Unnatural Acts (28 page)

“You all right?” Viv asked.

“I’m not used to seeing him like that,” Stone said. “I feel almost as if I took the bullet.”

“I know how you feel,” Viv said.

“He’s got the hots for you, you know.”

Her eyebrows went up. “What are you talking about?”

“You may have to take a transfer to deal with it. Dino will want to do the right thing.”

“Whatever it takes,” Viv said.

Stone gave her a hug. “You go home and get some sleep. That’s what Dino is doing.”

STONE WAS
at his desk the following morning when Joan buzzed him. “FBI Deputy Director Kerry Smith to see you,” she said.

“All right,” Stone sighed, “send him in, and you’d better get him some coffee, too.” He stood up and waited for Kerry to enter his office, then shook his hand and sat him down. “Good to see you, Kerry. What brings you to New York?”

“Was that supposed to be funny?” Kerry asked.

“It
was
funny,” Stone replied. “To anybody but a DD of the Bureau.”

“I’m going to see Dino, at the hospital, but first, I want to know what happened, and I’m sure you know.”

“You didn’t read the
Times
this morning?”

“Wasn’t much in the
Times
.”

“Well, it was right at their deadline, I guess. The
Post
will have a fuller account this afternoon.”

“It won’t have what I want to know.”

“You mean, you want to know why Dino didn’t call the Bureau before he met Shelley.”

“A good place to start,” Kerry said.

Joan brought in a small tray with a china coffeepot and a mug and set it on the coffee table, then left.

“He didn’t call your people because they’d have had big black vans with flashing lights in the street and a SWAT team in the Carlyle lobby.”

“Oh, come on!”

“You know that’s true. The Bureau is incapable of doing anything small, even when the situation demands it. Also, Shelley probably knew three-quarters of the New York field office by sight.”

“You have a point there,” Kerry admitted.

“Dino was smart enough to take only two detectives with him—both of them women.”

“I heard, and it was smart, I’ll give Dino that.”

“That’s mighty white of you.”

“I saw photos of Shelley’s body. She was unrecognizable—nose job, hair color, lots of new dental work. I swear, I wouldn’t have known her if I had been there, and I spent a couple of years in bed with her.”

“Nobody ever said Shelley was stupid,” Stone said.

“She was smart as a whip, and if she hadn’t been a woman, she’d have been in my job, and I in hers.”

“I expect that’s what made her so hard to nail,” Stone said. “I think her weakness was Dino.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope. The whole time we were in D.C. last year, she spent every night with Dino.”

“Well, of course, she was crazy, or she couldn’t have done what she did.”

“You mean Dino?”

“I mean half a dozen murders.”

“I’m sure the Bureau shrinks have had a wonderful time trying to figure that out.”

“You should see the reports—you can’t see the forest for the psychobabble.”

“Yeah, I’ve read a few of those.”

“Tell me about the DeCarlo girl.”

“For a start, you’d better not call her a girl around Dino—or around her, for that matter.”

“I guess not.”

“She’s probably a lot like a young Shelley,” Stone said.

“Is Dino putting her in for the Medal of Honor?”

“That would be a little over the top, but my guess is, he’ll get her the Police Combat Cross, because it fits her conduct, and he’ll probably get her kicked up to detective second class. Dino won’t sign the orders himself, but he knows whose shell-like ear to whisper into.”

“I expect he does.”

“My advice to you, Kerry, is, when you see Dino, don’t bring up your field office’s noninvolvement, and I wouldn’t mention it to anybody else in the department, either.”

“I suppose that would be resented.”

“All the way up to the commissioner. If you can’t see Dino without avoiding that, then don’t see him at all—just write him a nice note on your best stationery and copy the commissioner.”

“I’ll do both,” Kerry said. “Now, tell me what happened in that bar.”

“The girls went in first and established themselves at the bar. Dino came in a few minutes later and looked at every face in the room. He didn’t spot her.”

“I can understand why.”

“Shelley must have felt comfortable with the situation, because she got up and started toward Dino. Something startled her—nobody knows what—and she started shooting, hit Dino with her first round. By that time, Viv DeCarlo was on her feet and firing. Put one into her chest and knocked her backward. Shelley played possum for a few seconds, and then tried to shoot again, so Viv fired a second time. Both her shots were expert quality. Then it was over, except to transport Dino and take witness statements. There’ll be a hearing on the shooting, and if the Bureau is asked to send somebody, you might have a word with him about not making an ass of himself. Everybody on the panel will be NYPD, except somebody from the civilian review board.”

“I guess we can live with that,” Kerry said. “I’ll have a word with the director about it. Maybe I’ll testify myself, since I was Shelley’s immediate superior.”

“That would be the graceful thing to do,” Stone said.

“Can I buy you dinner tonight?”

“I’m seeing a lady who is taking up all of my evenings, but next time you’re in town, Dino and I will feed you.”

“Deal,” Kerry said, standing up. “Let me thank your girl for the coffee.”

“Watch it, Kerry.”

“Sorry.” He excused himself and left.

Joan came in. “He was very nice,” she said. “Thanked me for the coffee.”

“He wasn’t all that nice—he called you a girl.”

Joan batted her eyes. “The man’s a regular knight in shining armor.”

STONE PULLED
his car up to the entrance of Lenox Hill Hospital and waited five minutes before Dino appeared in a wheelchair, his left arm in a sling.

Stone got out and opened the door for him. It was raining lightly, and the hospital orderly held an umbrella over Dino’s head. Stone closed the car door and got in. “That’s a very nice bullet hole through your suit,” he said, “front and back.”

“Yeah, I’ve got to have it rewoven. A nurse got the blood out, though.”

“That’s above and beyond the call,” Stone said, driving away. “Does your shoulder hurt?”

“Not while there’s enough Oxycontin in the world.”

“If you run out, I’m sure there’s plenty in the precinct evidence locker,” Stone said.

“Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. Kerry Smith came to see me.”

“Yeah, he came to see me, too.”

“Is that why he didn’t mention my not calling his agent-in-charge about Shelley?”

“I’m sure he was just trying to be a nice guy.”

“A nice guy? In the Bureau?”

“Don’t be too hard on him—he offered to testify at your hearing.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that. The good thing is, the civilian review board will love him.”

“You done anything about Viv?”

“What, exactly, do you mean by that?”

“Did you get her decorated?”

“Sure, I got her the Combat Cross. The sons of bitches downtown wanted to give it to
me
, but I told them I wasn’t taking a medal for getting myself shot.”

“Good for you. What else?”

“What do you mean, what else?”

“Come on, Dino.”

“All right, I got her transferred to the Seventeenth Precinct. It’s right next door, and it’s closer to her apartment. And she’ll be promoted.”

Stone found a parking spot in front of Dino’s building and flipped down his sun visor with the police emblem on it. “What, are you coming in?” Dino asked, as his doorman opened the car door.

“I’m walking you upstairs.”

“The hell you say. I’m fine.”

Stone walked around the car and caught Dino’s right arm, just as he staggered a bit. He steered his friend through the front door and onto the elevator. “You’re going to have to take it easy on the Oxycontin, unless you want to fall down in the street,” Stone said.

The elevator arrived at Dino’s floor, and Stone steered him to the front door, took his key from him, and opened the door.

“This is fine,” Dino said.

“I’ll walk you to the bedroom. You need a nap.” They walked down the hall.

“I don’t need a nap,” Dino said, sitting on the bed.

Stone helped him off with his coat and shoes and took the sling from around his neck, then lifted his feet onto the bed and tucked a pillow under his knees.

“You should have been a nurse,” Dino said.

Stone spread a blanket over him, and Dino closed his eyes.

“Don’t get up until dinnertime,” Stone said.

Dino made a gruff noise and let out a deep breath.

Stone bent over and kissed him on the forehead, then closed the bedroom door behind him. He got out his cell phone and called a number.

“DeCarlo,” she said.

“Viv, it’s Stone. I got him home, and he went right to sleep. I’m leaving his door unlocked for you, so bring him some dinner about seven. He’ll be a lot better by tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Stone,” she said. “I’m on it.”

“There are some things Dino won’t tell you, so I will.”

“Okay.”

“You’re going to get the Police Combat Cross.”

“Wow.”

“Is it your first commendation?”

“Yeah.”

“It’ll look good on your record. You made detective second, too.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“That’s great!”

“And you’re getting transferred to the One Seven.”

She was quiet. “He did that?” she said, finally.

“He did. And you know why.”

“I didn’t think he’d do that.”

“You’ll like it. You’ll walk in there with a new rank and that nice, green ribbon, so you’ll get some respect.”

“That would make a nice change,” she said. “Did he transfer Rosie, too?”

“He doesn’t have the hots for Rosie. My guess is, if she requests it, Dino will get it done, but it might be a good thing to start in the One Seven with a new partner.”

“Because she didn’t get the medal and the promotion?”

“Let her get somewhere on her own—maybe you two can work together later.”

“I guess that makes some sense. Does Dino know I’m coming over tonight?”

“No, but don’t worry, he’s not going to mind. Take his Oxycontin away from him and ration it. Don’t tell Dino I told you so, but he’s scared to death of being in pain.”

She giggled. “I won’t tell him.”

“Congratulations on all counts, Viv, and have a good evening.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.”

“I know that.” Stone hung up and told the doorman to expect Viv, then went home.

MARSHALL BRENNAN
was working at his computer when his secretary buzzed. “Dink is here to see you. Do you want me to reschedule him? I know you’re busy.”

“No, send him in.” Marshall turned away from his computer and rose to meet his son. “Hello, Dink.” They shook hands.

“Good morning, Dad,” Dink said. He was dressed in a tweed jacket, khakis, and a necktie. “I got your message, and here I am.”

“Thanks for coming,” Marshall said. He leafed through some papers on his desk and came up with a copy of Dink’s brokerage account. “The computer flagged your account yesterday because of a large cash withdrawal, wired to your checking account. Mind telling me why you suddenly need half a million dollars?”

“Oh, this and that,” Dink said, looking evasive. “I’m looking at apartments downtown.”

“Find something you like?”

“Not yet, but …” Dink’s voice trailed off, and he began to look
irritated. “Mind telling me why you’ve flagged my account for withdrawals?”

“Just about every client’s account is flagged for withdrawals over a predetermined amount,” Marshall said. “It’s a security precaution, designed to thwart someone who might have gained unauthorized access to an account.”

“So I’m just like everyone else here?”

“As an account, yes. I just wanted to know if you made the withdrawal, and if so, why?”

“I think I just explained that,” Dink said.

“I think you just avoided explaining it,” Marshall replied. “Try again.”

“I’m of age, Dad, and I don’t have to explain things to you anymore.”

“You do if you want my investment skills to remain at your disposal.”

“What is it that so annoys you about my withdrawing half a million dollars?”

“It occurs to me that a sum that size might just be for a big drug buy.” Marshall watched as beads of sweat appeared on his son’s forehead.

“Nothing like that,” Dink said.

Marshall swung back to his computer and brought up a new screen. “And I see that as soon as the funds were received in your checking account, they were wired to an offshore account in the Cayman Islands. Mind explaining that?”

“I just happen to be doing business with someone who has an offshore account.”

“Well, you’d better be ready to explain that to the Internal
Revenue Service, because you’ve flagged more than your account with me, you’ve flagged an automatic disclosure from your bank to the IRS about the transfer. That pretty much guarantees you an audit.”

“An audit?” Dink asked weakly.

“Welcome to adulthood, son. It’s a place where you are held responsible for your actions.”

“Even private financial transactions?”

“
Especially
private financial transactions. Tell me, do you have an offshore bank account?”

“Well, ah …”

“I was afraid of that,” Marshall said, rubbing his forehead. “You should have discussed all this with me before proceeding.”

“You’d have just told me not to do it,” Dink said.

“And in so doing, saved you tens of thousands of dollars in accounting bills. Who is your accountant?”

“I, ah, don’t have one yet,” Dink admitted.