Page 47 of Black Dog

“The Grill,” she replied. “Used to be the Four Seasons.”

“There you are, Dino,” Stone said. “Right under your nose the whole time.”

“Who was he lunching with?”

“The managing partner of my law firm,” she said.

“Whatever you do, don’t hire Junior,” Stone leapt in. “He tried that with us, and we barred him from the building. He tried to bribe the head of our personnel department.”

“I heard that he actually had bribed the fellow, and that he got tossed out on his ear.”

“You mustn’t believe every rumor you hear,” Stone said. “Cognac?”

“Oh, I checked out the story. It was all perfectly true. Yes, cognac, please.”

“He’s a suspect in the murder of his stepmother, Annetta Charles,” Dino said.

“He’s theonlysuspect,” Stone echoed. “And Dino and his merry band of detectives can’t find him anywhere.”

“I heard he’s living at his club,” Bridget said.

“The Yale Club?” Dino asked.

“The Athletic Club,” she replied.

“Excuse me for a moment, I have to make a call.” Dino stepped out of the study.

“Well,” Stone said, “that got rid of him, at last. Do you think you and I might have dinner without him very soon?”

“I think we might,” she replied.

Dino returned, breathless. “We nailed him at the Athletic Club!” he said. “I gotta go.”

“Of course you do, Dino,” Stone said. “Don’t let the doorknob hit you in the ass!” He turned his attention back to Bridget.

TWENTY-FOUR

Stone woke slowly. There was a pile of red hair on his shoulder, and his right arm was numb to the fingertips. A smooth leg was thrown over his own leg. A bell rang, signaling the arrival of the dumbwaiter.

Stone extracted his arm from under Bridget’s head and tried to move his fingers, which didn’t work. He got up and went to the dumbwaiter, slapping his right hand. Pins and needles ensued, and a moment later he could grip one side of the tray, sort of. He set it on the foot of the bed, then found a wicker stand, which he set between them. He kissed Bridget on the ear with a loud smack, and she raised her head and looked around.

“Hmm, I’m in a naked man’s bedroom,” she said to nobody in particular.

“It is I,” Stone said. “Breakfast is ready.” He found theremote control and raised the back of the bed until she was pointed at the tray.

“Ummm,” she muttered.

“I’ll take that as an affirmative,” Stone said, arranging a starched linen napkin over her naked breasts. “Bon appétit!”

“What?”

“That’s French for ‘wake up and eat.’ ”

She picked up a sausage and bit off the end. “Oh, yes!” she enthused, grabbing her fork and digging in.

They were both quiet until the food had been consumed.

“Did you kidnap me and bring me here?” she asked.

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