“Don’t change the subject.”
“But I’m concerned about Bob.”
“When you’ve convinced me that you’re taking this threat seriously, we can talk about Bob.”
“All right, I’m taking it seriously. I won’t come home until you say I can.”
“Good. Now how can I get ahold of you?”
She gave him a number. “That’s my cell. It works everywhere.”
“That’s good enough.”
“Now, how about you and Bob?”
“We’re both fine.”
“Are you enjoying each other’s company?”
“I can only speak for myself — Bob has been quiet on the subject.”
“Has he bitten you or growled at you?”
“Neither. He’s been a perfect gentleman. I took him out to dinner last night, and he behaved beautifully.”
“Where?”
“Patroon.”
“Isn’t that a steak house?”
“Steaks are on the menu.”
“That was dangerous, Bob likes his beef.”
“He got a large bone and was perfectly content.”
“I’ve got to run, baby. You two take care of each other.”
Before Stone could reply, she had hung up.
Bob edged across the bed and rested his head on Stone’s stomach.
“It was for you,” Stone said. “Your mama is fine.”
17
Stone fed Bob, then led him to the elevator, stood him up on his hind legs and held his paw to the elevator button. “Remember this,” he said. The door opened, and Bob walked on. Stone put his finger on the office-level button. “Remember this, too, it’s a two-step process.” He pressed the button and the elevator and Bob went down.
Stone got his breakfast from the dumbwaiter, set it on the bed, and got back in. His phone rang. “Yes?”
“It’s Joan. I was standing in your office when Bob got off the elevator alone. How’d he do that?”
“I explained it to him.”
“Oh.”
“Bob’s had his breakfast and wants to go out. May I eat mine now? You won’t have to take me out.”
“Enjoy.” Joan hung up.
Later, Stone was at his desk when Joan buzzed. “Dino on one.”
He pressed the button. “Good morning.”
“Yeah, you too. My guys found your pal Biggers, two blocks from your house. He said he’d just gotten off a Second Avenue bus.”
“And they bought that?”
“No, they searched him and found no gun.”
“So, he ditched it.”
“Probably. He was wearing a .45 holster on his belt.”
“Aha!”
“No aha. They couldn’t arrest him for carrying a concealed holster.”
“Why not? I should think that would be prima facie evidence of carrying a gun.”
“He said he had worn the same pants for two days and forgot that the holster was on his belt.”
“So he confessed to having a gun on him the day before.”
“Yeah, but he said he wasn’t in the city then.”
“Yeah, but you have a witness who saw him carrying a gun.”
“Who, you?”
“Yeah, me.”
“You know as well as I do that eyewitness testimony is often wrong.”
“Not when I’m the eyewitness.”
“You have a high opinion of your own perspicacity.”
“I know a .45 caliber Glock when I see it — that’s perspicacious enough.”
“Not in a court of law. A good defense attorney would call your perspicaciousness into question. He’d say you wanted to see a .45 Glock in the man’s hand, therefore you thought you saw it.”
“My perspifuckingcaciousness is just fine, thank you. I remind you that I’m a veteran police officer.”
“You were a veteran police officer. The clock goes back to zero when you retire.”
“Well, then, I’m a veteran former police officer.”
“I don’t have time to mince words with you, I have thirty-six thousand, six hundred police officers to command.”
“Mince this!” Stone shouted into the phone, but it was too late; Dino had already hung up.
Joan was standing in the doorway, leaning against the jamb. “You seem a little on edge,” she said.
“I’m just fine.”
“No, you’re steaming — even Bob noticed.” She nodded toward the dog, who was sitting next to Stone’s desk, staring anxiously at him.
“Bob, I’m just fine,” he said.
“Bob’s not buying it,” Joan said. “Why don’t you get out of town for a while, until they pick up this guy.”
“Where would you like me to go?”
“Pick something from your extensive list of real estate holdings,” she said, “and go.”
“I just got back,” Stone pointed out.
“That’s no excuse.”
“You’re just trying to get rid of me.”
“Nope, Harvey Biggers is trying to get rid of you.”
“He’s not smart enough to get rid of me.”
“He doesn’t have to be smart, he just has to be lucky.”
“Arguing with you is like arguing with Dino.”
She brightened. “Thank you very much.”
“It wasn’t meant as a compliment.”
“I knew that, but I liked it anyway.”
Stone leaned on his elbows and put his face in his hands. Bob walked over and rested his chin on Stone’s knee, slowly wagging his tail.
“Bob and I think you should get out of town,” Joan said. The phone rang, and she picked up the one on Stone’s desk. “The Barrington Practice,” she said, “or Woodman & Weld, take your pick.”
Stone made a groaning noise.
“Well, hi there, how are you?” Joan said, brightening. “He’s right here.” She handed Stone the phone. “It’s Ed Eagle, calling from Santa Fe.”
“You’re just saying that to cheer me up,” Stone said, taking the phone from her.
18
Stone was genuinely glad to hear from Ed Eagle. “Ed, how are you?”
“Better than middling, I guess. How about you?”
“Not too bad.”
“You very busy these days?”
“No, I spent some time in England and just got back a couple of weeks ago.”
“I have an invitation for you.”
“I accept.”
“Hang on, let me finish. Susannah is having a birthday, and I’m throwing a party for her.”
“I accept.”
“It’s in Santa Fe this weekend.”
“I accept. Which birthday?”
“Don’t ask. How soon can you get your ass out here?”
“Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Certainly not. What are you flying these days?”
“A Citation CJ3 Plus.”
“Then you can do it nonstop?”
“As long as there isn’t a two-hundred-knot headwind.”
“See you late tomorrow afternoon, then?”
“Perfect.”
“Don’t rent a car, I’ll loan you one. It’ll be at the airport.”
“Great.”
“And there’s something I want to show you.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ll see.”
“By the way, I have a houseguest named Bob. May I bring him along?”
“Sure, as long as you don’t mind sleeping in the same bed. We’ve got a full house.”
“No problem, Bob can sleep on the floor.”
“Stone, is there something you want to tell me?”
“Lots of things, but not now.”
“By the way, when you get to the airport, read the instructions in the manual before you start the car.”
“I know how to start a car, Ed.”
“Trust me — read the instructions.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Can you find your way to the house sober?”
“I can.”