difference in the effect of your testimony would be small, and anytime you start deviating from the straight and narrow, you open yourself up to getting caught lying. I wouldn't want to end up with a perjury charge against you."

"Neither would I," Forrester said. "God knows what the penalty for perjury is on this island."

"Can you think of anything else during your evening with the Mannings that might help us at the trial?"

Forrester looked uncomfortable. "Can we talk off the record for a minute?"

"Sure."

"I certainly don't want to bring this up at the trial, but it's the kind of thing that I can't ignore when I come to write my piece."

SIJART WOODS.

"You remember we talked about this dinghy that Paul had flown in from Barcelona?" "Yes, the Parker Sportster." "I didn't mention this before, but that dinghy can be sailed. I read something in a magazine about somebody sailing one from Norway to Iceland." "I'm aware of the dinghy's sailing capability." "Does that suggest anything to you?"

"What does it suggest to you?" "That Paul Manning could have conceivably sailed the thing back to the Canaries and faked his own death, for whatever reason." "That occurred to me, but it's not possible." "Why not?" "Because the Parker Sportster is still in a cockpit locker of Expansive. I found it there, unused." Forrester took a deep breath and let it out. "Boy, am I glad to hear that. I didn't want to think that Allison could be mixed up in something like that, but..." "I understand. While we certainly won't bring this up at the trial, I think it might be very helpful to Allison if you mentioned it in your piece. There will always be people who would think the worst, and it might help her." "I'll certainly do that.

It's the kind of detail that will make the piece more interesting. By the way, I talked with my editor, Charles McGrath, and in light of all the publicity Allison's story has gotten, they're more interested than ever in the piece." "I'm glad for you." "You should be glad for Allison, too; this kind of

detailed piece will satisfy the curiosity of a lot of

I know it's going to be tough for her when all 'this is over."

"I know it is, though I haven't talked about it with her yet. I think she's got enough on her mind at the moment."

"I'm sure she has."

"Have you talked with her at length yet?"

"Twice. She's remarkably open and forthcoming; sometimes I think she doesn't really have a grasp of what she's facing."

"I know what you mean," Stone said, "and I don't see how it would help to make her more aware. She's been told all the facts and the risks, and if she chooses to be in denial, then who's to say she shouldn't be?

Certainly not I. If her attitude helps her get through this, that's fine with me."

"Let me ask you something for the record, Stone, and I'd appreciate the frankest answer you can give me. Your answer won't'appear until well after the trial, and I'll hold it in confidence until then."

"What would you like to know?"

"Right now, at this moment, what do you estimate her chances are of getting out of this?"

Stone sighed. "I don't really know how to answer that. There are so many variables here, most of which I have no control over, that the situation is entirely unpredictable."

"Do you think there's really a chance she could hang?"

"Yes, I do."

"No kidding, really?"

"Really." "Jesus Christ." "Yes."

"It just doesn't seem possible that this sort of thing could happen in this day and age. I mean, if she'd fetched up in the United States, she'd be walking around scot free, wouldn't she?"

"I believe she would. I don't think a prosecutor could get past a preliminary hearing in the United States. I'd blow him out of the water. With Paul's medical records, his note-taking habits, your testimony, and above all, with Allison's testimony, I don't think any judge would buy a murder charge for a minute. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if she'd fetched up in Antigua or Guadeloupe."

"I wonder, too."

The two men sat silently, each contemplating the worst for Allison Manning.

CHAPTER.

k tone sat talking with Jim As they chatted he saw a taxi pull up outside and a woman get out. She seemed middle-aged, was tall and fashionably thin, and was wearing a wrinkled silk dress and a straw sun hat. The driver got two suitcases out of the trunk, took some money from her, and drove away. Thomas Hardy saw her, too, and went out to help with her bags.

"Well," Jim Forrester said, "I'm going upstairs for a nap." He got to his feet. "I think I might be coming down with something." He ambled off toward the stairs.

Stone watched as Thomas set the woman's bags down by the bar and reached for the registration book. The woman signed it, then seemed to be asking Thomas some questions. Thomas's eyebrows suddenly went up, and he beckoned to Stone.

Stone got up and walked across the restaurant toward the bar, getting a closer look at the woman as he walked. She was, at the very least, in her early forties, he reckoned, and she had on more makeup than suited her.

"Stone," Thomas said. "This is someone you might want to meet."

The woman turned toward him. "Are you Stone Barrington?" she asked.

"Yes, I am," Stone replied.

She held out her hand. "I'm Allison Manning," she said.

"How do you do," Stone said. Then the name sank in. "Who did you say..."

"I'm Paul Manning's widow," the woman said, "and I'm not very well, if the truth be told. However, I expect to be a lot better quite soon."

Thomas went upstairs with the bags, leaving Stone alone with the woman.

"I suppose you're with the press," Stone said wearily.

"I'm not with anybody," the woman replied. "I used to be with Paul Manning, but I understand he's dead. Can you confirm that?"

"Yes, I can," Stone replied. "Why don't we sit down?" he indicated his table. "You seem to have been traveling; would you like a drink?"

"Oh, God, yes," she breathed and headed toward a chair. "A very dry Gibson would be lovely."

ThOmas came back down the stairs, and Stone ordered her drink. When they were settled at a table, Stone said, "I'm afraid you have me at something of a loss, Miss..."

"Mrs.," she said. "Mrs. Manning. And yes, I suppose you are at something of a loss. You're representing her,

you?"

"I'm representing Allison Manning," he said. "Why don't you tell me what's going on here?"

"What's going on, Mr. Barrington, is that I've come claim my husband's estate."