4 

SUSANNAH GOT TEDDY a drink, then went to check on dinner, leaving the men alone.

“How are you, Billy?” Stone said.

“I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse, too.”

“I’m sorry for your trouble.”

“Thank you, Stone. I’m looking for something to occupy my mind for a few weeks.”

“What did you have in mind?” Ed asked.

“Revenge,” Teddy said quietly.

Before Stone could explore that, Susannah returned with a beautiful woman, somewhat younger than her. Tall and with what, to Stone, appeared to be natural blond hair. He’d been fooled before.

“Stone,” Susannah said, “this is our friend and neighbor Anastasia Bounine.” Anastasia received a drink, and sat down next to Stone on a comfortable love seat. The size of the furniture guaranteed proximity. “Please call me Ana,” she said.

“Ana it is.”

“I’ve heard so much about you, Stone.”

“Uh-oh,” Stone replied.

“Your reputation precedes you.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve heard nothing but good. I understand that Santa Fe has you to thank for bringing the Presidents Lee to town in their retirement.”

“I believe they’re already here,” Stone said, “though I’m not sure they’re in town.”

“They’re not,” Ed said, “or they’d be coming to dinner tonight. I hear their house is about finished, though, and they’ll be coming soon to inspect the designer’s work. Not that it needed a lot of work when you sold it.”

“Or when I bought it,” Stone said. “The previous owner had done a good job.”

“Most of the work was done on the neighboring house,” Ana said, “converting it to house the Secret Service. They had to add four bedrooms.”

“Ana always knows exactly what’s going on with Santa Fe real estate,” Ed said. “It’s her career.”

“It’s fun,” Ana corrected him. “Much more than a career, a serious pastime. I know, for instance, that when Stone’s predecessor owned the house, Stone was required to shoot a three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bear in her kitchen.”

“I thought that was a closely held secret,” Stone said.

“In Santa Fe?” she asked. “Surely you jest.”

Theo Raven arrived, and shortly after that Susannah was seating them at her dinner table.

•   •   •

A GOOD THREE HOURS later Stone, Ed, and Teddy were once again alone together, this time in Ed’s study.

“Billy,” Stone said, “what was that about revenge?”

“I’m sure Ed has brought you up to date on the difficulties involved with seeking justice from the woman who killed my wife.”

“He has.”

“Have you thought of any legal avenue worth pursuing, Stone? I’m sure you’ve thought it over.”

“I have, Billy, and I haven’t come up with anything. Mr. Baxter has effectively cut off both the criminal and civil paths.”

“That’s what Ed had given me to understand, and I trust his judgment.”

“Now, about that revenge, Billy,” Stone said.

“Are you sure you want to know? Either of you?”

Ed looked at Stone. “I certainly want to know—though I emphasize that I don’t want to know, if you take my meaning.”

“I take your meaning,” Stone said, “and I share it.”

“All right,” Teddy said. “Dax Baxter is coming to Santa Fe to shoot a film out at the movie ranch.”

“And?” Ed asked.

“And the film company is hiring. They get a tax break from the state for using local people. It’s said to be a four-week shoot here, before they return to L.A. to shoot interiors. I thought I might go out there and put in an application.”

“For what job?” Stone asked.

“I can do, and have done, anything and everything on a film set. Baxter will be bringing his key people with him, but I thought I might go for something like an assistant production manager. Not too high up the tree, but useful. It would look good for the company to have a local in such a position.”

“I’m sorry, Billy,” Stone said, “but when did you get to be a local?”

“This afternoon,” Teddy said.

“You became a local in an afternoon?”

“I’ve rented a little house, furnished. My story is, I just blew in from New York, where I worked in television and film. I have a couple of references there from people I’ve worked with in the past.”

“You can’t use your own name,” Ed said.

“I’ve had a lot of identities in my time,” Teddy said. “I’ll dust one of them off.”

“Billy,” Stone said, “I hope you’re not contemplating harming Baxter.”

“Well, not in the sense that you might think, but there are lots of ways to get in the way of a man producing a film on location.”

“What did you have in mind?” Ed asked.

“I’ll improvise,” Teddy said, shrugging. “Perhaps an opportunity will present itself.”

The ladies joined them, and the conversation took a different turn.

•   •   •

ANA RESUMED HER SEAT next to Stone. “How long will you be in town?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” Stone replied. “Perhaps a day or two, perhaps longer.”

“Will you come to my house for dinner tomorrow evening? I live just up the path to the left, through the trees.”

“I’d like that,” Stone replied.

“Do you eat beef?”

“With both hands.”

“Then the menu is settled. Other things remain to be seen.”

“I’ll look forward to exploring them,” Stone said.

“Exploration is fun, isn’t it?”

“It certainly can be.”

“Have you ever experienced the night sky in Santa Fe from a hot tub?” she asked.

“I have, but only once.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“It was a wonderful experience.”

“Did you bring a swimsuit with you?” she asked.

“No.”

“Oh, good.”