“This guy who sits next to Jack’s office has shot a couple of people; I don’t think anybody is dead. We were down the hall in Stephanie’s office when the shooting started, and we got the hell out of there.”

“Who is the guy doing the shooting?” Stone asked.

“His name is Peter Collins,” Herbie replied. “I just met him this morning. We were supposed to talk to him about moving my money over to the firm.”

“Did you do that?”

“No, we didn’t have time.”

“That’s good. Get Stephanie to your apartment and call me when you’re there.”

“Okay, Stone.” Herbie hung up.

So did Stone. “The guy doing the shooting is Peter Collins,” he said to Mike Freeman. “I don’t think he’s going to be taking any calls this morning, except maybe from a police hostage negotiator.”

“Oh, swell,” Freeman said. He picked up his phone. “Sally, put that conference call through,” he said. “Stone, I may as well let them all know what’s happening, or what we know of it.”

“I suppose so,” Stone said.

The call was put through, and Freeman brought his colleagues up to date, then told them he’d get back to them when he had more information. He hung up.

“I guess there’s nothing else we can do except wait for more information,” he said to Stone.

“I guess not,” Stone replied.

SIX

Stone got back to his office a little after five and went through the messages Joan had put on his desk before she left for the day. Dino had called and so, to his astonishment, had Peter Collins of Jack Gunn Investments.

Stone didn’t know Peter Collins. Just for the hell of it he dialed the number. It rang seven times before it was picked up.

“Hello?” a hoarse male voice said.

“This is Stone Barrington. I’m returning Peter Collins’s call. Who is this?”

“This is Peter Collins.”

“What can I do for you, Mr. Collins?”

“I need an attorney to represent me in a multiple-count criminal action,” Collins said.

“Are you still holding hostages there, Mr. Collins?”

“Yes.”

“How many?”

“Four.”

“What are their names?”

Collins told him, and Stone wrote them down.

“How many are injured?”

“Just one. I accidentally shot him in the leg while herding everybody into my office.”

“Where in the leg?”

“Left, outside thigh.”

“So you missed the femoral artery?”

“Yes. He’s been given first aid and is alert and talking.”

“Good. Mr. Collins, I can’t represent you in the criminal action because I’m corporate counsel to one of your clients, Strategic Services.”

“I didn’t know that,” Collins said.

“I was appointed only yesterday. What I can do for you is represent you in your talks with the police hostage negotiator and make sure you’re dealt with nonviolently and that your rights are not violated. Then I can recommend an attorney to represent you in your legal difficulties. I assume that these multiple charges are related to your work and the taking of the four hostages. Is that correct?”