“One of them is dead, probably because he was unhappy with his cut of the deal.”
“You’re just saying that to make me shut up about my cut of this deal.”
“I’m just telling you the facts.”
“So what does this have to do with anything?”
“One of the other three guys turned up at P. J. Clarke’s yesterday; Bob saw him at the bar.”
“And?”
“And then he vanished.”
“In a puff of smoke?”
“No. Bob looked away, and when he looked back, the guy was gone.”
“What does this mean?”
“I think that Bob thinks that this guy was – is still – unhappy with his cut.”
“And that he stole Barton’s secretary to get even?”
“To get more than even. That’s my theory, anyway, not Bob’s, because he doesn’t know about the secretary.”
Dino looked uncomfortable.
“Dino, when you mentioned Barton Cabot to Bob Cantor, did you also mention the secretary?”
“At the time, there was no reason why I shouldn’t, was there?” Dino asked, defensively.
“I guess not,” Stone said.
“And I can’t talk to Bob about this, because of your conscience?”
“If it becomes necessary, I’ll talk to him.”
“So who is this disappearing guy?”
“I don’t know,” Stone said, “but I may have a way to find out.”
12
When Stone got home, he called the cell phone number he had for Lance Cabot and left a message. The following morning, early, Lance called him back. “Good morning, Stone.”
Stone tried to wake up fast. “Yeah, good morning.” His bedside clock said 5:46 A.M.
“You really should get an earlier start to your day,” Lance said.
“You’d get more done.”
Stone ignored that. “I need your help on something, Lance.”
“Is this something to do with Barton’s secretary?”
“Yes.”
“What, exactly, do you need?”