“It is a difficult case,” Stone said. “In a situation like this, Dino is at a very great disadvantage.”
“Revenge is always difficult, even tedious, when it must be accomplished within the framework of the laws of this country,” Bianchi said.
“You do understand, though, that the only way Dino can deal with this is within the law?”
“I do understand, and that is why I have been so patient. However, my patience is not inexhaustible, and I am not required to operate under the same constraints as Dino.” He gazed at Stone. “Neither, for that matter, are you.”
Stone did not reply to that.
“I understand that you, too, were once a policeman, and that now you are a lawyer, and that your background and inclinations may cause you also to feel constrained.”
“Yes,” Stone said.
“But, perhaps, not so much as Dino.”
Stone was wary, now, and said nothing.
Bianchi crossed his legs and sipped his port. “I am aware that you spent some days in California last year.”
“Yes, I did.” What was the man getting at?
“And word has reached me that, when you felt wronged by another man, you took the extraordinary step of sinking his very large and very expensive yacht.”
Stone was astonished. “Did you hear this from Dino?”
Bianchi shook his head slowly. “I was, shall we say, indirectly acquainted with the yacht’s owner.”
“I see.”
Bianchi raised a hand. “Only in the most legitimate sense, you understand. I have interests on the West Coast, and they sometimes coincided with the interests of the gentleman in question. He did, after all, run a large banking business – in addition to his other interests, of course.”
“Of course.”
“What impressed me about this incident was the very carefully crafted nature of your vengeance.”
Stone wondered for a moment if this conversation was being overheard by some federal representative, but then he remembered that the feds were very aware of the incident. “I wasn’t thinking very carefully at the time,” he said.
“Then your instincts speak well of you. Somehow, you looked at this man and knew that little else could hurt him as much as the loss of his beloved status symbol.”
“I suppose there’s some truth to that.”
“I’m glad you and I understand each other, Mr. Barrington.”
We do? Stone thought.
“You see, just as you were protecting a cherished woman at that time, you are now protecting yet another woman important to you.”
“Yes,” Stone agreed.
“As am I,” Bianchi said. “Do you understand?”
“Up to a point,” Stone replied.
“You understand that I would like to help bring an end to this business?”
“Of course.”
“And that I cannot tread on Dino’s toes, as it were.”
“Yes.”
“Then perhaps it might be possible for me to help you, instead of Dino.”
“You must understand, Mr. Bianchi, that Dino is my closest friend, that I owe him my life, quite literally.”
“Of course. I know all about that, and I understand completely. I am not suggesting that you should do anything to violate that friendship.”
“Good.”
“I am merely saying that there may arise information that Dino would not wish to be privy to, and that our sometimes awkward relationship prevents me from offering him.”
“What sort of information?”
“Then you will accept this from me?”
Stone was uncomfortable. “I’m not certain what I would be accepting.”
“I understand that this Mitteldorfer, on being released from prison, has disappeared.”
“That is correct.”
“Perhaps I can help you find him.”
“How can you do that?”
Bianchi shrugged. “Let us just say that I have… acquaintances who have acquaintances who have friends who might be able to help. If I should request it.”
“I must tell you, I am uncomfortable with this.”
Bianchi held up a hand. “I understand completely.” He reached into the ticket pocket in his jacket, produced a card, and handed it to Stone.
Stone examined it. It contained only a Manhattan telephone number.
“If you should feel you need my… advice, please telephone this number and leave a recorded message. Someone representing me will be in touch.”
Stone pocketed the card and gave Bianchi his own, which seemed only courteous, in the circumstances.
“I will wait to hear from you before making inquiries,” Bianchi said. “Shall we join the others?” He replenished their glasses, and they walked slowly toward the door. “Perhaps, if you will permit me, I will just speak a name to you. The name is Judson Palmer.”
“It doesn’t ring a bell,” Stone said.
“Mr. Palmer is a minor theatrical producer,” Bianchi said, taking Stone’s arm.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“It was he who was having an affair with Mitteldorfer’s wife when she was murdered.”
“Does Mitteldorfer know who he is?”
“That is uncertain.”
“Thank you.”
Bianchi stopped walking. “Stone – may I call you Stone?”
“Of course.”
“And please call me Eduardo.”
“Thank you.”
“I have very much enjoyed our evening together. I don’t go out much since my wife’s death, but it would please me if you would accept another invitation to dinner here.”
“Thank you, Eduardo; I’d be very pleased to come.”
The two men walked back to the small sitting room and joined the others. A large woman in an old-fashioned black dress had joined the group.
“Allow me to introduce my sister, Rosaria,” Bianchi said.
Stone took her hand. “Dinner was a wonderful experience,” he said. The woman blushed. Bianchi sat next to her.
Stone chose a seat as far as possible from Dolce Bianchi.
30
DINO SLAMMED THE CAR DOOR. “ALL right, what went on in that room? You came back arm in arm with him; I’ve seen that before, and it means he wants something from you. What did he want? What did you give him?”
“Dino,” Stone said, starting the car and driving away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What did Eduardo talk about? That’s what I want to know.”
Stone shrugged. “He seemed to want to get to know me a little. Maybe that’s why he invited me to dinner.”
“Eduardo never has reasons as simple as that for doing anything. In all the time I’ve known him, you’re the first person I’ve ever seen sit at that table who wasn’t family.”
“Speaking of family, why did you never tell me that Mary Ann had such a beautiful sister?”
“You knew she had a sister.”
“But I never had an inkling that she was so…”
“Yeah, she is, isn’t she? Stay away from her; she’s dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Well, for a start, she has a real snake for an ex-husband.”
“Who is he?”
“His name is Johnny Donato.”
“That has a familiar ring.”
“It should; he was a capo under Big Paul Castellano, before Gotti had him capped. Word is, he was supposed to be driving the Paul that night, which means he would have got it, too, but Paul sent him on some errand or other, so he survived. He disappeared after that and didn’t turn up again until Gotti and Sammy Gravano were in jail. Now he’s running a supposedly legit concrete business, taking up where Sammy left off.”
“And how did a girl as elegant as Dolce end up with a guy like that?”
“Pretty much the same way Mary Ann ended up with me. He was a guy from the neighborhood, working for a bookie and running his own little protection racket on the side. He tried to get a weekly paycheck out of my old man for not burning down his candy store, but when I heard about it I took him aside and discussed it with him.”