Стюарт Вудс - Cut and Thrust

“I would be delighted,” Hugh said.

“The car is its own best salesman,” Charles said. “If you have any questions, make a note of them. We’ll have lunch early next week and I’ll answer them.”

“Wonderful, Charles.”

“You can pick up the car here anytime Friday afternoon. Or, if you’d prefer, I’ll have it delivered to you.”

“I’ll pick it up, I think.”

“See you then.”

Charles hung up feeling very much better. He could see an end to this interview business, and he had probably sold a car.

He called his service manager and instructed him to clean the car, and especially the upholstery. He wanted it to have that new-car smell when Hugh Gordon got into it.

He had to find a way to get Barbara happy again. He enjoyed being wealthy, and divorce would not be a good idea. He had seen the effect that rejection had on Barbara, and he did not wish to replace Ed Eagle as the object of her enmity.

Stone accepted an invitation to lunch with Bill Eggers, the managing partner of his law firm, Woodman & Weld. They met at the Four Seasons, where Eggers had a regular table.

Eggers ordered his usual martini, and Stone had mineral water. He had found that it was important to have a clear head during these seemingly informal lunches with Bill.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to see more of you at the convention, Bill,” Stone said. “It got rather busy.”

“That’s quite all right, Stone. All the insiders I know are giving you credit for swinging the nomination to Kate Lee.”

“That’s an exaggeration,” Stone said.

“Still, it makes you an important FOK.”

“A what?”

“Friend of Kate.”

“Ah, yes.”

“If she gets elected, of course. But right now, it looks like her election to lose. Have you seen her commercials?”

“Just one, on Morning Joe , earlier today.”

“I think they’re brilliant. Henry Carson, assuming he gets the Republican nomination, is going to look like the usual Republican stuffed shirt when compared to her. Hank makes Mitt Romney look like a hippie.”

Stone laughed.

“And it doesn’t hurt that half the men in America could imagine themselves in bed with Kate.”

“Well, half the men you’re acquainted with, Bill.”

“Stone, as you know, we’re thought of as a Democratic law firm, and we’ve been very close to Will Lee’s administration.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I’d like us to be much closer to Kate’s administration,” Eggers said. “That’s why I gave her super PAC a million dollars a while back. I assume that’s why you did, too.”

“No, that’s not why. I just think she’d make a terrific president.”

“That, too,” Eggers said, smiling slightly. “Here’s my advice, Stone — turn a section of your iPhone into a Rolodex of people close to Kate. It will become useful next year.”

Stone couldn’t disagree.

“And now that the convention is over, perhaps you could turn your attention to making some rain?”

“I’m always on the alert for new business, Bill. But remember, I have to go to Paris this fall for the opening of L’Arrington there.”

Eggers groaned.

“What, isn’t Marcel duBois a good enough client?”

“Well, now that you mention it, yes. Find me two or three more like him while you’re over there.”

“Bill, there aren’t two or three more like Marcel.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, Bill, I do.”

When Stone got back from lunch, there was a note from Dino to be on the steps of City Hall at four o’clock. He buzzed Joan.

“Yes, my lord and master?”

“Find out how big a donation I can legally make to the mayoral campaign of Commissioner Tom Donnelly.”

“Stone, were you drinking at lunch?”

“No, why?”

“The commissioner is not a candidate for mayor, to my knowledge.”

“Your knowledge is out of date. He’s announcing at four o’clock. Then the present mayor will appoint Dino police commissioner.”

“Wow! I’ll get right on it.”

Stone hung up. A minute later Joan buzzed him.

“Yes?”

“Four thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars,” she said.

“Are you sure that’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“Okay, cut a check to Tom Donnelly for Mayor, put it in an envelope, and give it to me.”

“Certainly.”

Ed Eagle knocked on the inside door to Stone’s office.

“Come in, Ed. Do you and Susannah want to go down to City Hall with me and watch Dino get sworn in as commissioner at four?”

“I’d love to,” Ed said, “but Susannah is shopping, and I don’t think I’d better disturb her.”

“We’ll have to leave shortly,” Stone said. “Traffic’s bad this time of day.” He asked Joan to have Fred bring around the car.

They made it to City Hall just in time; a crowd had already gathered on the steps. Stone and Ed got out of the car, and Fred moved off in search of parking.

Dino saw them and waved them around the crowd to where he stood with Viv. “You’re in my party,” he said. “Stand here.”

Somebody tested the sound system, then the mayor stepped forward. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to introduce Police Commissioner Tom Donnelly!” He stepped back and yielded the small podium, and the commissioner stepped forward.

“Good afternoon, everybody. I’m here to announce that I have just handed my resignation as police commissioner to the mayor, effective immediately, and that he has accepted it, I hope with regret.” There was a chorus of nos, mixed with applause. “That said, I am here to announce my candidacy for mayor in the upcoming Democratic primary!” Much applause and cheering. The commissioner went on for another two minutes, listing some of the things he wanted to do. “And now, I believe the mayor has another announcement.” He surrendered the podium.

“Actually,” the mayor said, “I have two announcements. First, I think it would be a grave error to leave the position of police commissioner open, even for a day, and so I am very pleased to announce my appointment of Chief of Detectives Dino Bacchetti to the office of commissioner, effective immediately.” Much applause, then the mayor continued. “Dino has served the NYPD at every level during a career that took him from patrolman, to detective, to lieutenant, to captain, and then to chief of detectives, in which office he has served brilliantly. And incidentally, Dino will be the youngest police commissioner of New York since Theodore Roosevelt, more than a hundred and twenty-five years ago! Dino, step up here and get sworn in.”

Somebody produced a Bible, and Viv stepped forward to hold it.

“And holding the Bible,” the mayor said, “is retired detective Vivian Bacchetti!”

Suddenly, there was a disturbance at the rear of the crowd. Stone, standing high on the steps, could see Fred Flicker’s back as he fought someone else. He ran around the crowd, grabbing for his honorary badge, and approached a little knot of people. Fred was being pulled off a man who lay on his back on the steps, and a uniformed cop was relieving the man of a pistol. Two detectives, one of whom Stone knew, dragged Fred backward on his heels while one took Fred’s gun from him.

Stone flashed his badge. “Hold on there, gentlemen,” he said. “That man is with me, and he is licensed to carry that weapon. Show them your license, Fred.”

Fred did so, and his gun was returned to him and holstered.

“What the hell is going on?” Stone asked one of the detectives.

“I’m not sure,” the man said, “but I saw guns, and I got in there.”

“Mr. Barrington,” Fred said, “I saw that man draw a weapon and aim it, I think, at the mayor. I was the only person close to him, so I tackled him.”