“I’m with you,” she answered quietly.
CHAPTER
86
KING HAD ASKED HARRY
to give Calpurnia the night off so he could make dinner for the four of them.
“You’ve got quite a kitchen, Harry,” said King as he and Michelle put the meal on the table. “I appreciate your letting me come early to get things done.”
Harry looked at the elaborately prepared meal. “Really, Sean, I have to think I made out far better than you on the arrangement.”
Harry was dressed in one of his finest suits, though it seemed a little snug over his frame. “My weight hasn’t changed in forty years, but its location has,” he’d explained in a mock depressed tone.
“Yes, indeed,” said Remmy, who was also dressed very handsomely. She and Harry sat side by side across from Sean and Michelle in the large dining room.
“I just trust that your drive home will be far less eventful than it was the last time you dined with me.”
“Actually, I think this evening may hold its own unique points of interest,” said King vaguely as he started serving the food. Michelle meanwhile looked on with a distracted expression.
“Michelle, my dear, what’s wrong?” said Harry.
She glanced up at him quickly. “Nothing, just not feeling all that great. Probably just a spring bug.”
The meal went uneventfully. They ate dessert and then moved on to the library for coffee. The night had turned chilly and the fire was warming. King went over to an enormous wood-and-stamped-tin room divider that sat diagonally against one corner.
“This is a beautiful piece,” he said.
“Eighteenth century,” answered Harry. “It was handmade from materials right here on the property.”
King stood in front of the fire. He glanced nervously at Michelle and then said, “I’m afraid I’ve been a little deceitful tonight.”
Harry and Remmy stopped chatting and looked up in surprise.
Remmy said, “What?”
“The purpose of this dinner wasn’t really social.”
Harry set down his coffee and glanced at Remmy and then at Michelle, who kept her head down and her hand buried in the pocket of her jacket. “I don’t understand, Sean. Do you mean you want to talk about the case some more?”
“No, I don’t really need to talk about the case any more. I think I know all I need to know.”
The two continued to glance curiously at him.
Michelle finally blurted out, “Sean, just tell them.”
Harry said, “Tell us what?”
The hand in which Remmy was holding her cup and saucer started to shake.
They all turned as the man in the black hood came into the room, his gun out and its red laser aimed dead on Harry’s heart.
King immediately stepped between black hood and Harry.
“This stops now,” King said quietly. “No more killing.”
“Get out of my way or you’ll die first!”