“I’ll go along with that.”

“You have to remember, Stone, that although he speaks like an adult, he’s still only sixteen years old, next month, and in many ways, that’s his emotional age.”

“I haven’t seen a single sign of that,” Stone said.

“It will come up, believe me.”

“You didn’t tell me he was about to have a birthday.”

“I apologize; that was a lapse on my part. Do you want to know what to get him for a present?”

“That’s already taken care of.”

“Oh, good. All right, I’ll see you late this afternoon.”

“Where would you like to have dinner?”

“Did you and Peter dine at Elaine’s last night?”

“Yes, with Dino and Ben. He and Peter are going to the movies this afternoon.”

“Then let’s go to the Four Seasons.”

“I’ll have Joan book it. Eight o’clock?”

“All right. Bye-bye.” She hung up.

Stone gave Joan her instructions.

“All right, I’ll get the i-stuff on my lunch hour.”

“You can still take a lunch hour,” Stone said. “Tell the Woodman & Weld operator to pick up.” They had a telephone arrangement with the law firm so that Stone could be called there, and the caller patched through to his home office or a message taken.

Stone hung up and started on the crossword.

8

Stone was at his desk at mid-afternoon when Joan buzzed.

“Seth Keener on one.”

Stone picked up. “Yes, Seth?”

“My client has agreed to accept Mr. Fisher’s terms.”

“Good. When can I expect the paperwork back for his signature?”

“Will you accept a fax?”

“Does she have access to a color fax?”

“Possibly.”

“Have her sign in blue ink and fax without a heading, then FedEx the originals. What is her proposal for a settlement?”

“She has a little over three million in her account at the family firm.”

“I think he might accept that.”

“She’s willing, but the account is frozen. He’ll have to wait until the feds unfreeze it.”

“And that will be about the same day as Antarctica unfreezes.”

“If you say so. She has no other assets available. I’m sure Mr. Fisher wouldn’t want ... questionable assets.” He paused. “There is another possibility, but we’ll have to go off the record.”

Stone pressed the record button on his phone. “What is her proposal?”

“She’s willing to backdate a transfer of her assets to a date before her departure of the country.”

“That would be felonious. Let’s go back on the record.”

“All right.”

“What is the family firm’s position? I would be surprised if they or their insurance company haven’t made a pass at that account.”

“I’m looking at a printout from online,” Keener said. “There’s no notation to that effect. I’ll e-mail you the user name and password when we receive Mr. Fisher’s signed documents.”

“Is there a notation from the feds?”

“Yes, from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.”

“I’m willing to recommend to my client that he accept the account as full settlement in the divorce.”