Strategic Moves (Stone Barrington 19)

“I trust you found competent counsel.”

“I found them; whether they were competent is another matter. I wish I’d gone with your firm. What does ‘of counsel’ mean?”

“It means I’m not a partner, and I work from my own offices.”

“Hmmm,” she said. “Are you what they call a fixer?”

“I’ve been called worse,” Stone said, “but all attorneys are fixers, or at least they’d better be, if they want to hold on to their clients.”

“And what clients do you represent?” she asked.

“I range across the client list,” Stone replied, “but my principal responsibility is a company called Strategic Services.”

“Oh, I read an article in Vanity Fair about them last year,” she said. “Very interesting outfit.”

“They are, indeed.”

“I’m impressed, Mr. Barrington.”

“Stone.”

“And I’m Adele,” she said. “Perhaps we could talk later about Woodman & Weld handling my affairs.”

“I’d be happy to introduce you to the managing partner, Bill Eggers,” Stone said, “but I’m not sure I want a business relationship with you.”

“And why not?” she asked.

“I’d rather take you to dinner and discuss that,” Stone said.

She smiled for the first time. “What a good idea,” she replied.

FOUR

The party eventually waned, and Stone escorted Adele Lansdown down to street level to look for a cab.

“I’ve got my car,” Adele said. “I’ll give you a ride.”

They got into a white Mercedes sedan and were driven away. Stone gave the driver his address.

“Is that Turtle Bay?” Adele asked.

“Yes; I have a house there.”

“I’d like to see it,” she said. “I’ve always thought that an interesting neighborhood.”

The car parked out front, and they went inside, where Stone began turning on lights.

“This is very handsome,” Adele said, looking around the living room and dining room. “Beautiful woodwork.”

“My father did all the woodwork in the house,” Stone said. “In fact, this was his first big job, for my mother’s aunt. She left me the house some years ago, and I renovated it.”

“You did a lovely job. You did everything yourself?”

“I hired an electrician and a plumber and some casual labor, but the rest I did myself. Come, I’ll show you the kitchen and garden.” He led her downstairs, walked her through the kitchen, then opened the doors to the garden.

“Oh, a common garden,” Adele enthused. “How pleasant.”

“In warmer weather, yes,” Stone said, taking her back indoors. “Would you like to see the bedrooms?”