Naked Greed

57

It was a nice evening, so Stone walked up to the Four Seasons for Dino’s event. As he approached the elevator banks he saw a couple walk into a car. They turned and faced the doors as they closed, and Stone caught sight of Gene Ryan, or at least he thought he did. The elevator started up, and before he could see how high it went, Stone was hustled into another elevator by Dino on one arm and Viv on the other.

“I swear I just saw Gene Ryan get onto another elevator,” Stone said.

“It’s what, six-thirty?” Dino asked. “Are you drunk already?” He turned to his wife. “Viv, we’ve got to get Stone to cut down on his drinking. It’s getting out of hand.”

“Extremely amusing,” Stone said as the elevator doors opened and they stepped into a hallway.

“Stone hallucinates when he drinks too much,” Dino said, pushing him toward the end of the hallway.

“Is this a dinner?” Stone asked.

“No, it’s a cocktail party,” Viv said, “but we’re having dinner later. Let me brief you: my client is Henry Hasker of Hasker & Hasker, a very large hedge fund based in Chicago. His daughter is Henrietta, known as Hank, who has just opened a New York office for the firm. That is the event being celebrated this evening. Henry doesn’t like big dinners, so he invited a couple of dozen of his top people for drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres, so they won’t go away hungry, then we’re joining Henry and his wife, Helen, for dinner, which will be served in the suite, and of course Hank will be there, as well. Having just moved to New York, she doesn’t know a lot of people, hence my request for your company.”

“What’s she like?” Stone asked, as they reached the double doors of the suite.

“I’ve no idea,” Viv said. “I haven’t met her.”

“I hear she resembles a camel,” Dino said, ringing the bell.

The door was opened by a uniformed butler, and they stepped into the living room of what Stone thought must be the Presidential Suite, because it was huge. A pianist and a bass player were delivering light jazz in a corner of the room, and waiters in red jackets were circulating among the fifty or so H&H employees and their spouses or significant others. A tall man who had to be Henry Hasker detached from a group and introduced himself, then began introducing them to people, none of whose names Stone caught. Then unexpectedly a six-foot-tall knockout of a woman in a strapless cocktail dress materialized, and Stone caught her name: Hank. In heels, she was as tall as Stone, maybe a little taller.

“How do you do?” Stone asked.

“I do very well, thank you. I’ve heard quite a lot about you. Dino says you’re a terrible drunk.”

“As you get to know Dino better,” Stone said, “you will learn that he is an inveterate liar, especially when I am the subject.”

A waiter appeared with two drinks on a tray. “Knob Creek on the rocks,” he said, and Hank took the other one.

Dino couldn’t help laughing. “What did I tell you, Hank?”

Stone took the drink and raised his glass to Dino. “Why don’t we go and talk to somebody else,” Stone said, taking Hank’s arm and steering her toward the grand piano, “like each other?”

“What a good idea,” she said, “and accompanied by good jazz.”

“I understand you’ve just arrived in our city,” Stone said.

“Only a couple of weeks ago.”

“Have you found a place to live?”

“Dad has kept an apartment here for several years. I’m camping there, until I can find time to look for a place of my own.”

“I suppose you don’t have much time for anything but work.”

“Oh, I can be tempted.”

“Temptation is one of the things I do best,” Stone said.

“What are the others?” she asked.

Ryan and Sylvia woke from a sex-induced nap. “We’re half an hour late for dinner,” he said. “I’d better let them know we’re still coming.” He reached for the phone.

“Are you sure you want to go down for dinner?” she asked, scratching his chest.

“I need the rest,” he said, and rebooked their table. He got up and began dressing. He took a holster containing a small 9mm semiautomatic and snapped it to his belt.

“Do you always carry?” she asked, getting into her clothes.

“Nearly always,” he replied. “I was a cop for a long time, and I got used to it. I feel naked without a piece.”

“I know the feeling,” she said. “I was carrying on the train, but today I had to fly. I couldn’t even bring a switchblade.”

“Jesus, you carry a knife? What have I got myself into here?”

“You’re into a lady who knows how to protect herself. In my business you never know when a mark is going to turn bad on you. Don’t worry, I’ve only had to knife one guy, and just enough to teach him some manners.”

They took the elevator to the lobby and walked into the dining room, where they were seated immediately.

One of Dino’s two detectives for the event was seated in the lobby, reading the Post. He reached for his cell phone and made a call.

Upstairs, Dino’s phone went off; he checked the caller ID before stepping out of a group and answering. “Talk fast,” he said.

“Boss, I just saw Gene Ryan walk into the hotel dining room with a woman. Should I take him?”

“Not alone,” Dino said. “Call for backup, but only plainclothes, no fuss. Take him when he leaves the dining room and get him into a car fast. And be careful, he’s probably packing.”

He hung up and rejoined his group, passing Stone on the way. “Maybe you’re not crazy,” he said.

“Huh?” But Dino was quickly in conversation with a couple.

“Did Dino say you’re not crazy?” Hank asked.

“That’s what passes for a compliment from Dino.”

Henry Hasker called for silence, welcomed the crowd, and introduced Dino. Dino gave them ten minutes on the NYPD and how well-protected they were in his city. Mike Freeman had arrived, so Dino also told them how important private security was and how he looked upon them as an extension of his department.

After Dino finished, people started to leave, as if on command, and shortly, dinner was announced.

The suite contained a handsome dining room and a beautifully set table.

Dino stepped aside and called his detective. “What’s happening?”

“Backup is here — we’re waiting for Ryan to finish his dinner, so we can make the bust.”

“Keep it as quiet as you can,” Dino said.

Stone approached. “What’s going on?”

“Are you carrying?”

“Not tonight.”

“Then take a tip and stay as far as you can from me.” Dino went and took his place at the table without another word.