“Probably most of them.”

“Here’s what you do—call your old secretary and have her look up all their files and e-mail them to you. Don’t tell anybody anything. If some of them look good for it, interview them. But not in your office. Somewhere else.”

“Where could I interview them? I can’t take them to the restaurants around here.”

“Have them up to your apartment and interview them there. And don’t forget to tell Viv what you’re doing.”

“What am I going to do about the four guys camped outside my office, answering the phones and typing letters?”

“Are they all sergeants?”

“Yeah.”

“Get them out of there. Give them plum jobs in different precincts. And tell them that if they pass the lieutenant’s exam, you’ll promote them. They won’t have anything to bitch about.”

“I’ve got a public affairs guy I like. Should I replace him with a woman?”

“If you like him, keep him. If he’s a sergeant, promote him, too.”

“He’s already a lieutenant.”

“Then tell him to take the captain’s exam. The rank will give him more authority with the press.”

“You think I should have four women outside my door?”

“If you do, three of them should be in uniform. And the hell with the new chief—get your old secretary up there. If the new guy’s any good, he’ll find his way. You did.”

“Tom should have appointed you commissioner,” Dino said.

“Horseshit. Can you and Viv get free for dinner? Just me, Ann’s working.”

“Viv’s on the road again. I can make it at eight. Patroon?”

“See you there.” Stone hung up and found Ed Eagle standing in the doorway.

“You off?”

“Just waiting for Fred to bring the car around,” Eagle said, sitting down.

“When’s your plane?”

“In two hours.”

“You’d better tell Fred to shake his ass.”

“That’s plenty of time, Stone.”

“How long since you flew commercial?”

“Inside the U.S.? I can’t remember the last time.”

“You need to be there very early these days, so they can strip you and do a cavity search.”

Eagle laughed. “It’s that bad, is it?”

“Just don’t smart off to one of those ladies with the little wand, when she waves it at your crotch.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“They’ll probably want to examine your dental work, too.”

“I’ll open up on request.”

“And tell me you aren’t armed or carrying anything in your briefcase.”

“It’s in my bag,” Ed said.

“Loaded?”

“Unloaded.”

“Where’s the ammunition?”

“In the bag.”

“Put it in another bag, not the same one with the gun.”

“Oops, I’d better do that now.”

“You’d better tell Susannah, too.”

“Tell me what?” Susannah asked from the doorway.

“Not to go into the terminal armed.”

Eagle explained it to her.

“Okay, I’ll do some repacking, too.”