About what? No, Dino said. Thank God. The witness suddenly began to cry. Ill call you right back. Stone hung up and called Herbie. I told her I was going to see you, and she said that was fine, but that a lawyer worked better on a case when he was enthusiastic about it. She said my first line of defence was to hope that no one knew I had been out there with Lutts, that police would find some clue pointing to the real murderer and that Id never even be questioned, much less suspected. The words were unintelligible, but there could be no mistaldng the tone of the mans voice. It was a shout of discovery, and the tone was that which conveys understanding even to inarticulate, wild animals deeply hidden in brush, which at the sound of that note of triumphant discovery in the voice of the hunter automatically leaped into startled flight. Chapter 15 The man stared back at Stone for half a minute.Could be, he said, finally. “But any genius could have done what he did. Theres somebody still inside the van, Stone said. Im following it. She has me. It was nearly four by the time I got home and Ruth was on the porch by the pond drinking a glass of ice tea. When I leaned down and kissed her she smiled and said,You reek of gin, sir. I wish I could. But I dont really know more than that. That he had several witnesses in who could explain matters somewhat, and Elkins was among them. He didnt say whether Elkins talked or what they talked about. Just smiled and let it go at that. Doubtfully, she got out her phone and pressed a number.Harvey, Ive got a cash offer for twenty grand for the Norton in the window. She listened for a moment, then covered the phone. “Harvey says twenty-five grand, cash, and its yours. I warn you, dont lowball him, or he’ll hang up. They may already have. Gee, thanks. He made his way upstairs and waved his badge at the cop in a chair in the hallway. Anybody in there with her? he asked. So Id just like to look it over. Answer the question, Mason said. She wrote that you had a shrine to him in your room. That you were too emotional, too over-the-top. Too controlling. And that this was before he killed himself. In her diary she wrote that after that you really lost it..