New York Dead (Stone Barrington 1)

Stone sat in Frank Woodman’s large office and sipped strong coffee.

“Stone, I’m very pleased that you’re going to be… associated with us,” Woodman was saying. “I think that, with your help, we can take what has been a nongainful irritant and turn it into a profit center for the firm. That’s with you fully on board, of course, after our initial feeling-out period.”

“Frank, I should tell you that, for the long term, I’m really more interested in a general practice than solely criminal work, and I’d appreciate it if, after I’m admitted to the bar, you’d consider putting me on an occasional noncriminal case.”

“I understand your feelings, and I’ll keep that in mind.”

Warren Weld, the other name on the door, spoke up. “Are you interested in corporate work, Stone?”

“Not really, Warren. I think I’d prefer to represent individuals.”

“That puts you right back in Frank’s bailiwick, then.” Weld stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I’ve got a meeting. Welcome aboard, Stone.”

They shook hands, and Weld left, leaving only Frank Woodman and Bill Eggers in the room with Stone.

“Bill, you take Stone back to your office, will you? I’ve got a client coming in.” Woodman stood and shook Stone’s hand. “I think Bill already has a couple of things for you, Stone. He’ll brief you.”

They returned to Eggers’s office and sat down.

“Frank had a word with your banker yesterday – we keep our trust account at your branch, so we have a little pull there. You’re off the hook for the principal reduction they were demanding. You’ll still have to make the interest payment, though.”

“Thank you, Bill, that’s good news.”

Eggers handed him an envelope. “And here’s ten grand against your retainer.”

“You’re full of good news,” Stone said. “Thanks again.”

“Not at all.” Eggers looked at his watch. “There’s somebody I want you to meet, Stone. He’s due in here in ten minutes.”

“A client?”

“Son of a client. The father is Robert Keene, of Keene, Bailey amp; Miller advertising.”

“I don’t know them.”

“The three partners left Young amp; Rubicam fifteen years ago and set up on their own. Now they’re a medium-sized agency well known for good creative work. Warren Weld represents the agency, and I represent Bob personally. Bob Keene is as nice a guy as you’d want to meet.”

“And the boy?”

“That’s why I want you to meet him. I want your opinion. Bobby Junior is a senior at Brown, and there’s a daterape accusation against him by a girl student. She turned him in to the administration, and, when she wasn’t happy with the level of support she got, she added his name to a list of alleged date rapists on the ladies’ room wall in her dormitory. Bobby denies everything, and he seems credible. No criminal charges have been filed, yet, but if they are, and, if we feel he’s innocent, I want to go on the offensive – sue the girl for defamation, sue the university for allowing his name to remain painted on a bathroom wall, really blast them. And we’ll call in a top gun to defend him.

“On the other hand, if he’s really guilty, I’ll insist that he abjectly apologize to the girl and the administration, and try to avoid criminal proceedings and keep him in school. That would certainly be cheaper for his father, but Bob Senior is willing to do what it takes to defend the boy if he’s innocent.”

“What does the father think about the boy’s guilt or innocence?”

“Oddly, he doesn’t seem to have an opinion. I think that, what with the work it’s taken to build his business, he hasn’t spent a hell of a lot of time with the boy, and they’ve grown apart. We can’t solve that problem for them, but I hope we can give Bob Senior good advice on how to proceed.”

“I’ll be glad to meet the boy.”

“As a cop, you must have gained some insight over the years as to whether an accused man is guilty or not – I don’t mean reading the evidence, I mean reading the man.”

“I think I have. It doesn’t always work, of course. I’ve been fooled before; so has every cop.”

“I want you to question the boy, pull out all the stops, see if you can shake his story.”

“You want him cross-examined, as if I were representing the girl?”

“I want him questioned, as if he were a suspect.”