Page 62 of Black Dog

“I’ll have a look around for theConcise Oxford.”

“Good.”

Joan came into his office half an hour later and handed him theConcise Oxford. “There you go.”

“Thanks, where’d you find it?”

“I didn’t, Helene did.”

“Okay, where’d Helene find it?”

“You know those two guest rooms that you turned into a suite for Peter when he came to live here?”

“Yes.”

“There.” She started out of the room.

“Wait a minute.”

Joan stopped.

“How’d myConcise Oxfordget into Peter’s suite? I use it every day, and I haven’t been in that suite for, what, a year? And Peter stays at the Carlyle now, when he visits.”

“Beats me.” She placed a hand on the book. “You want me to slap it around until it talks?”

“Oh, never mind.” He snatched the book away.

Stone set the dictionary on his desk and went upstairs to Peter’s suite. It was in perfect order. He walked around the two rooms and looked in the bedroom closet. There were a half dozen suits and jackets hanging there. Well, he said to himself, I guess Peter keeps a few things here for when he visits, even if he doesn’t visit anymore. He went back down to his office and sat down, staring at the beautifully bound book; he had bought it in London many years ago. The way the light caught it, he could see a partial fingerprint on the leather. He thought about that for a minute, then he scribbled a note and stuck it inside the cover, gingerly dropped the dictionary into a book mailer, and buzzed for Joan.

“What’s up, boss?”

“Are you going to go on calling me that? You’re richer than I am, for God’s sake.”

“Habit,” she said.

He handed her the book envelope. “Will you messenger this down to Dino for me, please?”

“Doesn’t the police commissioner have a dictionary?”

“I expect so. I just want him to run the fingerprints.”

“What fingerprints?”

“The ones on the dictionary.”

“I’ll save me the trouble,” she said, “you’ll find mine, yours, and Helene’s. Maybe Peter’s, if fingerprints last that long.”

“Humor me, please.”

She picked up the package and flounced out of his office.

“And don’t flounce!” he called after her.

“Why not?” she called back. “I’m richer than you!”

Stone massaged his temples and the back of his neck.

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