Two-Dollar Bill

'Billy Bob's original name was Barnstetter,' Stone said. 'He says his grandfather changed it to Barnstormer, but it might help in running down his background. He came into Teterboro on a Gulfstream Four corporate jet, and he said an engine had to be replaced because of a bird strike.'

'Where in Texas is he from?'

'I don't know.'

'Anything else about him you can tell us?'

'He leaves a trail of two-dollar bills wherever he goes,' Stone said. 'Tips, mostly.'

Weiss came back. 'I called the Four Seasons Hotel. They know Barnstormer, and they have a reservation for him tonight, for a week.'

'Be there when he arrives,' Dino said.

TWO HOURS LATER, the corpse was gone, and people were trickling out of the house. Stone took Dino aside.

'You'll notice I didn't bring Tiffany Baldwin into this.'

'I noticed.'

'Can we keep it that way?'

'I don't see why not; we can confirm your alibi without her.'

'Good; the press would be all over it, if her name came into play.'

'I'm not going to be able to keep your name out of the papers,' Dino said. 'They're already outside your door.'

'Think you could give them a statement, exonerating me and saying I've left on a Caribbean vacation?'

'I'll see what I can do,' Dino said.

'I want to be there when your people question Billy Bob.'

'Let's have dinner; they'll call me when he gets in, and we'll go over there.'

'Tell them they're not to ask him any questions until I get there.'

'You think he needs to lawyer up?'

'Wouldn't you lawyer up, in the circumstances?'

9

STONE GOT TO ELAINE'S first and made a show of asking for menus. Dino got there ten minutes later.

'Anything new?'

'Nah. Morton and Weiss are at the Four Seasons, waiting. You have a number for Billy Bob's airplane or his cell phone?'

'No, neither.'

'How about a home or office address?'

'Neither. Eggers doesn't have them, either; I called him.'

'You lawyers really keep track of your clients, don't you?'

'He's new, okay? Don't give me a hard time.'

'Somebody's got to do it.'

'Shut up and order a drink.' Stone nodded toward the approaching waiter. They ordered.

'Let's jump ahead in time,' Dino said. 'Suppose Billy Bob can prove he was in Omaha. What does that do for you?'

'For me?'

'You were alone in the house all day with the girl.'

'The ME said she died between nine and eleven last night. I was here, remember?'

'That was a preliminary estimate,' Dino said, 'before the autopsy. What if he comes back and says she died earlier or later?'

'You're just winding me up, aren't you Dino?'

'I'm just telling you to be prepared to answer some questions. If it turns out that the girl died at a different time, and you spent the whole day as the only two people in the house, well…'

'Well, what?'

'Was Helene there yesterday?'

'It was her day off.'

'Swell, you just might end up fucked.'

'Dino, I met the girl once, at breakfast yesterday. What motive would I have to kill her?'

'Well, let me put my detective hat on, here,' Dino said, scratching his head. 'You fucked her; it went wrong; she pissed you off; you strangled her.'

'Get out of here.'

'Or maybe you were playing that game where you almost strangle somebody to enhance the orgasm, and you were just a tad heavy-handed.'

'Will you stop it?'

'Of course, maybe he hadn't checked the girl's neck for prints; maybe he'll find Billy Bob's there.'

Stone gulped. 'Oh, shit.'

'What?'

'I touched her neck, feeling for a pulse.'

'How many fingers?'

'Two or three.'

'Well, I don't think we need to bother Billy Bob; I can just arrest you now and save everybody a lot of time and trouble. You want to cop to, say, man one? I'll speak to the DA.'

'Go fuck yourself.'

'Aw, come on, with good behavior-and you always behave well, Stone-you'd be out before it was time to collect Social Security. I mean, there was no malice aforethought. You didn't mean to kill her, right?'

Elaine came over and sat down. 'What's up?'

Dino grinned. 'We found a dead hooker in Stone's bed, and I'm going to arrest him as soon as we finish dinner.'

'I found her and called you,' Stone said, 'and she wasn't in my bed, she was in the guest room.'

'Well, that's certainly daintier, isn't it?' Elaine said. 'I'd never think Stone would have a hooker in his bed, but in the guest room…?'

'All right, you two.'

'You think you know somebody,' Elaine said, warming to the idea, 'but you never know about their secret perversions, do you?'

'Not until the guy does a hooker in the guest room,' Dino said.

Dino's cell phone rang, and he flipped it open. 'Bacchetti. Yeah, I'm on my way, and don't question him until I get there.' He closed the cell phone. 'Billy Bob's back.'

'But we haven't even had dinner,' Stone said.

'You don't have to come; I can go over to the Four Seasons and help my guys question Billy Bob. Come to think of it, you might be better off if you don't protect him too much. I'd just as soon bust him as you; I just want to clear the case.'

Stone threw down his napkin. 'Let's go.'

'Did you get the check?' Elaine asked.

Stone threw some money on the table.

'American dollars! How nice!' She tucked the money into the top of her dress.

'Watch it, Elaine,' Dino said. 'Stone knows people at the IRS.'

'Get outta here, both of you,' she growled.