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Stone was feeling cornered now, but he had a way out. “Ellis, are you acquainted with Eddie’s stepmother, Annetta Charles?”
“I haven’t met her, but I certainly know who she is.”
“Are you aware that, yesterday, she became a client of the firm, moving all her legal work to us?”
“I hadn’t heard that, but it’s certainly good news.”
“Then you are not aware that she made it a condition of being our client that her stepson, Eddie, would have nothing whatever to do with the firm?” This was an exaggeration, but Stone was now desperate.
“I was not aware of that.”
“Then see that any application of Eddie Jr. to the firm is rejected out of hand.”
“As you wish,” Grady said, then hung up.
“You think that will do it?” Stone asked Joan.
“Maybe,” Joan said.
SIX
Joan buzzed Stone after lunch. “Bill Eggers for you on one.” Eggers was the managing partner of Woodman & Weld who had brought Stone aboard not long after he left the NYPD.
Stone picked up the phone. “Good morning, Bill.”
“Good morning, Stone.” He paused.
“What can I do for you?”
“Stone, I try not to meddle in the day-to-day working of our various departments, but a few minutes ago I got a call from Ellis Grady, our recently appointed personnel director. It seems that you have, in effect, blackballed a job applicant, and one that Ellis feels is well qualified. Why did you do that?”
“Bill, did Ellis tell you the applicant’s name?”
“One Edward Charles, I believe.”
“That is incorrect. His name is Edwin Charles Jr. Does that ring a bell?”
“Would he, in some way, be related to Edwin Charles, our new client?”
“No, Bill. That Mr. Charles was deceased about four months ago.”
“Then his estate is our client?”
“No, Bill. His widow, Annetta Charles, is our client.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“I believe so. And I’m surprised that I have not received a congratulatory phone call from you, for making such a large amount of rain.”
“How much rain are we talking about?”
“Buckets full. Her annual legal expenditures have been running in excess of a million dollars.”
“Stone, allow me to congratulate you, although belatedly, for bringing in some important new business.”
“Thank you, Bill, it’s kind of you to mention it.”
“Tell me, is Edwin Charles Jr. related to our new client?”
