Insatiable Appetites

5

After lunch, Eduardo gave them a little tour of the house, clearly for Herbie’s benefit, showing them his collections of books, sculpture, and pictures.

“I’ve always loved the Modigliani portrait,” Stone said, nodding toward the woman on the wall.

“She is my favorite,” Eduardo replied.

“I love the two Picassos,” Herbie said, nodding at two paintings hung side by side.

“One of them is a Braque,” Eduardo said, looking amused. “See if you can tell me which one.”

“The one on the right,” Herbie said without hesitation.

“You have quite an eye, Herbert.”

“No, I just made a lucky guess.”

Everyone laughed.

Stone was amazed at how well the two men got on together. He could remember when Herbie was little more than an overgrown street urchin, chiseling his way through life.

Finally, Eduardo walked them to the front door to say their goodbyes. Pietro approached them and handed Eduardo a very fine alligator briefcase; Eduardo handed it to Stone. “A little gift,” he said.

“Thank you, Eduardo.” The briefcase was not empty. Stone laid it on the front passenger seat of the Bentley, then Fred drove them away.

“What did Eduardo give you?” Herbie asked.

“I don’t know,” Stone said. “Maybe a picture. He’s given me things like that before.”

Fred dropped Stone at home, then drove Herbie back to his office.

Stone set the briefcase on his desk and looked through his messages, then Joan came in.

“Did Herbie make partner?”

“He did,” Stone said. “I took him to lunch with Eduardo. They got on amazingly well.”

“Nice briefcase,” Joan said.

“A gift from Eduardo.”

She went back to her desk, and Stone opened the briefcase. Inside were eight slim volumes bound in red leather. The color of the devil, he reflected. He picked up one and opened it. The hand was florid, almost artistic, obviously the product of the teaching of one or more long-gone nuns, but it was incomprehensible to Stone — perhaps even to most Italians.

An envelope was tucked into the volume, and Stone’s name was written on it in the same hand. He opened it and read the short note.

I want these to be in your keeping, Stone. When I am gone there are those who will want them, so be careful.

Under Eduardo’s signature there were four groups of two-digit numbers, but no explanation of them. He read them several times, trying to make sense of them, but nothing came to him.

He took the eight volumes to the big safe in an alcove off his office, opened it, and made room for them on the bottom shelf. One day, he thought, he would try to have them deciphered. He sat down and went to work.

Near the end of the day Joan buzzed him. “Mary Ann Bacchetti is on line one. She says it’s important.”

Mary Ann was Dino’s ex-wife, the mother of his son, Ben, and Eduardo’s elder daughter. Stone picked up the phone. “Hello, Mary Ann.” He hadn’t spoken to her since Dino’s divorce, except in passing.

“Daddy’s had a stroke,” she said. “He’s not expected to live.”

Stone was stunned. “I had lunch with him today, and he seemed in great form.”

“He’s ninety-four,” she said. “Nobody that age is in great form. Pietro said that after you and your friend left, he went into his study and dictated some things to his secretary, worked all afternoon. He signed some documents she had typed up, then he complained of a headache and collapsed onto his desk.”

“I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you, Mary Ann?”

“It looks as though I’m going to need a better lawyer than I’ve got,” she said. “I’d like to hire you, Stone, and whoever you need from Woodman & Weld.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“Stone, his doctor thinks he won’t make it through the night, and when he goes, all hell is going to break loose, and everything will fall into my lap. It’s not too soon to start thinking about that.”

“Where did they take him?”

“To his bed. There didn’t seem to be any point in taking him to a hospital when his room is well stocked with medical equipment. He hates hospitals and always wanted to be treated at home when he got sick.”

“All right, let’s meet, then.”

“Can you come out here tomorrow morning?”

“Of course.”

“Around ten.”

“All right.”

“And will you call Dino and tell him? I can’t deal with him right now.”

“All right, but you should call Ben, if you haven’t already. He’ll want to be here.”

“He’s already on his way,” she said. “And, Stone, not a word to anybody outside our families. I don’t want it known that he’s dying.”

“I understand. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” They hung up.

Joan buzzed him. “Your son is holding on line two.”

Stone punched the button. “Peter?”

“Hello, Dad. You’ve heard about Mr. Bianchi?”

“Ben’s mother just called me.”

“We’re on our way to Santa Monica Airport. The studio’s jet is bringing us east. We should land around ten tonight.”

“I’ll have Fred meet you at Teterboro and bring you and Ben to the city. Is Hattie coming, too?” He knew she would be; he never went anywhere without his girlfriend and collaborator.

“Yes, and Tessa, too.” Tessa Tweed was Ben’s girlfriend, and she had had featured roles in two of his and Peter’s films.

“Your old suite will be ready,” Stone said. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Good, Dad. We’re looking forward to seeing you.”

“Shall I call Hattie’s folks?”

“She’s doing that now. I’d like for us all to have dinner tomorrow night if... circumstances allow.”

“Of course. We’ll do it here.”

“Thank you, Dad. See you at breakfast.” They hung up.

Stone called Dino, who was in a meeting. “Please ask him to call me the moment he’s free,” he said to the policewoman sergeant who guarded Dino’s gate. “It’s important. Has his son called?”

“Yes, just a moment ago.”

“Good.” Stone hung up.

Five minutes later, Dino called.

“Have you talked to Ben?”

“No, I’ve just been handed his message. I called you first.”

“Mary Ann called me a few minutes ago.”

“Since when is she speaking to you?”

“Eduardo has had a stroke, a bad one. She says he may not live through the night. Ben and Peter and their girls are flying in late tonight, and I’m having them met.”

“Where is Mary Ann?”

“At Eduardo’s house. She asked me to call you, so she may not be ready to talk to you.”

“I’ll send a patrol car and some uniforms out there,” Dino said. “Keep the press away.”

“No one knows he’s ill yet. She asked me to keep it in confidence.”

“She won’t be able to keep the lid on that one for long.”

“I had lunch with Eduardo today,” Stone said, “and I took Herbie Fisher out there to meet him. He looked wonderful.”

“He always does.”

“Mary Ann told me he’s ninety-four. I had no idea.”

“I didn’t know that, either. I thought he was, maybe, in his mid-eighties.”

“When you talk to Ben, find out where he’s sleeping. He’s welcome here, of course, but he may want to go to Mary Ann’s or your place, or he may want to go to his grandfather’s. I’ll have Fred take him to wherever he wants to go.”

“Thanks, I’ll ask him. You want dinner tonight? Viv’s away on business.”

“Sure. Patroon?”

“Eight o’clock.” Dino hung up.