Black Dog

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?”

“He is her despised stepson.”

“Define ‘despised.’ ”

“Hated in the extreme, so much so that she has declared a sort of personal temporary restraining order, covering anywhere she might choose to be.”

“Surely, Stone, that would not include the offices of the law firm that represents her.”

“Surely, Bill, it would. She made no exceptions in her TRO for the premises of Woodman & Weld.”

“Well, that is unfortunate.”

“If you should have the opportunity to meet and get to know Eddie Jr., you may wish to reconsider your statement.”

“Is our Ellis Grady cognizant of Mrs. Charles’s feelings toward her stepson?”

“Ellis appears to be information-resistant where Eddie Jr. is concerned.”

“How odd.”

“Very. Mr. Grady is fairly new to us, isn’t he?”

“He joined us about three months ago, I believe.”

“It would be interesting to have a look at his application, I think.”

“I’ll call you back,” Eggers said.

Joan rapped on Stone’s door. He waved her to a seat. She looked around. “What’s going on?”

“I’m endeavoring to construct a bomb under Junior’s application for employment at Woodman & Weld.”

“Oh.”

“What are your earliest memories of your cousin, Eddie Jr.?” Stone asked.

“Well, as a boy he liked abusing small animals, like cats, but not limited to them. And he loved setting things on fire.”

The phone rang and Joan answered it. “Woodman & Weld. Hold, please.” She covered the phone. “Bill Eggers for you.”

Stone picked up his phone. “Yes, Bill?”

“Stone, thank you for your suggestion. I have examined Mr. Grady’s file, including his employment application, and have found it to include a fulsome letter of recommendation of Mr. Grady’s skills and character from Edwin Charles Sr., dated a week before he died. The original envelope was attached, and it was postmarked two weeks after Mr. Charles expired.”

“Aha,” Stone replied. “I had assumed something of the sort.”

“Mr. Grady is, as we speak, cleaning out his desk, under the watchful eyes of two of our security guards, who are examining everything he takes with him. He will be leaving our employ in exactly, let’s see... seven minutes. My secretary is typing up a letter to Mr. Charles Jr., care of the Yale Club, denying him employment, any earlier acceptance notwithstanding, and with our best wishes. Ads will appear ASAP in appropriate publications, advertising for a new personnel manager.”

“Then, in my view,” Stone said, “all is right with the world. Thank you again for your congratulatory call.” He hung up. “Joan, please keep on the lookout for other Eddie Jr. transgressions, which we will head off at the pass whenever possible. And if not, then at Boot Hill.”

“Yes, sir,” Joan said, smiling broadly.