Dirt (Stone Barrington 2)

Stone sighed. “All right; when will you do it?”

“I’ll spend some time with her, and I’ll call you on Monday.”

“All right, Amanda, but it can’t wait any longer than that.”

“Good-bye, darling; I’m so glad you liked the watch.” She hung up.

Dino walked into P.J. Clark’s at four o’clock. It was too early for the after-work trade, and the place was deserted, except for a man at the opposite end of the bar. He was wearing a cashmere overcoat, and an expensive briefcase was parked on the bar next to him. There was also a large whiskey in front of him. Dino walked over. “Mr. Elliot?”

“Lieutenant Bacchetti?” He stuck out his hand. “Take a pew.”

Dino pulled up a stool.

“Something to drink?”

“I’ll have a beer,” Dino said to the bartender. He waited until the beer had been served and the bartender had retreated before continuing. “Now,” he said to Elliot, “a few general questions.”

“All right. I hope you understand that I didn’t want to talk about this on the phone.”

“Of course. Now, Arrington Carter brought a man named Jonathan Dryer to your party, is that correct?”

“She brought a young man; I didn’t get his name.”

“During the party did you notice whether this young man might have visited some part of your apartment that a party guest might not ordinarily visit?”

“He used the bathroom in the master suite,” Elliot said.

“Is that bathroom near where you kept the pistol?”

“Only a few feet away.”

“What about the control panel for your burglar alarm? Where is that located in your apartment?”

“In a linen closet just outside the master suite.”

“So Dryer might have had access to that?”

“Very possibly.”

“All right, let’s talk about the twenty-five automatic.”

“Before we do,” Elliot said, “you have to understand something.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“I’m a lawyer, and I can’t afford to lose my license over something like this.”

“I understand.”

“Whatever passes between us in this conversation is just between you and me. If it ever comes up again, in any context, I’ll deny everything.”

“All right, Mr. Elliot, I understand you; now you have to understand me. Your gun may have been used to murder a police officer. When we make an arrest, you’re going to have to identify the gun, and if we can’t find it, testify to the type and how it might have left your possession. As a lawyer, you certainly understand that.”

Elliot went to his next negotiating position. “All right, but I won’t testify unless I have complete immunity.”

“I think I can probably arrange that,” Dino replied.

“That’s not good enough. I want your personal word that you won’t ask me to testify unless you can get me immunity.”