Cut and Thrust

55

Stone got to Patroon first; the owner, Ken Aretzky, had already settled him in a booth with a drink, when he heard half the patrons burst into applause, and looked up to see Dino arriving, blushing and waving at the crowd.

“Commissioner,” Ken said, “congratulations. It’s an honor to have you here.”

Dino leaned in close. “Thanks, Ken, now go fuck yourself.”

Aretzky walked away laughing and signaled a waiter to bring Dino a drink.

“Can you believe all that?” Dino asked, sliding into a booth.

“You’d better get used to it, pal, it’s going to be that way until you retire or get thrown out.”

A bottle of wine they hadn’t ordered arrived, and it was an expensive one.

“Jesus, I can’t take that,” Dino said.

“We’ll pretend it’s for me,” Stone said. “Perfect,” he said to the waiter. “I’ll taste it.”

The waiter poured him some, and Stone sampled it. “We’ll drink it,” he said, and the waiter poured for both of them.

Dino tried it. “That’s the best bottle of wine I’ve ever had, outside your house,” he said.

“So,” Stone said, “how was your first day?”

“Well, I got Maxie back.”

“Who?”

“My secretary, Maxie.”

“I never knew that was her name.”

“It’s Maxine, but she hates that. And she got me the files on the lady captains, too.”

“Have you had a chance to look them over?”

“I did, and I realized there is one outstanding choice — Stephanie Walters.”

“The new captain at the one-niner?”

“New two years ago,” Dino said. “As a detective, she had a better arrest record than I did, and she’s known to be squeaky clean. She made captain a lot sooner than I did, too.”

“That’s only because you wouldn’t take the exam until Tom Donnelly made you.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you going to interview her?”

“I got her down to my office this afternoon and offered her the job, and she took it in a flash.”

“What sort of family has she got?”

“An ex-husband, who’s captain at the four-four, in Brooklyn. Two kids — a boy in his first year of law school at John Jay, and a girl who’s a senior at Harvard Law. The girl wants to be an ADA, and the boy’s headed for the department. Their grandfather was commissioner, back in the day.”

“She sounds perfect.”

“A looker, too, a redhead. The press loves her. Listen, pal, I’ve got to thank you — if not for our conversation this morning, I wouldn’t have even thought of her.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I’ve scattered my sergeants to the four winds, and Stephanie had recommendations for three female sergeants, who’ll be at their desks on Monday.”

“Is everybody happy?”

“I promoted all the old sergeants to detective. Believe me, they’re happy.”

“Sounds like you had a good day.”

“I did, I did. How was yours?”

“I saw off Ed and Susannah this morning. Can you believe they didn’t know the rules for carrying guns on the airline? They haven’t flown commercial in years.”

“If you hadn’t told them, I’d be getting them out of jail about now,” Dino said. “How’s Ann’s job going since Kate got the nomination?”

“She’s pretty busy,” Stone said.

“Hey, I had a funny thought this afternoon, apropos of nothing. What would happen if Kate got pregnant?”

Stone choked on his drink.

“Not a good idea to inhale bourbon,” Dino said. “Did I strike a nerve?”

Stone gradually got control of himself. “Don’t ever say that,” he said.

“Say what? If Kate got pregnant?”

“Shut up, Dino,” Stone whispered “There are half a dozen media types within spitting distance of us, and waiters are nosy, too. If you were overheard saying that, the press would have her with child by morning. That’ s how rumors start.”

“You mean she’s not pregnant?”

“Well, she hasn’t intimated any such thing to me,” Stone said.

“Can you imagine the uproar if she was?”

“Just barely. Now stop talking about that. Tell me who you’re going to fire, now that you have the power.”

“Oh, there are a few guys who’ve been on the job longer than is good for the department,” Dino said. “I’ll find ways to ease them out.”

“You crafty bastard! I’m glad you weren’t commissioner when I was a cop!”