by Stuart Woods
Stone watched as people began to get out of the helicopter and hand baggage to a uniformed pilot. He turned back to Mitzi. “As soon as your cell phone works, get hold of Brian and tell him we’re at Oxford, Connecticut.” He made cell phone motions.
Mitzi nodded and began trying her cell.
“What’s your plan?” Dino asked. “As if you had one.”
“We’re going to set down in front of the Citation so that he can’t taxi, jump out, arrest anybody who moves, shoot anybody who produces a gun.”
They were half a mile out now.
“Why did you want me to bring the.22 target pistol?”
Stone looked at him. “I want you to shoot Hildy Parsons.”
“What?”
“Don’t kill her, but make sure she’s not able to run for the jet.”
“You’re crazy. I’m not shooting her!”
“Don’t let her get on that airplane, Dino!” Stone turned back just in time to see them set down twenty yards from the Citation. Dino was already getting out of the copter, followed by Mitzi.
Stone unbuckled his belt and started moving toward the door. “Oh, shit,” he said aloud, “we’re not close enough to the jet.”
By the time he made it onto the tarmac everybody on the other copter was running toward the Citation. Sig Larsen produced a pistol and got off a couple rounds. Somebody-Dino or Mitzi-shot him, and he fell to one knee. Derek Sharpe grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the Citation. Hildy had gone back to the other helicopter for her purse and was not yet running toward the Citation, which had its engines running and was making a sharp turn to the right to clear the helicopter’s blades.
“Shoot Hildy!” Stone shouted to Dino, who was closer to the airplane, then pulled his own gun and began firing at the nosewheel of the Citation, missing on the first two shots.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hildy go down. Then he aimed again at the Citation’s nosewheel and saw it go flat. Sharpe had dragged Larsen aboard the airplane and was trying to close the door. Hildy was screaming at him from the tarmac and trying to drag herself toward the airplane, which was still moving, even with the flattened nosewheel.
Stone ran to the airplane, jerked the half-closed door open, got hold of Sharpe’s jacket lapel, and jerked him off the airplane, spilling Larsen out as well. The airplane stopped moving, and the engines began to spool down. Dino produced handcuffs and went to work. Stone looked around. Where was Mitzi?
Stone turned and looked back. Mitzi was lying on her back, propped up on one elbow. “Oh, God!” he shouted and began to run toward her. He got a glimpse of Hildy and saw blood on her skirt. Dino had put a.22 slug into her ass.
Stone reached Mitzi, got an arm around her, and pulled her into a sitting position. He realized immediately that she wasn’t wearing a vest. “Where are you hit?” he shouted over the noise of the helicopter, whose rotor was still turning.
“I’m not hit!” she cried. “I broke a heel and fell!”
Stone looked at her feet and saw the shoe with the missing heel. He helped her to her feet. “Call 911 and get an ambulance; we’ve got two down, Larsen and Hildy. Then call Brian again.”
She grabbed her phone and began dialing while Stone ran to help Dino.
“Well, you finally hit the nosewheel,” Dino said, snapping cuffs onto Sharpe. “How many rounds did that take?”
“One,” Stone replied. “The first two were practice.”
59
STONE WAS BACK at his desk late that afternoon when the phone buzzed.
“Bill Eggers on one,” Joan said.
“Hello, Bill?”
“You shot Hildy Parsons?” Eggers said with outrage in his voice.
“Certainly not,” Stone said. “There were bullets flying everywhere, and if you’d like to check the bullet that struck her against my gun, you’re welcome to.”
“Were you carrying a.22?”
“Of course not. You’re not going to stop anybody with a.22. I was carrying a 9mm.”
“Hildy Parsons was shot with a.22. Cops don’t carry.22s.”
“My point exactly,” Stone replied.
“Then who shot her?”
“Maybe some hunter in the woods. It’s a rural area, you know; lots of hunters up there.”
“What would a hunter shoot with a.22?”
“Squirrels? Rabbits? Probably some kid.”
“Philip Parsons is livid.”
“Hildy Parsons is alive.”
“But wounded.”
“If she hadn’t been wounded she might have made it to that jet, and Philip Parsons wouldn’t have a daughter anymore. You might explain to Parsons that Sharpe and Larsen were carrying a couple of million in drugs and that much more in cash, and if they had made it, his daughter would have been a fugitive from justice, and he would be spending millions fighting her extradition. As it is, she was just an innocent bystander. I’ve seen to that.”
Eggers thought that over. “Did you hear that, Philip?”
“Yes, Bill, I did.”
“I didn’t know I was on a conference call, Philip,” Stone said, “or I would have been more politic in my statements. Maybe.”
“I’m glad you were blunt, Stone,” Parsons said.
“How is Hildy?”
“They’re keeping her in the hospital tonight for observation. She’ll be home tomorrow.”
“Have the police questioned her yet?”
“No, it was smart of you to have her taken to New York Hospital.”
“It might be a good idea if I have a conversation with her before she goes home,” Stone said.
“Now would be a good time,” Larkin said. “I’m with her.”
“I’ll be right there,” Stone said.
STONE TOOK a cab to the hospital and found the room. There were two bored-looking detectives sitting in the waiting room.
“Come in, Stone,” Philip Larkin said.
Hildy was propped up in bed in a large, sunny room overlooking the East River, and there were flowers everywhere.
“I don’t want to speak to him,” she said to her father, pointing at Stone.
“Shut up, Hildy,” Philip replied.
Stone stood by the bed. “You don’t have to talk to me,” he said. “In fact, it’s better if you don’t. You just have to listen.” He dragged up a chair and sat down. “You’re up to your neck in this, Hildy, and the only way you can get out of it is if you do exactly as I say. There are two police detectives waiting outside to see you…”
“I’m not going to talk to the police.”
“Shut up, Hildy,” her father said, “and listen.”
Stone continued. “You’re going to tell them that you’ve been seeing Derek Sharpe socially and that you hardly know Sig Larsen. You’re going to tell them that you have no idea what happened earlier today, that you had been invited to go to the Bahamas for a few days, and then people started shooting.”
“That is exactly what I thought,” Hildy said.
“Good, then you won’t have to remember a story. You believed Derek Sharpe to be an artist and nothing more. You had no idea that he might be involved in any sort of illegal activity, and you are shocked at the allegations. Got that?”
Hildy folded her arms and looked down at her knees. “Yes,” she said softly.
“As soon as the police have finished questioning you, you are going on a vacation, somewhere out of the country. You will not return for Sharpe’s trial, and you will not speak of him to any person in this country or abroad. You will carry a cell phone, so that the authorities will be able to reach you if necessary. If you have told them what I asked you to they will not call you as a witness, since you have no knowledge of Sharpe’s extralegal activities. Is all that perfectly clear?”
“Yes,” she said. “But, Daddy, I don’t want to go on a vacation.”
“You will go to the house in Tuscany as soon as your doctor says you’re well enough to travel,” Philip Parsons said. “Once ther
e, you may invite friends to join you. You will not come back until Derek Sharpe has been tried and convicted, no matter how long that takes.”
“Well,” she said sheepishly, “ Italy is very nice this time of year.”
WHEN STONE RETURNED home there was a hand-delivered envelope on his desk. He ripped it open and found a single ticket to the opening night of Carrie’s show. There was no note.
60
STONE MET DINO at Elaine’s at eight thirty. “You’re off the hook for shooting Hildy,” he said.
“What do you mean, ‘off the hook’?” Dino said. “I was never on the hook.”
“You’re just lucky no one searched you and found the.22.”
“There was no luck involved. The Connecticut State Police were not going to search an NYPD lieutenant.”
“That’s why you’re off the hook. I spoke with her father this afternoon, and he’s good with it, too. I think he suspects something, but he got his daughter back, so he’s not going to make a fuss.”
“Is Hildy going to get nailed for her part in this thing?” Dino asked.
“No. I sat in on her questioning this afternoon. She played dumb and innocent, too.”
“But she had to know something about what Sharpe was doing.”
“Maybe, but she doesn’t now, so she’s not going to have to testify against him.” Stone picked up a menu. “You ready to order?”
“I’m expecting a guest,” Dino said. “Let’s wait.”
The waiter brought them both another drink, and Dino kept checking his wristwatch.
Finally, the door opened, and the commissioner entered, preceded by Mitzi, who looked smashing in a red dress.
Stone stood up, shook her hand, then the commissioner’s. “Good evening, sir,” he said. “I didn’t know you frequented Elaine’s.”
“I have been coming here since Giuliani was mayor,” the commissioner replied, looking around. He turned to the waiter. “You got any single malts?”
The waiter recited the list, and the commissioner chose one. “The lady will have a Beefeater’s martini with a twist, not too dry,” he said.
Stone shot a glance at Mitzi, but she was not looking at him. However, she delivered a sharp kick to his ankle under the table.
The drinks came, and the commissioner raised his glass. “To successful operations,” he said, “and to those who carry them out, even when unexpected circumstances occur.”
They all drank, and then they ordered dinner.
“Aren’t we missing the, ah, leader of the operation?” Stone asked.
“Oh, Lieutenant Doyle is home studying, I expect,” the commissioner said.
“Studying?” Stone asked, puzzled.
“He has been promoted to inspector, and tomorrow he starts his new job as lecturer on tactics at the police academy, his reward for a job well done.”
Stone nearly choked on his Knob Creek.
“That said, I think we should raise our glasses to Mitzi,” the commissioner said. “This afternoon she was promoted to lieutenant, and tomorrow she will command the detective squad at the First Precinct.”
Stone’s mouth dropped open, and Mitzi reached over, placed a finger under his chin, and closed it. “Congratulations,” he managed to say.
Dino spoke up. “I heard there were some transfers from that squad,” he said, “to new assignments in Brooklyn.”
“Yes,” the commissioner replied, “all promotions. Mitzi will pick her own people.”
“All of them women,” Mitzi said.
The commissioner looked at her. “All of them women?”
She regarded him evenly. “Yes, sir.”
Dinner was served. When they were done, the commissioner stood up, followed by Mitzi. “We have to be going,” he said. “ Barrington, give me your badge,” he said.
Stone fished out his Doyle-provided badge and handed it over.
The commissioner placed a small velvet box on the table. “Open it,” he said.
Stone picked up the box and opened it. Inside was a retirement badge for a Detective First Grade. From its weight, he judged it to be not plated but solid gold.
The commissioner handed him an envelope. “Here are your retirement papers,” he said, “at your new grade.” He shook everyone’s hand and left, taking Mitzi with him.
Stone sat down.
“You look stunned,” Dino said.
“I am.”
“You should be. By the way, I’m your date for the theater tomorrow night.”
Stone looked at him. “You?”
“You were hoping Mitzi? Not going to happen. Carrie sent me a single ticket, too, for the seat next to yours. In fact, I don’t think you’re going to be seeing as much of Mitzi in the future.”
“What’s going on, Dino?”
“Word is, the commissioner is retiring.”
“What’s that got to do with Mitzi?”
“Word is, he’s getting married, too.”
Stone stared at him. “You wouldn’t kid me?”
“I kid you not.”
“I need another drink,” Stone said.
61
DINO PICKED UP STONE in his department car and drove him to the theater.
“Is this a kosher use of the car?” Stone asked as they got out.
“I’m on duty,” Dino said.
“What are you talking about?”
Dino saw someone he knew and turned to shake hands. The lights were flashing, and they hurried inside to take their seats, which were fourth row on the center aisle.
“Not bad seats, huh?” Dino said.
“What was that about being on duty?” Stone asked, but his question was drowned out by a flood of music from the orchestra pit.
Stone and Dino watched as the curtain went up on a nearly bare stage-only a park bench and a lamppost. The backdrop was an autumnal view of Central Park.
Carrie moved onstage, holding the hand of a young man, and they began to dance. After a moment Carrie began to sing.
Stone relaxed and enjoyed it.
WHEN THE FIRST-ACT curtain came down, the audience roared and wouldn’t stop until Carrie and other members of the cast came back for a curtain call. Stone had never seen a first-act curtain call, and the critics sitting near him were on their feet, too.
“Have you ever seen anything like this?” Stone asked.
“Nope,” Dino said. Then, as the curtain was being slowly lowered for the intermission, a single gunshot rang out.
Stone and Dino turned and looked toward the rear of the theater, where they saw a scuffle going on in the dress circle. A woman screamed, and a second shot was fired, bringing down a drizzle of plaster from above.
“Stay here,” Dino said, and he ran up the aisle, pushing people out of his way.
As Stone stood watching the scuffle in the dress circle, he thought he saw Willie Leahy there. Dino joined the group, and someone was dragged up the stairs and out of the theater. The crowd now moved toward the lobby for intermission.
Stone was sipping a glass of champagne at the bar when Dino returned.
“There appears to be something you didn’t tell me,” Stone said to him.
“I told you I was on duty,” Dino said.
“Was that Max Long doing the shooting?”
“Carrie’s ex? One and the same.”
“How did this come about?”
“I had a tip from Atlanta. Max took off in his King Air this afternoon and, surprise, surprise, turned up at Teterboro. He’s been followed ever since by my guys.”
“And how did Willie Leahy get involved?”
“Willie took a personal interest in the events,” Dino replied. “We got him a seat behind Max.”
“And you didn’t tell me any of this?”
“I didn’t want to concern you,” Dino said. “Now let’s go enjoy the rest of the show.”
Before the curtain went up, Del Wood walked to center stage and held up his hands for silence. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “
I wish to apologize for the small disturbance at the end of the first act. It appears that someone wasn’t enjoying my show as much as you were and wished to register a protest. He has been relocated and will not disturb us further. Please enjoy the rest of the show. Thank you.” He walked off the stage to a rousing hand.
AND ENJOY the rest of the show Stone and Dino did, along with the rest of the audience. There were eighteen curtain calls, and the stage was flooded with flowers. The critics rushed up the aisle while the audience was still standing and beating their hands together.
“I’d say it’s going to run,” Dino said.
AFTERWARD, Stone and Dino went to Sardi’s for the opening night party to wait for the reviews with the other invited guests.
Somebody rushed in with stacks of the papers around midnight, and someone else stood on a table and read them aloud, a series of raves, particularly for the show’s star.
Stone stood with Dino at the edge of the crowd, watching Carrie accept the congratulations of everyone. At no time did she let go of the hand of her handsome young costar, who was wearing almost as much of her lipstick as she was.
There was a tiny moment when Carrie spotted Stone and gave him a small wave, as if to say good-bye.
Stone and Dino walked into the cool night air and got into Dino’s car.
“Elaine’s,” Dino said to his driver.
“Right,” Stone said.
LATER, STONE RETURNED HOME, let himself in, and went upstairs to his bedroom. There was a note on his pillow from Joan.
Stone, I haven’t wanted to mention this but something strange has been going on. I’ve noticed from my office window that a woman has been standing across the street from the house for periods of two hours or more for the past three days. She is accompanied by a large man who seems concerned for her welfare, but she does nothing but stare at the house. Finally, the man seems to persuade her to leave, but she always returns. I thought you should know about this.
Stone sat down on the bed, put his face in his hands, and made a low, moaning noise.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I am happy to hear from readers, but you should know that if you write to me in care of my publisher, three to six months will pass before I receive your letter, and when it finally arrives it will be one among many, and I will not be able to reply.