Chapter 3

The next morning, Stone's phone woke him from a deep sleep. He groaned and blindly grabbed for it.

"Hello," he croaked.

"So, you are still alive," his secretary, Joan, said.

He blinked, then sat up, and immediately regretted it. His head throbbed from one too many Knob Creeks the night before.

"Dino called and said you might need a little help getting started today," Joan said. "Don't worry. I shifted your schedule around. You have nothing pressing until this afternoon."

"Thank God for small favors."

"Small? Do you think I just snapped my fingers and your schedule rearranged itself?"

"Forgive me. For large favors."

"That's more like it. I hear Carly has flown the coop."

"Dino has a big mouth."

"That was from Fred. You told him on the ride home last night."

Flashes of the previous evening played in his head, including snippets of a diatribe about how Carly was making the biggest mistake in her life.

"Then Fred has the big mouth."

"You told him to tell me."

Stone didn't recall that, but if Fred said it happened, then it had to be true.

"Shall I have Helene send up your breakfast?"

"Just toast and coffee."

"Poor baby," she said and hung up.

Stone dragged himself into the bathroom, and after downing a couple of aspirin, took a hot shower. By the time he reentered his bedroom, he was feeling much better.

His light breakfast was waiting in the dumbwaiter. He ate a single piece of toast and drank a full cup of coffee before making his way to his office downstairs.

"You don't look nearly as bad as I thought you would," Joan said when he arrived.

"Your compliments need some work."

"That wasn't a compliment. It was an observation."

"Would it be too much to ask for some coffee?"

"I thought you already had one."

"More coffee."

"I'll bring it right in."

Stone spent the next few hours working through several e-mails and reviewing a contract for a client.

It was closing in on one in the afternoon when Joan buzzed him. "Herb Fisher on line one."

Stone picked up the phone. "Hello, Herb. What can I do for you?"

"Are you free today at four?"

"Let me check." Stone placed a hand over the phone and called out to Joan, "What's my afternoon look like?"

She appeared in his doorway. "Only a conference call with Steele Insurance in thirty minutes. I moved everything else to later in the week."

To Herb, Stone said, "I'm free. What's up?"

"Arrington Hotel business. I need to meet with you and Mike Freeman about the Phoenix property."

The property was the proposed location for a new Arrington Resort. Stone, his son, Peter, and Strategic Services, which Mike Freeman ran, controlled the majority of stock in Arrington's U.S. operations.

"I'll be there," Stone said. "But I'm not sure about Mike's schedule."

"I've already talked to him. He's free."

"I'll see you at four."

"I don't see that we have any other option but to pass. This location isn't suitable," Stone said, closing the folder Herb had given him at the start of the meeting.

Mike finished looking through an identical set of papers and nodded. "I agree."

"Sorry I wasn't the bearer of better news," Herb said.

"Your task was to perform due diligence on the proposed purchase and that's what you did," Stone said. "As always, a thorough job. Thank you, Herb."

Both Stone and Mike had been hopeful the site would prove to be a good location for the next Arrington Hotel. Unfortunately, Herb's analysis had revealed zoning issues and infrastructure problems that could delay the start of construction for three years or more. No one was interested in waiting that long.

"Should I have Raul restart the search?" Herb asked. Raul Staggs was a corporate real estate broker who did a lot of referral work for Woodman Weld.

"Please," Stone said.

The meeting over, Stone made a stop by Bill Eggers's office before heading home.

Bill's door was closed, but a young woman Stone didn't know was at the assistant's desk. She had a serious, businesslike look about her.

"Good afternoon, is he in?"

"And you are?" she asked.

"Stone Barrington."

"Ah, you're Mr. Barrington. I'm Paulina, Mr. Eggers's new assistant."

"Pleasure to meet you."

"I'm supposed to tell you Mr. Eggers is out at a meeting."

"Just me or everyone?"

"Just you."

"Thank you, Paulina."

He opened the door and strode inside. Bill looked up from his computer and sighed.

"What the— I told Paulina not to let you in."

"Not true," Paulina said from the doorway. "You only said to tell him you were out. Which I did."

"I can attest to that," Stone said.

"It's the same thing," Bill said.

Paulina looked as if she did not agree. "Mr. Barrington, correct me if I'm wrong, but you would have gone in no matter what I told you."

"I would have."

"Mr. Eggers, physically restraining people from entering your office was not listed as one of the job requirements. If you need someone who will do that, that is not me. If you would like, I can contact HR and request that they begin a search for my replacement."

Bill grimaced. "That won't be necessary. Thank you, Paulina."

She smiled, then closed the door, leaving Stone and Bill alone.

"I like her," Stone said.

"Don't you even think about stealing her. She's only been here a week, and she's already the most organized assistant I've ever had."

"Hiring away someone who can so obviously put you in your place? I wouldn't think of it."

"I should probably talk to her about that."

"Good luck." Stone took a seat across from Bill. "As much as I enjoy talking about your new assistant, she's not the reason I'm here."

"I know exactly why you're here."

"I would hope so."

"Look, it's a good opportunity for Carly. How could I say no?"

"You gave her a two-month leave of absence."

"The training can only help to make her an even better attorney than she already is."

"Because weapons training and spy craft lessons are things every lawyer should know?"

"Maybe not every lawyer, but there's an argument to be made for the lawyers who work with you."

Though there was more than a little truth to that, Stone ignored the comment. "What are we going to do if she decides to join the Agency?"

Bill's brow furrowed. "She said it wasn't a job offer, just training."

"Do you think when she finishes the training, probably at the top of her class, they'll just let her walk away without trying to keep her?"

Bill stared at him, the idea obviously not having crossed his mind until then. "I might have made a mistake."

"You think?"

Bill seemed to come to a decision and his expression returned to his business normal. "I'll leave making sure Carly returns to the fold in your capable hands. Don't let the firm down."

"My hands? You're the one who let her go with Lance."

"And you're the one who knows her best. Plus, you and Lance are friends."

"We are most decidedly not friends."

"Business associates?"

Stone was a contracted adviser for the Agency. "There are days I wish you had never convinced me to take the bar."

"Funny, there are days when I wish I hadn't convinced you to do so, either." Bill smiled and motioned at the door. "Get out of here. You've wasted enough of my time."

Stone stewed all the way to the elevator, throughout the ride down to the lobby, and as he headed out to the street, where Fred waited with the Bentley. Which was why he didn't notice the man waiting just outside the building until he felt someone grab his arm and pull him to a stop.

Stone whirled around to find Winston Petry sneering at him.

"I have something to say to you," Petry said.

Stone jerked his arm free. "Anything you have to say can go through your lawyer." He started toward his car.

Fred had seen what happened and was already out of the Bentley, a hand slipping under his jacket for his fully licensed, concealed weapon. "Is everything okay, sir?"

"Fine, Fred."

Petry moved in front of Stone. "I was talking to you."

"Mr. Petry, before you say anything else, you should be aware of a few things. It's clear you were waiting for me to come out of the building. That is stalking. You grabbed me and physically impeded my progress. That's assault. Undoubtedly, you're here because you want to give me—one of the lawyers you lost to—a piece of your mind about the trial. That is harassment and possibly even intimidation. It would take very little effort to have you arrested and charged for any or all of these things. If I were you, I'd think hard about what I say next."

Petry took a step closer, putting them almost toe-to-toe. "Are you trying to intimidate me, Mr. Barrington? Because I don't get intimidated, especially not from a piece-of-trash ambulance chaser like you."

"If that's as creative as your put-downs can get, I pity you."

Petry's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"I said I pity you."

"I should have taken care of you years ago," Petry snarled, then drew his arm back like he was going to throw a punch.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Fred said. He had moved up beside them and pulled back the flap of his jacket far enough for Petry to see Fred's other hand resting on the butt of his holstered gun.

Face reddening, Petry took half a step back but still looked ready to fight. "Stay out of this, if you know what's good for you."

To Stone, Fred said, "Just say the word, and I'll take care of the problem."

"Thank you, Fred. Mr. Petry, I think it's time for you to go."

Petry's gaze switched back and forth between Stone and Fred until it finally settled on Stone. "I have a message for your client."

"Any messages about your case should go through your—"

"Tell that little twerp he will never see a dime from me. The only people who will pay for that sham of a trial will be you, Barrington. You owe me, for this time and last!"

"And that sounds like a threat."

"Not a threat. A fact."

"Fred, you heard that, right?"

"I did, sir."

"Good. You'll be the first witness called at Mr. Petry's criminal trial."

"You son of a bitch!"

Petry cocked his arm back, but before he could swing, Fred grabbed Petry's arm and twisted it behind the man's back.

Petry yelped in pain. "Let go of me!"

Another twist of the arm forced Petry to his knees.

Stone looked down at the man. "If you had left when I told you to, or better yet, if you had been smart enough not to show up here in the first place, you wouldn't be in this position. I'm going to give you a pass this time, but if you ever do something like this again to me, to my client, or to anyone associated with Woodman Weld, I will have you arrested and do everything in my power to make sure you are convicted and receive a maximum sentence. Have I made myself clear?"

Petry glared at Stone but said nothing.

"I'll take that for a yes. Fred, you can release him, but if he tries anything, feel free to shoot."

"Gladly, sir."

Fred released Petry's arm and took a step back.

Petry staggered to his feet and massaged his biceps. "This isn't over," he hissed and then stormed away.

Stone and Fred watched him until he disappeared around the corner.

"He seems like a nice fellow," Fred said.

"A real peach."