Stone Barrington 06-11

it?”
    “You’ve got the perfect means of staying single now. Every time some broad presses you to marry her, all you’ve got to say is, that you’re already married, and your wife won’t give you a divorce.” Dino suppressed a laugh, but not well. “And you’ll be telling the truth. Millions of guys would envy you!”
    “You don’t happen to know an Italian divorce lawyer, do you?”
    “Nope, and can you imagine what will happen if you get one, and then he finds out who you’re trying to divorce?”
    “What?”
    “Come on, Stone, Eduardo is probably better known to Italian lawyers than to American ones.”
    “You really know how to make a guy’s day, Dino.”
    “Always happy to spread a little cheer.”
    “See you around.”
    “Bye.”
    Stone hung up, looked at his watch, then called Marc Blumberg’s office.
    “Yeah, Stone?”
    “Marc, I’m glad you’re back from Palm Springs. Can I come and see you? I need some legal advice, on a subject not connected to our present case.”
    “Sure, come on over; I’ll make time.”

    Stone was surprised to find Vanessa Pike in Marc’s office, and relieved to see her fully dressed. “Hi, Vanessa,” he said.
    “I was going to run Vanessa home, as soon as I made a couple of calls,” Marc said. “What can I do for you?” He looked at Stone, then at Vanessa. “Honey, can you go powder your nose?”
    Vanessa got up, opened a door in the corner of Blumberg’s large office, and closed it behind her.
    “What’s up?” Marc asked.
    “You do divorce work, don’t you?”
    “Who are we talking about getting divorced?”
    “Me.”
    “Sure, I do divorce work, but first the client has to be married.”
    Stone placed the letter from Bellini and the marriage certificate on Marc’s desk.
    Marc read the letter. “Wow,” he said. “You’re pals with Cardinal Bellini?”
    “He was supposed to officiate at my wedding, in Venice. We had a civil ceremony on a Saturday, and it was my understanding that it wasn’t valid until we had the religious ceremony. The call came about Vance’s death before that could take place, and the next thing I knew, I was on a plane for L.A.”
    “This Bellini is a real heavyweight, you know,” Marc said, and there was awe in his voice.
    “Marc, focus, please! This is a marriage in name only; it wasn’t even consummated—at least, after the ceremony.”
    “And who is”—he looked at the marriage certificate—“Rosaria Bianchi?” His face fell. “She’s not … She couldn’t be …”
    Stone nodded dumbly.
    “Eduardo Bianchi’s daughter?” His eyebrows went up. “Stone, I’m looking at you in a whole new light, here.”
    “I want out of this so-called marriage, Marc. How do I go about that?”
    “Before we go into that, Stone, let me ask you something, something serious.”
    “What?”
    “Are you looking to piss off Eduardo Bianchi? I assume you know exactly who he is.”
    “I know who he is, and I like him. He likes me, I think, or he did when he thought I was going to be his son-in-law.”
    “Have you told him about this?”
    “He was at the ceremony, Marc.”
    “I mean, have you told him you want a divorce from his daughter?”
    “I don’t think he even knows the marriage is valid, but he knows that Dolce and I are no longer together. He was pretty understanding about it.”
    “Well, for your sake, I hope to hell he’s going to be understanding about it. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes, if he decides not to be understanding.”
    “Marc, what am I going to do? How do I get out of this?”
    “Well, assuming that you can find a way to stay alive, the situation shouldn’t be all that bad. I once worked with an attorney in Milan on a divorce case.” He looked at his watch. “It’s too late there to call him now, but I’ll call him in the morning, and we can see where we stand. I’m assuming Ms. Bianchi wants out, too.”
    “Don’t assume that,” Stone said.
    “What should I assume?”
    “Assume the worst.”
    Vanessa came out of the powder room. “May I reappear now?”
    “Sure, honey,” Marc said, “we’re done, for the moment.”
    Stone got up to leave.
    “Oh, Stone,” Marc said, “would you mind giving Vanessa a lift home? I’ve still got some work here.”
    “Sure.”
    “If it’s not out of your way,” Vanessa said.
    Stone shrugged. “I don’t know where I’m going, anyway.”

Forty

    S TONE FOLLOWED VANESSA’S INSTRUCTIONS TO A QUIET street up in the