Dirt

Chapter 41

When Stone got back to his desk there was a small package waiting for him.

“It was hand-delivered,” Alma said.

Stone opened the package and found a new Rolex Oyster-quartz, with his name engraved on the back. He picked up the phone and dialed.

“Hello, Amanda.”

“Hello, Stone.”

“You shouldn’t have bought me a watch; really, you shouldn’t have.”

“You lost your old one in my service,” Amanda said. “It was the very least I could do. I hope you won’t upset me by trying to return it.”

“No, I won’t do that. Thank you very much for the watch.”

“Is it identical to yours?”

“The face is different, but I like it better.”

“I’m so glad.”

Stone took a deep breath. “Amanda, we’ve come to the point in this investigation where I’ve got to question Martha.”

“Stone, I’ve told you, I don’t want her bothered.”

“This is how it is,” Stone said. “She’s been seeing someone, a man who calls himself Jonathan Dryer.”

“The name doesn’t ring a bell,” Amanda replied.

“It may not even be his name, but that’s what he’s been using. Dryer may very well be connected with the man in California who told Allan Peebles his name was Geoffrey Power, so the two of them may be behind the DIRT business.”

“I see,” Amanda said.

“What’s more, Dryer may have burgled a number of apartments around town, and he could even be mixed up in a murder.”

“If that’s true, why haven’t you had him arrested?” Amanda asked.

“Two reasons: right now, this is all just supposition; we don’t have any hard evidence. Also, we don’t know where Dryer is; he moved out of his apartment. Martha may know him better than anyone else we’re aware of, so it’s crucial that we get as much evidence as possible from her about Dryer. She may even know his whereabouts.” Stone knew this was probably not true, but he needed to push Amanda on this. “I think it would be better for Martha if I talked to her rather than the police doing it.”

“Well, I certainly don’t want the police grilling her,” Amanda said. “She’d go to pieces.”

“I’ll be gentle with her, I promise.”

“No.”

“Amanda…”

“I’ll talk to her myself.”

“Amanda…”

“I’ll get more out of her than you can; I’ve been a journalist all my adult life, and I know how to conduct an interview. Also, Martha is afraid of me.”

“Amanda, I really think it would be better if I talked to her.”

“No, Stone; I will do it, and that’s final. Is there anything in particular you want me to ask her?”

“We want as much information about Dryer as possible – present whereabouts, friends, relatives, family background, personal history. We need to know everything she knows. If she tries to deny knowledge of him, tell her she was seen going into Dryer’s apartment, and that we have taped conversations between the two of them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get everything out of her.”

Stone sighed. “All right; when will you do it?”

“I’ll spend some time with her, and I’ll call you on Monday.”

“All right, Amanda, but it can’t wait any longer than that.”

“Good-bye, darling; I’m so glad you liked the watch.” She hung up.

Dino walked into P.J. Clark’s at four o’clock. It was too early for the after-work trade, and the place was deserted, except for a man at the opposite end of the bar. He was wearing a cashmere overcoat, and an expensive briefcase was parked on the bar next to him. There was also a large whiskey in front of him. Dino walked over. “Mr. Elliot?”

“Lieutenant Bacchetti?” He stuck out his hand. “Take a pew.”

Dino pulled up a stool.

“Something to drink?”

“I’ll have a beer,” Dino said to the bartender. He waited until the beer had been served and the bartender had retreated before continuing. “Now,” he said to Elliot, “a few general questions.”

“All right. I hope you understand that I didn’t want to talk about this on the phone.”

“Of course. Now, Arrington Carter brought a man named Jonathan Dryer to your party, is that correct?”

“She brought a young man; I didn’t get his name.”

“During the party did you notice whether this young man might have visited some part of your apartment that a party guest might not ordinarily visit?”

“He used the bathroom in the master suite,” Elliot said.

“Is that bathroom near where you kept the pistol?”

“Only a few feet away.”

“What about the control panel for your burglar alarm? Where is that located in your apartment?”

“In a linen closet just outside the master suite.”

“So Dryer might have had access to that?”

“Very possibly.”

“All right, let’s talk about the twenty-five automatic.”

“Before we do,” Elliot said, “you have to understand something.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“I’m a lawyer, and I can’t afford to lose my license over something like this.”

“I understand.”

“Whatever passes between us in this conversation is just between you and me. If it ever comes up again, in any context, I’ll deny everything.”

“All right, Mr. Elliot, I understand you; now you have to understand me. Your gun may have been used to murder a police officer. When we make an arrest, you’re going to have to identify the gun, and if we can’t find it, testify to the type and how it might have left your possession. As a lawyer, you certainly understand that.”

Elliot went to his next negotiating position. “All right, but I won’t testify unless I have complete immunity.”

“I think I can probably arrange that,” Dino replied.

“That’s not good enough. I want your personal word that you won’t ask me to testify unless you can get me immunity.”

“I’m not sure I can do that.”

“Come on, Bacchetti, it’s a murder case, a murdered cop. They’re going to want the perpetrator, not me.”

“All right, I give you my word that I won’t ask you to testify, unless I can get you immunity.”

“Understand, if you don’t get me the immunity I’ll take the Fifth.”

“That’s not going to be necessary, Mr. Elliot; you have my word.”

“Okay.”

“Now, how did you come into possession of the weapon?”

“I bought it from a guy on the street.”

“What guy? Who was he?”

“I don’t know his name.”

“Come on, Mr. Elliot, you’re not cutting it, here.”

“I mean, his real name. His street name is Lowrider.”

“And how did you come to know Lowrider?”

“I fell into conversation with him in Central Park; he was selling drugs. I told him I was interested in something for personal protection, and he said he could have something for me the next day.”

“And did he?”

“Yes, a twenty-five Beretta, nickel-plated.”

“How much did you pay him for it?”

“Twenty-five hundred dollars.”

Dino knew immediately that something was wrong here. “That’s an awful lot of money for a street gun, especially small caliber,” he said slowly. His gaze let the lawyer know that he was suspicious.

“Yeah, well, maybe so, but I don’t buy all that many guns on the street, you know?”

“Mr. Elliot, you’d better tell me all of it, and right now.”

Elliot began to look very uncomfortable. He looked around the bar, checked the position of the bartender, and drained his glass of whiskey. “All right, it had a silencer.”

Dino’s eyebrows went up. “I see,” he said. “Well, that would certainly put the price up. Now why…”

Elliot held up a hand. “That’s it; I told you what I said I would; I’m not answering any more questions.” He rose to leave.

Dino put a hand on his shoulder and shoved him back onto the barstool. “We’re not finished,” he said.

Elliot sat down but said nothing.

“And you kept the weapon in your safe?” Dino asked.

“Yes.”

“The same safe that held the thirty-five thousand dollars that you reported stolen?”

“That’s right.”

“Where is the safe located?”

“In my dressing room. It’s one of those that fits between the studs in the wall.”

“And what else was in the safe besides the pistol and the cash?”

“A jewelry box.”

“Was the stolen watch in the jewelry box?”

“Yes, a Cartier Panther with a gold bracelet.”

“Was there anything else of value in the jewelry box?”

“About fifty thousand dollars’ worth of assorted jewelry – diamond cuff links, things like that.”

“Mr. Elliot, why did you have thirty-five thousand dollars in cash in your safe?”

Elliot glared at him. “I can’t always get to the ATM when I need cash,” he said. “And that’s all I have to say on that subject.”

Dino nodded. “Did you make a record of the serial number on the pistol?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Elliot said, handing Dino a scrap of paper.

“Very good,” Dino said. “Why? I mean, you weren’t exactly going to register the warranty, were you?”

“Habit,” Elliot said.

“Well, I’m very grateful to you for all this information,” Dino said, slipping the serial number into his pocket. “It may very well help capture a murderer.”

“Good.” Elliot looked at his watch.

“I’m so grateful that I’m going to give you a very valuable piece of advice, Mr. Elliot.”

“Yeah?”

“The combination of a lot of cash in a safe with a silenced pistol raises a very large warning flag,” Dino said. “So I’m going to advise you right now that if any loved one of yours, say your wife, were to meet a sudden end; if something awful should happen to a business associate of yours; in fact, if your name should arise in any investigation of a death by any cause, then I’m coming to see you. Do you get my drift?”

Elliot looked him in the eye. “I do.”

“Good, because dealing with that kind of event in your life would be so much more painful than whatever is causing you concern now.”

Elliot nodded.

Dino shook his hand and walked out of the bar.

Martha looked into Amanda’s office. “Anything else before I’m off?”

“No, dear. Listen, why don’t you come up to the country with me tomorrow? Just for the day. Unless you have some plans, of course.”

Martha sighed. “No, I don’t have any plans. I’d love to.”

Amanda smiled a disarming smile. “It’ll be just the two of us, dear.”