Unnatural Acts (Stone Barrington 23)

“I’ll call you for lunch again, and you can take me shopping.”

Stone and Herbie put Brennan into a cab, then hailed one for themselves.

“Man oh man,” Herbie said, “I’m investing with Marshall Brennan! I would never have been able to swing that on my own.”

“If it’s any consolation, Herb, neither would I,” Stone said.

13

Dino looked morosely around P.J. Clarke’s. “I don’t think I can have dinner here every night,” he said. “There are too many people I don’t know.”

“I know how you feel,” Stone said, enjoying his second meal of the day at Clarke’s. “Maybe after we’ve been coming here as long as we went to Elaine’s, it’ll be better.”

“Do we have to wait that long?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“How about ‘21’?” Dino asked.

“I was in there the other night. Too many of the people were kids in their twenties who shouldn’t be able to afford ‘21.’”

“You put your finger on it,” Dino said. “Them and rich people from out of town. I liked it better in the old days.”

“Everything was better in the old days,” Stone agreed.

“We sound like a couple of codgers,” Dino said.

“Speak for yourself, pal. I’m not in codgerdom yet.”

“Then why are we talking about the old days?”

“They weren’t the old days, until Elaine died. Now, suddenly, they’re the old days.”

“That’s how codgerdom happens,” Dino pointed out. “One day, you’re just a regular guy, having dinner three times a week at his favorite joint, then the next day the joint closes, and wham! You’re a codger. You’ve got all of Arrington’s money now,” Dino said. “Why didn’t you buy Elaine’s?”

“The restaurant business is a kind of hell,” Stone replied. “Either you don’t have a social life, because you’re there all the time, or you aren’t there all the time and the employees steal you blind. And even if I had bought it, I’m not Elaine.”

“Nobody is,” Dino agreed.

The headwaiter brought two attractive women into the back room and seated them next to Stone and Dino. Neither was wearing a wedding ring.

“Did you tip that guy?” Dino whispered.

“No, but I’m going to.”

“Evening, ladies,” Dino said to the two. “Will you join us for a drink?”

The two women exchanged glances. “Thanks,” one of them said, “but we’ll stay on our own. We’ll buy you a drink, though.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve had in this millennium,” Dino said. He introduced himself and Stone. The women were named Rita and Marla.

The drinks came, and Dino raised his glass. “To chance meetings,” he said. “If you’re having dinner, let’s pull our tables together.”

The women agreed, and they managed to make two tables one.

“What do you gentlemen do?” Rita asked.

“I’m a lieutenant of the NYPD,” Dino said. “Stone is only a lawyer.”