“Big surprise, not that he represents Carmine, but that he bothered to call you.”
“Guess who else represents Dattila.”
“You got me again.”
“The lovely Marilyn, from last night.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“She didn’t show for our appointment this morning, and the phone number on her card is a phony. Then, after my conversation with Finger, he says, slyly, that I sound tense and I should have a massage. I think the preponderance of the evidence points to a pecuniary relationship, at the very least, between Marilyn and Carmine.”
“So you think he sent her to Elaine’s to pump you about your lawsuit?”
“What else?”
“That sounds more like something Bernie Finger would do.”
“You have a point,” Stone said.
“I frequently do.”
“Listen, why don’t you put some of your little-used police skills to work and find out who she is?”
“So what am I going to go on? Beautiful blonde with phony phone number? I don’t think our computers could handle that.”
“I guess not.”
“And besides, it’s not as though she committed a crime. I don’t think it’s a felony to offer massage and not show up.”
“It ought to be,” Stone said.
“In a more perfect world.”
“I was looking forward to that massage.”
“And I was looking forward to hearing about it.”
“I hope I run into her again,” Stone said.
“What are you going to do, slug her? Besides, she looks like she could take care of herself. Pretty big girl.”
“Parts of her.”
“That’s probably what Carmine wants you to do, so he can have her beat you up.”
“Good-bye, Dino.”
“Have a nice day.”
10
Stone sat and stared at his desktop. His back was still stiff and sore; he had really wanted that massage. He buzzed Joan.
“Yes?”
“Do you know a really good masseuse who makes house calls?”
“What is this sudden obsession with massage?”