Dugan, though. His most important loss was a number of gold bars—he wouldn’t say how many, but my impression was that it was considerable. That would be very easy to dispose of—melted down and recast in one of a number of ways.”
“I’ve heard about that case. You’re right, Dugan didn’t sell him his security system. What connects your robbery with his is that you are both insured by Steele. They’re my clients, and believe me, they’re going to be all over this. The total of the claims is going to be enormous.”
“I would imagine so. They’ve already been to the apartment and investigated. We’re fortunate in having photographs of and receipts for most of Hillary’s things, and what we don’t have, Harry Winston or Tiffany or Cartier will have in their files.”
“I hope your guests were as smart as that.”
“The insurance company insists on it when they’re covering big-ticket items. Nobody is going to get burned, except the insurance company.”
“I’m glad to see you land on your feet, Jack. I hope this business is not going to make life difficult for you.”
“I hope that, too. That’s why I want to do whatever I can to help the police break this—but with you as an intermediary.”
“Dino Bacchetti, whom you met, is chief of detectives and my closest friend. I’ll do everything I can to see that undue attention isn’t directed at you.”
“Thank you, Stone.”
The two men chatted about other things, finished lunch, and said goodbye.
As soon as he got back to his office, Stone called Dino and told him about the conversation with Jack Coulter.
“He really wants to help, Dino. He’s not involved in this.”
“I’ve never heard of this guy Sutton,” Dino said. “But I’ll see that he’s thoroughly checked out.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d do what you can to keep your people away from Jack. Anything you want to know, I’ll ask him for you.”
“Okay, we’ll work it that way. I understand the guy’s position, and I don’t want to expose him. I’ll keep O’Brien off his back. I know how to do that.”
34
Stone was about to call it a day when Joan buzzed him. “Jeb Barnes, from Steele, is here to see you. He didn’t call for an appointment.”
“Send him in.”
Jeb Barnes came into Stone’s office looking as though he had bad news.
“Come in, Jeb, and have a seat.” Stone directed him to the sofa. “It’s late in the day. Can I get you a drink?”
“Thank you, yes. Scotch, any kind, rocks.”
Stone poured the scotch and handed it to Barnes, then poured himself a bourbon and sat down. “What can I do for you, Jeb?”
Barnes knocked back half the scotch and took a couple of deep breaths before speaking. “I’m in a terrible jam, Stone, and I don’t know who else to go to.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I know you and I haven’t had the best relationship, but you’re the only person I know who understands these things.”
“It’s all right, Jeb. Just tell me what’s happened.”
“I had a visit from the police this afternoon.” He stopped as though that would explain everything.
“Go on.”
“As you know, since you were there, there was a big jewelry robbery at the home of Jack and Hillary Coulter. We insured the bulk of the things taken from the guests. About seven million dollars’ worth.”
“I know. Is the company blaming you for insuring those people?”
“Of course not. We’re delighted to have that sort of business. It’s unusual, though, for so many clients to be hit in one robbery.”
“I imagine so. You still haven’t told me what the problem is.”
“The police asked me who among our employees would have access to customers’ files, files that would hold information that might be used to put together that kind of robbery.”
“Did you give them names?”
“Yes, of course—half a dozen of them. There was one name I didn’t give them.”
“Why not?”
“No longer an employee. That doesn’t matter, though. I’m talking about Crane Hart.”
“That’s right, she left Steele. Did she have that sort of access to client records before she left?”
“Yes, she did.”
“Then why didn’t you give her name to the police?”
“Because when she was still an employee, she and I were having an affair.”
Stone took a couple of deep breaths himself. “But she would have still had access to the records if you weren’t involved with her, wouldn’t she?”
“No, she wouldn’t have. You see, the most sensitive of our records, the files of our richest and most heavily insured clients, are kept in a room adjacent to my office. Nobody