Unnatural Acts (Stone Barrington 23)

“I can understand why.”

“Shelley must have felt comfortable with the situation, because she got up and started toward Dino. Something startled her-nobody knows what-and she started shooting, hit Dino with her first round. By that time, Viv DeCarlo was on her feet and firing. Put one into her chest and knocked her backward. Shelley played possum for a few seconds, and then tried to shoot again, so Viv fired a second time. Both her shots were expert quality. Then it was over, except to transport Dino and take witness statements. There’ll be a hearing on the shooting, and if the Bureau is asked to send somebody, you might have a word with him about not making an ass of himself. Everybody on the panel will be NYPD, except somebody from the civilian review board.”

“I guess we can live with that,” Kerry said. “I’ll have a word with the director about it. Maybe I’ll testify myself, since I was Shelley’s immediate superior.”

“That would be the graceful thing to do,” Stone said.

“Can I buy you dinner tonight?”

“I’m seeing a lady who is taking up all of my evenings, but next time you’re in town, Dino and I will feed you.”

“Deal,” Kerry said, standing up. “Let me thank your girl for the coffee.”

“Watch it, Kerry.”

“Sorry.” He excused himself and left.

Joan came in. “He was very nice,” she said. “Thanked me for the coffee.”

“He wasn’t all that nice-he called you a girl.”

Joan batted her eyes. “The man’s a regular knight in shining armor.”

58

Stone pulled his car up to the entrance of Lenox Hill Hospital and waited five minutes before Dino appeared in a wheelchair, his left arm in a sling.

Stone got out and opened the door for him. It was raining lightly, and the hospital orderly held an umbrella over Dino’s head. Stone closed the car door and got in. “That’s a very nice bullet hole through your suit,” he said, “front and back.”

“Yeah, I’ve got to have it rewoven. A nurse got the blood out, though.”

“That?

??s above and beyond the call,” Stone said, driving away. “Does your shoulder hurt?”

“Not while there’s enough Oxycontin in the world.”

“If you run out, I’m sure there’s plenty in the precinct evidence locker,” Stone said.

“Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. Kerry Smith came to see me.”

“Yeah, he came to see me, too.”

“Is that why he didn’t mention my not calling his agent-in-charge about Shelley?”

“I’m sure he was just trying to be a nice guy.”

“A nice guy? In the Bureau?”

“Don’t be too hard on him-he offered to testify at your hearing.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that. The good thing is, the civilian review board will love him.”

“You done anything about Viv?”

“What, exactly, do you mean by that?”

“Did you get her decorated?”