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Back Strategic Moves Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. FORTY
  44. FORTY-ONE
  45. FORTY-TWO
  46. FORTY-THREE
  47. FORTY-FOUR
  48. FORTY-FIVE
  49. FORTY-SIX
  50. FORTY-SEVEN
  51. FORTY-EIGHT
  52. FORTY-NINE
  53. FIFTY
  54. FIFTY-ONE
  55. FIFTY-TWO
  56. FIFTY-THREE
  57. FIFTY-FOUR
  58. FIFTY-FIVE
  59. FIFTY-SIX
  60. FIFTY-SEVEN
  61. FIFTY-EIGHT
  62. FIFTY-NINE
  63. SIXTY
  64. SIXTY-ONE
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. AUTHOR’S NOTE

There was a brief silence. “I’ll get back to you,” Lance said, then hung up.

Stone called Pablo. “I’ve spoken to Mr. C. and he has agreed to call his contact with the State Department. He’ll get back to us.”

“God, I hope so,” Pablo said.

“It’s important, Pablo, that you take no action in response to this matter. Are we clear about that?”

“All right,” Pablo said, then hung up.

Stone rested his forehead on the cool, glass top of his desk and whimpered.

THIRTY-THREE

THIRTY-THREE

Stone arrived at Elaine’s to find Woodman & Weld’s managing partner already seated with Dino and already drinking.

“Evening, Bill, Dino,” Stone said as he slid into a chair only slightly behind the Knob Creek that had been placed on the table.

“Evening, Stone,” Eggers said.

Stone looked at Bill for signs of pleasure or displeasure, but he wore his usual, very effective poker face.

“Anybody hungry?” Stone asked, picking up a menu.

“Sure,” Dino replied.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Eggers said.

“Well,” Stone said, “I hope your digestion improves quickly, because I’m starved.” He wasn’t about to ask if something was troubling Eggers.

Eggers fingered the menu, then set it down. “I have heard a rumor, Stone, that you may somehow be connected with a Mercedes automobile that somehow found its way into a Rye swimming pool.”

Stone looked at him askance. “You think I’ve been running around Westchester County, driving expensive automobiles into swimming pools? I assure you, my Mercedes is cozily tucked into my garage at home and has not been out for days.”

“I saw something about that on TV,” Dino said innocently.

“There’s all sorts of strange stuff on TV these days,” Stone replied. “Probably some reality show gone wrong.”

“I’ve heard it was a different kind of show gone wrong,” Eggers said. “And I’m concerned that my firm’s putative next partner might be associated with such a stunt. Dr. Holland, owner of the pool in question, is a client of the firm, and he is not as amused as everyone else in the country to find a large chunk of twisted steel in his pool. He is having to remove extensive plantings in his garden in order to get a crane in position to hoist the thing onto a flatbed truck, and there are questions as to whether his insurance covers falling German hardware.”

“Bill, please tell me exactly what you have heard about my alleged connection to this event and from whom you have heard it.”

“I have told you all I can.”

“Then I will have to decline to comment on apparently baseless charges and rumors promulgated by anonymous individuals.”

“It was Lance Cabot,” Eggers said.