L.A. Dead

Chapter 31

Stone met with his anxious clients and soothed their nerves. He spoke to the insurance agent and got approval to begin repairs, then, because he could not bear to look at his damaged house, he went downtown to ABC Carpets and picked out new ones, arranging for their people to measure and install them. As he got in and out of taxi-cabs, he caught himself looking around to see if he had unwanted company, but he did not see Dolce.

At half past eight he was at Elaine's, giving her a kiss on arrival and being shown to his usual table.

Elaine sat down for a minute. "So," she said, "you're up to your ass in this Vance Calder thing."

"I'm afraid so."

"I always liked Arrington," she said. "I wouldn't have thought she could kill anybody."

"I don't think she did."

"Can you prove it?"

"I guess the only way I can prove that is by proving somebody else did it. Otherwise, even if she's tried and acquitted, too many people will believe she's guilty, and a smart lawyer got her off."

"I hear she's got a smart lawyer-besides you, I mean."

"That's right; he's doing a good job, so far."

"Stone." She looked at him sadly.

"Yes?"

"Sometimes people do things you wouldn't think they could do. People get stressed, you know, and the cork pops."

Stone nodded.

"If you want to get through this okay, you'd better get used to the idea that you may be wrong about her."

"I don't think I am."

"Protect yourself; don't tear out your guts hoping."

It was the first advice he'd ever had from her. "I'll try," he said. He looked up to see Dino and Mary Ann coming through the door. He especially wanted to see Mary Ann.

Everybody hugged, kissed, sat down, and ordered drinks.

"You got a little sun," Dino said, inspecting him.

"Out there, you get it just walking around."

Elaine got up to greet some customers, giving his shoulder a squeeze as she left.

"What was that?" Dino asked.

"Encouragement," Stone replied. "I think she thinks Arrington did it."

"Doesn't everybody?" Dino asked.

"Do you?"

"Let's put it this way: I think I'm probably more objective about it than you are."

"Oh."

"Let me ask you something, Stone: If you all of a sudden found out for sure that she did it, would you try to get her off, anyway?"

"That's my job."

"You're not her lawyer; Blumberg is."

Stone looked into his drink. "It's still my job."

"Oh," Dino said, "it's like that."

"Well!" Mary Ann interjected. "Isn't it nice to all be together again, and right here at home!"

"Don't try to cheer him up," Dino said to his wife. "It won't work."

Michael, the headwaiter, brought menus, and they studied them silendy for a minute, then ordered. Stone ordered another drink, too.

"Two before dinner," Dino said.

"He's entitled," Mary Ann pointed out.

They chatted in a desultory manner until dinner arrived, then ate, mostly in silence.

"Mary Ann," Stone said, when the dishes had been taken away, "your father came to see me this afternoon."

"He did?" she asked, surprised. "Where?"

"At my house."

"That's interesting," she said. "He doesn't do much calling on people. What did he want?"

"To know my intentions toward Arrington and Dolce."

"Is that all? What did you tell him?"

"That I don't know what my intentions are toward Arrington, but that Dolce and I are not getting married."

"That wasn't what he wanted to hear, I'm sure."

"I know, but I had to be honest with him."

"That's always the best policy with Papa."

"When he left, he said something that scared me a little."

Dino spoke up. "That's what he does best."

"What did he say?" Mary Ann asked.

"He said Dolce is ill, and that she might be dangerous."

"Oh," Mary Ann said quietly.

"What did he mean by that?"

Mary Ann didn't seem to be able to look at him. "I think Stone needs to know, Honey," Dino said. "Answer his question."

Mary Ann sighed. "When Dolce doesn't get what she wants, she… reacts badly."

"Now, there's news," Dino snorted.

"Exactly how does she react badly?" Stone asks.

"She, ah, breaks things," Mary Ann said slowly. "People, too." Goon.

"When she was, I guess, six, Papa gave her a puppy. She tried to train it, but it wouldn't do what she told it to. It was like she expected it to understand complete sentences, you know? Well, she… I don't want to say what she did."

"She broke the puppy?" Dino asked.

"Sort of," Mary Ann replied. Her face made it clear she wasn't going to say any more.

"I think she's been stalking me," Stone said.

"What?" Mary Ann said.

"She's shown up in a couple of places where I was. Unexpectedly, you might say. She registered at the Bel-Air as Mrs. Stone Barrington. She was on my flight home last night."

"Oh, shit," Dino breathed.

"I thought about trying to talk to her again, but I don't even want to be in the same room with her."

"That's a good policy," Dino said.

"I don't know what to do," Stone admitted.

"I'd watch my back, if I were you," Dino said. "Remember what happened to the husband…"

"Oh, shut up, Dino," Mary Ann spat. "She's my sister; don't talk that way about her."

"I'm sorry, Hon, but Stone's in a jam, here, and we've got to help him figure this out."

"Well, you're not helping by… what you're saying."

"Are you carrying?" Dino asked.

"Dino!" his wife nearly shouted.

"It wouldn't surpise me if Dolce is," Dino continued, ignoring her.

"No, I'm not," Stone said. "I don't think it's come to that."

"Listen, Stone," Dino said. "At the point when it comes to that, it's going to be too late to go home and get a piece."

Their waiter stepped up with a dessert tray.

"Nothing for me," Stone said.

"I'll have the cheesecake," Dino said.

"Nothing for him," Mary Ann said, pointing a thumb at her husband. "Especially not the cheesecake."

Dino sighed.

"Nothing for anybody," Mary Ann said to the waiter.

They got a check, and declined the offer of an after-dinner drink from Elaine. Dino grabbed the check and signed it, before Stone could react.

"That's completely out of character, Dino," Stone said, chuckling.

"Who knows how many more opportunities I'll have," Dino replied, getting an elbow in the ribs from Mary Ann for his trouble.

They made their farewells to Elaine and started out of the restaurant. As they shuffled toward the door, Stone felt Dino slip something fairly heavy into his coat pocket.

"Don't leave home without it," Dino whispered.