SEVEN

Stone met Dino at Elaine’s. They were on their first drink when Bill Eggers walked in, sat down, and ordered a single-malt scotch.

Stone was surprised to see him. “What’re you doing here, Bill?” he asked.

“I’m not here,” Eggers said, taking a tug at his drink.

“Okay, how did the meeting go that you didn’t have this afternoon with Jack Gunn and Leighton Craft?”

“It went well,” Eggers said. “Gunn maintains his innocence and says that Peter Collins is the probable culprit.”

“I spoke to Peter Collins this afternoon, and he maintains his innocence, too.”

Eggers stared at him. “You spoke to Peter Collins?”

Stone explained his conversations with Collins and the hostage negotiator.

“And everything went according to plan?”

“As far as I know. Dino, what have you heard?”

“I was about to tell you,” Dino said. “They got everybody cleared out and took Collins to the One Seven.”

“Nobody got hurt?”

“Nobody. Hank Willard stuck to the agreement. The guy who got shot was treated and released; it wasn’t a bad wound.”

“Who did you get to represent Peter Collins?” Eggers asked.

“Milt Levine.”

“Good call,” Eggers said. “He’s probably one of the few guys around who isn’t representing somebody who’s involved in this thing as a victim.”

“He’ll do a good job,” Stone said.

“Did Collins lay the blame on anybody?”

“Not to me,” Stone replied. “Who are the candidates?”

“Just Gunn and Collins, as far as I know,” Eggers said.

“What were your impressions of Jack Gunn at your meeting?” Stone asked.

Eggers shrugged. “Angry, but in control. He says that Collins is the only guy in the firm who could have pulled this off without his knowledge.”

Stone’s cell phone vibrated; he looked at the screen and saw Milt Levine’s name. “Hello?”

“Stone, it’s Milt Levine.”

“How’d it go?”

“I met with Collins at the One Seven, then he answered every question the police put to him. I bought what he had to say.”

“What was the disposition?”

“He’ll be arraigned for the shooting and hostage-taking tomorrow morning, and I’ll get him bailed out. He hasn’t been charged with taking any money.”

“Who does Collins think is responsible?”

“He says it’s got to be Gunn, possibly with the help of his son.”

Stone blinked. “What son?”

“Name of David.”

“Hang on,” Stone said. He covered the phone and turned to Eggers. “Are you aware that Gunn has a son?”

Eggers frowned. “There was no mention of a son at our meeting.”

Stone went back to the phone. “David comes as a surprise to everybody I know,” he said.

“Well, he’s going to get talked to,” Levine said. “I gotta go.”

“You still got the hot date?”

“You bet your ass.” Levine hung up.

Stone put his phone away. “I don’t get it about the son,” he said to Eggers. “I was at Gunn’s daughter’s wedding last night. I sat at the family table and there was no son there and no mention of one.”