Howard followed Arthur and stood two paces back.

“Sit down, Gerald,” Arthur said in a direct, dry voice that reached the surrounding tables.

Gerald stayed on his feet, tapping his signet ring against the rim of his empty glass.

“This is private business, Arthur,” Gerald said.

“You have no authority at my table.”

Arthur reached inside his dark navy suit jacket and pulled out a fresh cashier’s check printed on thick pale yellow paper from Greenfield Bank.

He laid the check flat on the white linen tablecloth, right beside Gerald’s champagne saucer.