Ash beamed. “Thank you.”
The office phone rang.
When Stone didn’t make a move to answer it, Ash asked, “Should I get that for you?”
Stone had temporarily forgotten Joan was out. “No. You run along. I’ll take care of it.”
Stone picked up the phone as Ash left.
“Woodman & Weld, Stone Barrington’s office,” he said, parroting Joan’s usual greeting.
“You’re answering your own phones now?” Dino asked.
“Joan was up most of the night with Helene, and Ash is out.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried for a moment that your business had taken a nosedive I wasn’t aware of.”
“If it had, I would have made you pay for dinner last night.”
“Thank you for the meal. How are you doing?”
“If you ever consider experiencing a car crash, I’d advise against it.”
“Still hurting?”
“It feels like I spent the night on a bed of river rocks.”
“That does not sound fun.”
The office door buzzer sounded.
“Someone’s here, I need to run,” Stone said.
“Running sounds ambitious in your condition. A slow walk would be the better choice.”
The buzzer went off again.
“Goodbye, Dino.” Stone hung up.
Chapter 39
Instead of trying to rememberhow to use the intercom from his computer, Stone went to the door himself.
No one was there when he opened it, so he stepped outside and spotted Jack Coulter climbing into the back of a Mercedes C300.
“Jack!”
Jack turned, surprised. “Stone. I thought no one was in.”
“Sorry, I was on the phone.”
Jack said something to the car’s driver, then walked back to the office, carrying a paperback-sized manila envelope.
Stone held the door open. “Apologies for making you wait.”
“I’d wondered if today was a holiday I’d forgotten,” Jack said as they entered.
“Joan is coming in later, and Ash is out with Sara, looking at apartments.”
