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Dino laid down his business card, as well.
“The badge and ID look pretty real,” she said.
“There’s a shop in Times Square that will sell you one just like it. You, too, can be police commissioner!”
The maître d’ approached. “Excuse me, Commissioner,” he said, “there’s a phone call for you.”
“I’ll be right back,” Dino said.
“It’s all part of the act,” Stone said. “We’ll see no more of him tonight.”
“Thank you for rescuing me, Stone.”
“It’s all part of the service.”
“Tell me, are you the infamous Stone Barrington I’m forever reading about on Page Six, of thePost?”
Stone shrugged. “They do have a way of making up things about me,” he said. “Don’t believe everything you read in the columns.”
“Are you a partner at Woodman & Weld?”
“A senior partner. Have you heard of us?”
“I’m a partner at Woodside & Weems,” she said, naming a white-shoe firm.
“Allow me to congratulate you. Have I stolen any of your clients?”
“Not even close.”
“It’s a relief to hear that. It’s so embarrassing when competing firms accuse me.”
“When is poor Dino coming back?” she asked.
“Oh, I think he’s all out of gall for the evening.”
Dino returned and sat down on the other side of Bridget. “Did he jump you while I was gone?”
“No,” she replied, “but he was thinking about it. I could tell.”
“Show her your scar from the bullet wound, Dino. That’s always very convincing.”
“All right,” Bridget said. “This has gone far enough, both of you.” The waiter approached. “I’d like a strip steak, medium,and a loaded baked potato, please,” she said. “And I don’t care who pays for it.”
Stone and Dino ordered, too. “She’s paying,” Stone said to the waiter.
After dinner, Stone invited Bridget back to his house for a drink. “I’m afraid Dino will insist on coming,” he said.
They drove down to Stone’s house, and he let them in.
“The house really belongs to a friend of Stone’s,” Dino said. “He made the mistake of giving Stone a key.”
“Who’s the friend?” she asked.
“A terrible person named Edwin Charles Jr.”
“I know Eddie. He’s not so terrible. I saw him at lunch today, in fact.”
“At lunch where?” Dino asked.
