”

18
     
    STONE AND DINO WERE KEPT WAITING AT THE WHITE HOUSE for more than half an hour before being ushered into the Oval Office, where a waiter was setting up a table.
    The president greeted them with handshakes, then they sat down. “You’re having lobster salad,” Will Lee said, “because I’ve heard you like it.”
    “That’s entirely true,” Stone said, while Dino nodded.
    “I’m having something unspeakable,” Lee said. “Kate has me on a diet. I mean, I exercise five days a week, I don’t know why I have to be skinny, too.”
    “You look just fine to me, Mr. President,” Dino said.
    “You know, I think so, too,” Lee said. “I’d order the lobster salad, but it would get back to Kate in a heartbeat.”
    The waiter returned with a cart and served lobster salad to Stone and Dino, then put something before the president, who grimaced. “I’ve learned not to ask what it is,” he said.
    “If it’s any consolation, Mr. President,” Stone said, “when we had lunch with Mrs. Lee, she had something fairly awful-looking.”
    “That’s comforting,” Lee said wryly.
    “But she made us eat it, too,” Dino said. “Or tried to. We had lunch at a diner later.”
    The president laughed heartily. “Serves her right,” he said, “but don’t ever let her know. You’ll never hear the end of it. Wine, anyone?”
    “We wouldn’t dare,” Stone said.
    “All right,” the president said, swallowing without chewing, “tell me what you’ve got.”
    “Gossip,” Stone said.
    “We have gossip?” Dino asked, looking confused.
    “I’m sorry, Dino,” Stone said, “I didn’t have a chance to tell you. Mr. President, Holly Barker and I had dinner last night at Maison Blanche, and—”
    “I heard she was wearing a smashing yellow dress,” Lee said.
    Stone’s jaw dropped.
    “It’s Washington,” the president said.
    “Yes, sir,” Stone said. “Well, anyway, we were sitting at a banquette, and there was another one back-to-back with us, and we overheard a conversation between a couple that was an eye-opener.”
    “I can’t wait to hear this,” Dino said.
    “Dino, I said I was sorry. Anyway, Mr. President, the woman at the table said that Brixton Kendrick had had a number of affairs.”
    “Brix?” Lee asked, looking astonished.
    “Yes, sir.”
    “So we’re reduced to restaurant gossip?” Dino asked.
    “It’s the best lead we’ve had so far,” Stone said.
    “What about the lipstick?” Lee asked.
    “I’m afraid that’s gone nowhere, sir,” Stone replied. “But it was the rest of the conversation that was interesting.”
    “I can’t wait,” Dino said.
    Stone shot him a dirty look. “The woman said that a friend of hers had been having an affair with Kendrick, and that she was terrified that she would be questioned by us, and her husband would divorce her.”
    “By you?” the president asked. “She knew about you?”
    “Mr. President, it’s Washington.”
    Lee nodded.