“What happens to the strong case if he’s suddenly not around?”

“I think he’s made plans, just in case.”

“That’s scary. Will won’t like to hear it.”

“I don’t think Will has anything to worry about, nor Kate.”

“It sounds like you and Ed have been talking.”

“He did most of the talking.”

“Can I ask you what he said?”

“Not yet, maybe later.”

“Has a new woman come scratching at your door?”

“Not yet.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll happen soon.”

“I don’t much care at the moment.”

Holly laughed. “When it happens, you’ll be responsive—you always are.”

“I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a condemnation.”

“Take it as a compliment, you’ll feel better.”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t try too hard. I have to go now. The pizza deliveryman is ringing the doorbell.”

“Bye-bye.”

“Bye-bye.” They hung up.

The phone rang a minute later.

“It’s Dino. Dinner at P.J. Clarke’s at seven?”

“Done.”

“See ya.” He hung up.

—

DINO, SCOTCH IN HAND, was ogling the women at the bar when Stone arrived.

“I guess Viv is out of town.”

“She is. She has an early meeting in L.A. tomorrow morning.”

Stone looked around. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Just browsing,” Dino said. “Hey, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about you.”

“From Christian St. Clair?”

“Yep.”

“I didn’t know there was anything about me he doesn’t already know. I’m sure he has copies of my medical records and tax returns.”

“I’m sure he could get them if he wanted them,” Dino replied.

“Did you see 60 Minutes?”

“I did. That guy is something, isn’t he?”

“Knott or St. Clair?”

“Both, I guess.”

“Let me ask you something. Do you think St. Clair is capable of murder?”

Dino froze. “What makes you ask that?”

“Because I’ve heard he had three or four people taken out who knew stuff about Knott.”

“Jeez, I don’t know. He seems like the most civilized guy in the world.”

“Do you think he would remain civilized if somebody tried to take away something he wanted?”

Dino shrugged. “People can change in a flash.”

“I’m not sure it would represent a change,” Stone said. “I think when a man has that much money, when he’s completely in control of his own destiny, he starts wanting to be in control of other people’s destinies, too.”

“Certainly Knott seems to be entirely Christian’s creature.”

“Entirely,” Stone said. “If Christian could get him elected, then Christian would be, effectively, President of the United States.”

“He’s too short to be President,” Dino said.

“Yeah? Napoleon was too short to be emperor of France, too, and we know how that ended.”