Dirt (Stone Barrington 2) - Page 23

DIRT

Greetings, earthlings! Check out our dear Allan Peebles in the snaps below! Nice to know, isn’t it, that the fellow who has outed so many folks over the past couple of years is now out himself! This little photo op occurred in Allan’s backyard only last evening. The “rider” was booked by a very discreet Beverly Hills service that provides company for the lonely in the guise of pizza deliveries after dark. Word is, you can order just about any combination of goodies your little hearts desire!

Allan, who’s been playing the part of a divorced gentleman and father, was married to the boss’s daughter, you know. We hear that in order to get pregnant the lady had to very carefully calculate her moment, then wear a sailor suit to arouse dear Allan’s interest long enough for a transfer of seed!

Let’s see if this makes the front page of this week’s Infiltrator!

“Well,” Stone said, “it looks as if this little sheet has coast-to-coast coverage, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” Amanda said, taking back the fax and staring at the photographs, which made her want to vomit, because they were so similar in nature to the one of her that had appeared in the sheet. “Mind you, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“What does this do for your investigation?” she asked.

“Broadens it considerably, I should think,” he replied.

Chapter 13

Arnie Millman waddled into Stone’s office and plopped into a chair. Arnie had been retired from the force for fifteen years, and he looked like half a million elderly Jewish retirees in New York City, making him ideal for surveillance.

“You putting on weight, Arnie?” Stone asked.

“Always. It’s my wife’s cheesecake; I can’t help myself.”

“You up for a little work?”

“Why not? The money I can use.”

Stone handed him a sheet of paper. “Two people: Helen Charlson and Barry White. They both work for a client of mine, a gossip columnist type, and some confidential information is leaking out of the client’s office. The girl has a boyfriend, I’m told, and the guy is gay; don’t know who he sees. I want you to find out who their principal social contacts are and run brief checks on those people – employment particularly. I’m especially interested in anybody working in the media, especially entertainment.”

“When you need it?” Arnie asked, making notes.

“Soonest; a week, outside.”

Arnie nodded. “You want me to wire them?”

“Arnie, I’ve still got a license to practice law, and I want to keep it.”

“Stone, you know I’d never let it get back to you. I’m just a meddlesome old man who knows a lot of cops who wouldn’t turn him in for something like that.”

“I’ll leave it to you, then, but we never talked about it.”

“Of course not.”

“I’d like to know whether either of them has a lot of debt, is very short of money, or has been spending beyond his or her means, especially in cash. Let’s extend that to their lovers, as well.”

“If you want all this that fast, I’m going to need to bring in a couple guys.”

“As long as they never hear of me.”

“Budget?”

“Ample, but not open-ended.”

“Gotcha.” Arnie got up and sauntered out of the office.

Stone’s secretary buzzed him. “Line one, here come de judge.”

Tags: Stuart Woods Stone Barrington Mystery
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