Carnal Curiosity - Stuart Woods Page 0,23
on the back, and he let it go. He left us and went back inside.”
“How many of them were there?”
“Four,” Jack said. “They were all dressed in black suits and wore masks and gloves. One of them had a small valise, also black, and they put all the jewelry into that.”
“They were pros,” Stone said. “The one I talked to was very calm.”
“You think he recognized you?” Dino asked.
“Maybe not. Last time we met I was wearing sweats instead of a tuxedo. He knew I was a lawyer, though.”
“How’d he know that?”
“I told him it would go better for him if he didn’t hurt anybody, and he said, ‘Ah, a lawyer.’”
“Does he know your name?”
“He does, if he remembered me from the park. If not, no.”
“Detective, would you and your men like some dinner?” Jack asked.
“Thank you, no, they’re working, and I’ve already eaten, sort of.” He looked at his watch. “Stone, do you know where Dugan lives?”
“No, but he could be at Crane’s place.” He gave Dino the address.
“I think I’ll take a couple of guys, and we’ll have a chat with him.”
“Kiss him for me,” Stone said.
19
Stone and Ann lined up for the buffet and perched on a sofa to eat.
“They’re all so cheerful,” Ann said, looking around at their fellow diners.
“They’re relieved,” Stone said. “If somebody had been hurt it would be different, but they’re all happy that they got through it.”
“They lost their jewelry, though.”
“If it wasn’t handed down from a grandmother, their insurance companies will replace it. They’re no worse off than when they arrived for dinner.”
“Do you think they’ll get any of it back?”
“That depends on the professionalism of the robbers, or whoever sent them. If they start trying to fence it tomorrow, they’ll get caught and at least some of the jewelry will be recovered. But if the robbery was as well planned as it seemed to be, then they’ll have, in advance, acquired a fence—that’s somebody who receives and resells stolen goods.”
“Thank you, I got that from a thousand cop shows on TV.”
“If they’re really smart and not too greedy, then they’ve already got an expert removing the stones from the settings, grading them by size and clarity, and tomorrow they’ll be on a plane to Amsterdam, where there are so many diamond merchants they’ll be untraceable. Then, in a couple of weeks, the robbers will get their money.”
“And Don Dugan?”
“Right. I wouldn’t be stunned to hear that he planned the robbery. It will be interesting when Dino gets his client list and starts finding out how many of them have been robbed.”
“But how would Dugan know there’d be a dinner party here tonight, and that the guests would be wearing so much jewelry?”
“I’m only guessing, but I’d say that his installers, when they were here doing their work, might have overheard something from the Coulters or one of their servants. Maybe they even got a look at the invitation on Jack’s desk. Any dinner party here would attract a lot of jewelry, but ‘black tie’ on the invitation means all the women will be wearing their best stuff. And I’ll bet there were more than a few Patek Philippe wristwatches among the gentlemen.”
“Those would be easier to trace, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes, but not so much in Hong Kong or Mumbai.”
They finished dinner, then said their good nights.
“I’m sorry the party got so exciting,” Hillary Coulter said to them.
“I managed to hang on to my jewelry,” Ann replied.
“I’m happy for you,” Hillary said. “Stone, so you imagine this will make the newspapers?”
“I expect the type is being set as we speak,” Stone replied. “You may not want to answer the phone tomorrow.”
“We have an unlisted number.”
“That won’t slow them down. Just have a maid answer and take messages.”
They took the elevator downstairs and found the receptionist back at his desk and the doorman getting cabs for people. Fred and the Bentley awaited at the curb.
They were getting out of the car at Ann’s building when Dino’s car stopped, and he got out.
“You’re still up?” Stone asked.
“I’ve done all I can do.”
“Did you find Dugan?”
“One of the tenants in the building said that Dugan and Crane had gone to the country for the weekend.”
“That’s what I would do, if I had planned a robbery in the city,” Stone said. “Is somebody looking for him?”
“Our source didn’t say where in the country. We’ll visit him Monday morning.”
“Best to Viv,” Stone said, and Dino walked off toward his elevator.
“I’m on the other elevator bank,” Ann said.