Beads of sweat appeared on Herbie’s brow. “I felt very confident that, given my education, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Who did you get to, Herbie? And how much did it cost you?”
“Well, if you’ll excuse us, gentlemen,” Herbie said with a little bow. “My ladies and I have an appointment elsewhere.”
“Yeah,” Dino muttered, “in the backseat of a cab.”
Herbie swept his two companions out of the restaurant.
“Bill,” Stone said, “what were you thinking?”
“Stone,” Eggers replied, “you are obviously overlooking the public-relations effect of our handling a case against a…”
“Mafia chieftain, I believe the newspaper description goes.”
“Yes, Mafia chieftain.”
Dino spoke up. “Have you considered the public-relations effect of being found dead in a landfill?”
“Really, Dino, it’s obvious that this Carmen…what’s his name?”
“Carmine Dattila.” Dino spelled it for him.
“It’s obvious that Mr. Dattila has never been confronted in open court by a powerful law firm.”
“Carmine Dattila has been confronted in open court a number of times by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who is a member of a fairly powerful law firm called the U.S. Department of Justice,” Dino said. “And there ain’t a mark on him.”
“C’mon,” Stone said, rising. “Let’s get Clarence Darrow here into a cab before he decides to sue God.”
3
Stone was drinking coffee at his desk the following morning when his secretary, Joan Robertson, appeared at the door.
“Got a minute?” Joan, a pretty June Allyson look-alike somewhere in her forties, ran Stone’s office and Stone, as well.
“Sure, come on in. Bring coffee, if you like.”
“Thanks, I’ve had mine,” Joan said, sitting down. “Time to talk of unpleasant things.”
“How unpleasant?”
“Not all that bad, really, just chronic.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, your monthly draw from Woodman and Weld just about covers my salary, the utilities and the copying machine, but only about half of what it costs you to live.”
“And your point is?”
“We need a case now and then to pay, among other things, your monthly bill at Elaine’s and to keep you in the black. You haven’t, for instance, saved any money for the past three months.”
“I’m aware of all that,” Stone said. “More or less.”
“Be more aware. Make rain.”
“What do you want me to do, chase ambulances?”
“A nice personal-injury suit that lends itself to a quick settlement would do nicely.”