Stuart Woods: Insatiable Appetites

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.

Stone got to Patroon first, and Ken Aretsky, the owner, joined him for a moment. “How is Eduardo Bianchi, Stone?” Ken asked. “I know you two are close.”

“I had lunch with him today,” Stone replied, “and he looked wonderful, in very good form.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Ken said. “He comes in once in a great while, and I’m always happy to see him.”

Stone wondered why Ken happened to bring that up, but he didn’t want to ask.

Dino came in and sat down, and a waiter appeared with Knob Creek for Stone and Johnnie Walker Black for Dino. They chatted briefly, then Ken excused himself to greet another customer.

“Have you heard anything new?” Dino asked.

“Not a word, but Ken just asked after Eduardo’s health. I thought for a moment he might have heard something, but he didn’t say so. Have you heard from Mary Ann?”

Dino shook his head. “Anna Maria and I don’t do business.” That was her given name, but she had begun using Mary Ann as a teenager.

“She said something odd on the phone. She said that when Eduardo died, all hell would break loose.”

“I’ve no idea what she meant by that,” Dino said. “He’s an old man, and nobody’s going to be surprised when he dies, are they?”

“That’s what I thought, but Mary Ann seems to know something I don’t.”

“She’s probably referring to the disposition of his estate.”

“She’s certainly thinking about that. She asked me and the firm to represent her in settling his affairs.”