“It can’t be helped,” Ginsky replied. “It’s how these things are done. Trust me.”
Stone heard the door open and close behind him.
“Sorry, my client’s a little edgy today,” Ginsky said.
“How’d you get mixed up in this, Ed?” Stone asked.
“I’ve known him since college. He popped up in my life only a short time ago, when he got the e-mails from you.”
“Can you make him hew to the terms of the agreement?”
“I think so. He wants out of the marriage, and he wants the insurance matter off his back.”
“I’ll tell you, off the record,” Stone said, “that if he doesn’t stick to the letter and the spirit of the agreement, I’ll take it upon myself to expose him for who he is, and in a very public way.”
“Are you threatening me, Stone?” Ginsky asked.
“No, Ed, I’m threatening Paul Manning, and I mean it. You should know that he’s a dangerous man, and my advice to you is, when this matter is concluded, to stay as far away from him as you can.”
“That may be good advice,” Ginsky admitted.
Stone put his copies of the document into his briefcase and stood up.
Ginsky stood up, too. “We saw you taxi up and get out of the airplane,” he said. “I was expecting you to drive in. Where are you flying back to?”
“I’d rather not say,” Stone said.
“I don’t think you’ll have any more trouble from Paul. Where do you want to do the divorce?”
“Anywhere in Florida will do.”
“I know a judge here in Palm Beach, and I’m licensed to practice here.”
“Fine with me. I’m not licensed here, so I’ll get Bill Eggers to find somebody. He’ll be in touch.”
“I’ll look forward to receiving the signed documents tomorrow.” Ginsky held out his hand.
Stone shook it. “Thanks for getting him to see sweet reason, Ed.”
“See you around the courts in New York, I expect.”
“I expect so.”
The two lawyers walked out of the conference room and into the lobby. Paul Manning was nowhere in sight.
They walked out to the ramp together, shook hands again, and Ginsky got into a Hawker 125, parked near the door.
Stone assumed Manning was already on it. He walked a hundred yards to where his less imposing aircraft had been parked by the Lineman. He did an especially thorough preflight inspection before climbing into the airplane.
He remembered Manning’s remark about knowing how to fix airplanes, and he wanted to be sure the one he was flying would keep flying. He started the engine, and he listened to it carefully before starting to taxi.
All the way back to North County airport, he listened to the engine. It got him back safely.
47
When Stone arrived back aboard the yacht, Liz, Callie and Dino were all waiting for him.
“Did you see him?” Liz asked.
“Not exactly,” Stone said, “but we were in the same room.”
“Did he sign the papers?” she asked anxiously.
“Yes.”
“How much am I giving him?”
“Two million dollars.”
Liz collapsed in his arms, laughing. “Oh, Stone, you are a wonder. You saved me three million dollars!”
“Don’t ever tell Paul that,” he said.
“I hope I won’t ever have to talk to him.”
“I think we can avoid a court appearance for the divorce.”
“Where will we do the divorce?”
“Here in Palm Beach. I’ll find you a Florida lawyer for that, but since we have a signed settlement, there won’t be much work for him to do. Now you have to sign the documents, and we have to find a notary.”
“I’m a notary,” Callie said. “I have to witness stuff for Thad all the time.”
“Great. Go get your seal.”
Callie left them, then returned with her seal and stamp. Stone handed Liz a pen, she signed and Callie notarized.
“That’s it,” Stone said, handing the documents to Callie, along with Ed Ginsky’s card. “Will you FedEx these to him right away?”
“Sure. I’ll call for a pickup now.” She picked up a phone.
“I have to call Thad and tell him,” Liz said, running for the phone in the saloon.
Stone sat down beside Dino.
“Is this all over, Stone?”
“I hope so,” Stone replied.
“But you’re not sure?”
“It’s not going to be over until it’s over.” He thought about that for a moment. “And maybe not even then.”
“What’s the problem?”
“The problem is Manning. He’s still just as angry and, apparently, as nuts as he was the day you arrested him in New York. He’s got a good lawyer-Ed Ginsky-but I don’t know if Ed can control him.”
“I know who Ginsky is,” Dino said. “He’s had a lot of experience dealing with angry spouses.”
“I wonder how much experience he’s had in dealing with crazy ones?”
“Everybody who’s getting a divorce is crazy for a while,” Dino said.
Stone picked up the phone. “I’d better call Bill Eggers and find Liz a local lawyer.”
Liz came running back from the saloon. “Thad’s coming back tonight!” She ran toward her cabin.
Stone placed the call to Eggers and told him what he wanted.
“I don’t know the Florida law offhand,” Eggers said, “but it sounds pretty straightforward.”
“That’s what I think. You know somebody in Palm Beach?”
“No, but somebody here in the shop will. I’ll have somebody call you.”
“Okay.”
“How’s everything going?”
Stone gave him a recap of recent events.
“This is kind of messy, isn’t it?”
“As divorces go, yes; but we might conclude a nasty case as well.”
Thad Shames came aboard his yacht late in the afternoon in high spirits. He swept Liz into his arms, kissed her, then shook hands with Stone and Dino, then he turned back to Liz. “Right here, in front of these witnesses, I want to ask you: Will you marry me?”
“Oh, yes!” she cried, and they kissed again.
Dino glanced at Stone and rolled his eyes.
“Isn’t this romantic?” Callie asked Stone.
“Oh, yeah,” Stone replied.
“Let’s do it this weekend,” Thad said enthusiastically.
“I’d love that!” Liz said, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.
Stone and Dino exchanged glances. Stone was horrified, Dino amused.
Liz went to repair her makeup, and Stone made Thad sit down with him and Dino.
“Thad,” Stone said seriously, “don’t you think you ought to wait until Liz is divorced before you get
