New York Dead

my job. I’ll forget all that, and when the next batch of detective thirds cruises into the precinct, I’ll give ‘em the pep talk, tell ‘em how it was when I was scratching for promotion, how hard I worked on a case, how many righteous busts I had. I’ll be a hard ass, just like Leary — shit, worse than Leary.” “Sure, you will.”
    Dino picked up the heavy doubles glass and heaved it across the bar. The mirror on the other side shattered, and chunks of glass fell among the liquor bottles, breaking some of them.
    The dozen people standing at the bar and the two bartenders froze, staring at Dino.
    Finally, a bartender, a red-haired, freckle-faced Irishman who looked right off the boat, spoke up. “The last one o’ dose got broke cost eight hundred bucks, Dino,” he said sadly. “And that was six, seven years ago. They prob’ly went up.” He looked at the mess, shaking his head. “And dere’s the booze, too.” Dino put a fifty-dollar bill on the bar. “That’s for our drinks, Danny,” he said calmly, “and the change is for your trouble. Send me a bill for the rest.”
    The bartender nodded and began picking up glass. The customers went back to their drinking as if nothing had happened.
    Outside, the rain had stopped, and the night had turned clear and frosty. Dino hailed a cab. “Stone,” he said, while the cab waited, “I owe you. I’m always gonna owe you. You call me any time you need something. Anytime.” Stone nodded. They shook hands. Dino got into the cab and drove off into the night. Stone walked home thinking that both he and Dino had done all right out of Sasha Nijinsky’s trouble.
    The only loser had been Hank Morgan.

Chapter
34

    Stone sat in Frank Woodman’s large office and sipped strong coffee.
    “Stone, I’m very pleased that you’re going to be… associated with us,” Woodman was saying. “I think that, with your help, we can take what has been a nongainful irritant and turn it into a profit center for the firm. That’s with you fully on board, of course, after our initial feeling-out period.” “Frank, I should tell you that, for the long term, I’m really more interested in a general practice than solely criminal work, and I’d appreciate it if, after I’m admitted to the bar, you’d consider putting me on an occasional noncriminal case.” “I understand your feelings, and I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Warren Weld, the other name on the door, spoke up. “Are you interested in corporate work, Stone?”
    “Not really, Warren. I think I’d prefer to represent individuals.”
    “That puts you right back in Frank’s bailiwick, then.” Weld stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I’ve got a meeting. Welcome aboard, Stone.”
    They shook hands, and Weld left, leaving only Frank Woodman and Bill Eggers in the room with Stone.
    “Bill, you take Stone back to your office, will you? I’ve got a client coming in.” Woodman stood and shook Stone’s hand. “I think Bill already has a couple of things for you, Stone. He’ll brief you.” They returned to Eggers’s office and sat down.
    “Frank had a word with your banker yesterday — we keep our trust account at your branch, so we have a little pull there. You’re off the hook for the principal reduction they were demanding. You’ll still have to make the interest payment, though.” “Thank you, Bill, that’s good news.”
    Eggers handed him an envelope. “And here’s ten grand against your retainer.”
    “You’re full of good news,” Stone said. “Thanks again.”
    “Not at all.” Eggers looked at his watch. “There’s somebody I want you to meet, Stone. He’s due in here in ten minutes.”
    “A client?”
    “Son of a client. The father is Robert Keene, of Keene, Bailey & Miller advertising.”
    “I don’t know them.”
    “The three partners left Young & Rubicam fifteen years ago and set up on their own. Now they’re a medium-sized agency well known for good creative work. Warren Weld represents the agency, and I represent Bob personally. Bob Keene is as nice a guy as you’d want to meet.” “And the boy?”
    “That’s why I want you to meet him. I want your opinion. Bobby Junior is a senior at Brown, and there’s a daterape accusation against him by a girl student. She turned him in to the administration, and, when she wasn’t happy with the level of support she got, she added his name to a list of alleged date rapists on the ladies’ room wall in her dormitory.