“We’d like to make a donation of five hundred thousand, Mr. Ellis.”
Ellis’s voice lit up. “Well, that’s very generous, Mr. Barrington.”
“And we’d like your personal assurance that the entire sum will be spent on the upgrading of your filming and editing equipment,” he said, “and we’d like to do it anonymously.”
“Of course, of course.”
“The check will go out today.” Stone said good-bye and hung up before Ellis could enthuse further.
Stone and Arrington were having coffee after lunch. Peter and Ben had gone to the movies.
“I told Joan to get you put on all my accounts at Chase,” Arrington said. “Banking and investment.”
“If that’s what you want,” Stone said.
“We have to get something straight,” Arrington said.
“All right.”
“I don’t know exactly how much money you make, and I don’t care, but I don’t expect you to make gifts of half a million dollars from your own resources. We’re married now, and as far as I’m concerned, what’s mine is yours. We’ll have joint accounts on everything. I’ve asked Joan to get us new checks reflecting that.”
“I’d prefer to go on paying for everything I’m accustomed to paying for,” Stone said.
“Whatever you wish,” she replied. “Just know that we’re never going to have an argument about money. If you think we should give Knickerbocker another million, just write the check.”
“I would be very uncomfortable doing such a thing without consulting you first,” Stone said.
She kissed him. “I trust you completely,” she said. “I’m aware that in the year since you and Woodman amp; Weld have been handling my finances, my net worth has increased more than thirty percent. That would never have happened under my old arrangement.”
“Thank you.”
“I also spoke to Bill Eggers about making a new will,” she said. “He suggested that you might feel better if I worked directly with him on that, instead of involving you.”
“Bill was right,” Stone replied.
“I have an appointment with him this afternoon. I know there are major tax issues, and I want everything taken care of immediately.”
“I recall that you were never a procrastinator,” Stone said.
“Not now or ever,” she said, laughing.
Late in the afternoon, Arrington came into Stone’s office and handed him two blue legal envelopes. “Here is the original of my will and one copy. Isn’t word processing wonderful? We got the whole business taken care of in two hours.”
“I’ll put them in the safe,” Stone said, buzzing Joan.
Joan came in, and he handed her both envelopes. “This is the original and a copy of Arrington’s new will,” he said. He took off his signet ring and handed it to her. “Seal both with wax, write the date on the envelope, and put them in the safe. I don’t ever want to see them.”
“Will do, boss,” she said, then she handed him a sheaf of papers.
“Chase messengered over these documents and the new checks. You both need to sign them.”
Stone and Arrington signed at the places indicated.
“There,” Arrington said, kissing him. “Now we are truly one, blessed by the Chase Private Bank.”
25
K elli Keane got off the elevator and stopped at the day editor’s desk on the way to her own. “Do we have someone who can search public records for us?”