“Oh, I’ll call Ralph in the morning and square that with him.” She turned and took him by a lapel. “Did you really think I would spout all that stuff without being able to back it up?”
“Frankly, yes. I had no idea where that was coming from, and it would have been nice if you had tipped me off before you said it.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” she said.
“And what about the Hockney? Did you have that all squared, too?”
“Well, Rita took me to the gallery, and I saw a Hockney there. I figured something could be done.”
“Mitzi, if you continue this high-wire act, you’re going to give me a coronary,” Stone said.
“Yeah,” Tom echoed from the front seat, “she gives me coronaries all the time. You’d better get used to it.”
“Tell me about your own little monkey wrench,” Mitzi said.
“What are you talking about?” Stone asked.
“I’m talking about Carrie Cox,” she said. “God, what a scene.”
“Well, I had no idea she was going to be there,” Stone said lamely. “I hustled her out of there as fast as I could.”
“And did you tell her I’m a cop?”
“I had to; she would have blown you on the spot.”
“Talk about high-wire acts,” Mitzi said, laughing. “You know, I think she actually lent some credibility to our little farce. Even her jealous act helped.”
“I hope you’re right,” Stone said.
“So, you and Carrie are an item,” Mitzi said.
“I told you, I’ve done some legal work for her.”
“Well, I guess it was legal,” Mitzi replied. “I mean, she is of age, isn’t she?”
AT 740 PARK,Stone walked Mitzi to her door.
She kissed him on the cheek. “By the way,” she said, “you acquitted yourself very well yesterday afternoon.”
“I must say, that was a surprise,” Stone said.
“Judging from the look on your face, I’d say it was a shock!”
“Well…”
“Let’s do it again sometime.”
“Absolutely,” Stone tried to say with confidence. He was still a little rattled by the experience.
“And Rita feels the same way,” Mitzi said. “Good night.” She gave him a little wave and went into the building.
Stone got into the front seat of the Bentley. “That woman is something,” he said to Tom.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Tom replied.
23
THE FOLLOWING DAY STONE WENT to the stage door of the Del Wood Theater, gave his name to the watchman, introducing himself as Carrie’s attorney, and went and stood in the wings.