Hot Mahogany

“She’s an illustrator.”

“Oh, good! Does she specialize in anything?”

“She’s more of a generalist.”

“Well, isn’t it convenient that she’s come along just at this moment in your life.”

Stone was embarrassed that this was going on in the presence of Eliza. “Dino,” he said, in a desperate attempt to change the subject, “what’s new in the world of crime?”

“Same old, same old,” Dino said. “You know how it goes.” He gave a little shrug, as if to say you’re on your own, pal.

“Excuse me,” Stone said, getting up. He went into the men’s room, though he didn’t need to, and splashed some water on his face, taking his time. They’d have to talk about something else, since he wasn’t there, and he could rejoin the conversation when the new subject was established. He dried his face and went back to the table.

“Stone,” Genevieve was saying, “while you were gone, Eliza and I were talking about having a little dinner party at Dino’s and my house. Saturday night? We’d all love to meet… what was her name?”

“Tatiana,” Stone said through clenched teeth.

“Can you come Saturday?”

“I’m sorry, but we’ve accepted an invitation to dinner in Connecticut that night, so we’re going up for the weekend.”

Genevieve smiled sweetly. “What a pity. I was sure it would be something like that.”

Dino turned to his girlfriend. “Genevieve,” he said softly but with an edge, “put a sock in it.”

She swiveled toward Dino but was met with a steely gaze. “I’m sorry, Stone,” she said, a little sheepishly.

At that moment the heavens opened for Stone along with the door to the restaurant, and Tatiana walked in, looking fresh and ready for the evening. Stone, vastly relieved, stood up and kissed her on the lips. “Tatiana Orlovsy, this is Dino, Genevieve, Eliza, Edgar and Elaine.”

“I’m so pleased to meet all of you,” Tatiana said, taking an offered chair next to Stone. She turned to him. “The men finished half an hour ago, and you’d never know anything had happened in the kitchen.”

“I’m really glad you could make it,” Stone said. He turned to the others. “Tatiana had a small fire in her kitchen last night, but there was no serious damage.”

“No,” Tatiana said, “just smoke and water, and it cleaned up nicely.” A waiter brought her a menu, and she ordered.

Stone watched and listened as, for the rest of the evening, Tatiana charmed and amused everybody except, maybe, Genevieve.

In the cab home, Stone kissed Tatiana. “I can’t tell you how glad I was to see you this evening.”

“Just what every girl wants to hear,” she replied, kissing him back.

“I used to go out with Eliza before she and Edgar were married, and Genevieve has been giving me a hard time about it.”

“Well,” Tatiana said, “she won’t do that while I’m around. You’re now under my protection. Oh, I talked to my lawyer, and he’s applied for a subpoena for Henry’s financial records.”

“Good.”

“I still wonder how you know about those expenses.”

“Trade secret,” Stone said, then changed the subject.

56

When Stone got to his desk the following morning there was a message from Bill Eggers on his desk. It read: “Get your ass over here.”

Stone buzzed Joan. “Is this note on my desk your interpretation of what Eggers said?”

“No. That’s what he said verbatim.”

“Thanks.” Stone hung up and got into his jacket.

Stone reached Bill Eggers’s office seconds ahead of Harlan Deal.

“Sit down, gentlemen,” Eggers said.

They sat.

“Stone,” Eggers said, “it grieves me to hear that you are, once again, the principal suspect – in fact, the only suspect – in the tampering with yet another female friend of Harlan.”

“Frankly, Bill,” Stone said, “I’m getting a little tired of this.”

“So is Harlan,” Eggers replied, “which is my point. Do you deny this?”

“Let me lay this out for you both as clearly as I can,” Stone said. “I was invited to dinner at Harlan’s home last Sunday evening – at the last possible moment, I might add – and I believe I caught sight of you, Bill, across a crowded room. I also encountered the lovely Carla there, in the company of Barton Cabot, so I naturally assumed that Harlan’s purpose in asking me there was to observe me in her company, which I thought was a petty thing to do.”

Deal came to life. “Now wait a minute-”

“When I’m finished, Harlan,” Stone said. “While in Harlan’s apartment I encountered another woman, who explained to me, in due course, that she was an unattached female and was amenable to seeing me socially. We spent the rest of the evening together and all our free time since then, and if Harlan doesn’t like it, he can go-”

“Stone!” Eggers interjected at the last possible moment. “Let’s try to maintain a sense of decorum.”

“I don’t see the need for that any more than I see the need for Harlan to concern himself with whom I take out,” Stone replied. “He’s not my client, and I owe him nothing, certainly not any explanation.”

“Harlan,” Eggers said in a fatherly tone, “I believe Stone has a point, too. You’re both grown men, and if you insist on competing for the same women, one of you is going to win and the other is going to lose. ‘It’s the law of the jungle,’ as someone once said in an old movie, ‘and the way the cookie crumbles.’ ”

Deal sat and stared at Eggers but said nothing.

“Furthermore, Harlan,” Eggers continued, “I am not grateful for the opportunity to involve myself in yours and Stone’s petty differences, and I would appreciate it if it did not become necessary for me to do so again. This is a business relationship, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Deal finally got a word in. “You’re quite right, Bill, and I apologize for having brought you into this. You and your firm have served me well, and I don’t want you to think that I’m not grateful.”

“Thank you, Harlan,” Eggers began but was cut off.

“But if you ever again let this person,” he waved in the general direction of Stone, “near any piece of business related to me, I will yank my account from this firm in short order. I hope we understand each other.”

“We do, Harlan,” Eggers said.

“I bid you good day,” Deal said, then departed the room.

Stone started to get up but was pushed back into his chair by Eggers’s voice.

“You,” Eggers said, “had better take what he just said as gospel, because Harlan and Charlie Crow have put together a new real estate company; they’re going to take it public, and this firm is handling all the legal work, including the IPO, and you will not fuck it up by so slavishly following your dick anywhere near it. Do I make myself clear?”

“Bill,” Stone said, “I did not invite myself to this party. You brought me in, so it is incumbent upon you to keep me out of it. I would like never to see that man again under any circumstances.” He stood up. “I will go now.”

“No objections,” Eggers said, then he leaned forward in his chair. “Who’s the lady?”

“Her name is Tatiana Orlovsky, and she’s dynamite!” Stone said, then walked out. All the way down the hall he could hear Eggers laughing.

Stone returned to his office, and as he walked in, a strange man sitting in the waiting area stood up.