“That’s a cheesy thing to do, send his girlfriend around to spy on you.”
“I’m going to make him pay for that before all this is over.”
“And how will you do that?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.” Stone looked up to see two large men in shiny clothes walk into the restaurant and be seated across the room. “Dino, was there a black Lincoln parked out front when you came in?”
“There’s a black Lincoln parked outside every restaurant in New York,” Dino said.
“Including this one?”
“Yeah, it’s there.”
“I think it belongs to the two gorillas over there,” Stone said, deliberately pointing with his arm outstretched at the pair.
They feigned looking at the menu and sipped their drinks.
Stone waved Gianni over. “What are the two apes over there drinking?”
Gianni gave them a glance. “Chivas Regal.”
“What’s the worst Scotch you stock?”
“We’ve got something called Great Scot. We use it to discourage those who’ve had too much to drink. It tastes like paint thinner, with iodine.”
“Send them one on me, and make sure you tell them it’s from me.”
Gianni headed for the bar.
“You think Carmine is having you followed?”
“Carmine or Bernie. I think they’re trying to intimidate me.”
“Is it working?”
“Not yet.” Stone watched as the drinks were delivered to their table and Gianni delivered the message. The two tried to look baffled but raised their glasses in thanks to Stone and drank. Both looked stricken, and one of them waved Gianni back. A brief conversation took place: What the hell was this Scotch? Gianni explains that Stone specified it. They glower at Stone.
“Message received,” Dino said. “I have to tell you, I think it’s a faulty strategy to deliberately annoy people who are already considering beating you up.”
“I don’t think they’ve been told to do that yet, or they would have done it as soon as I left the house this evening.”
“They followed you from your house?”
“Yep.”
“I hope you locked up tight.”
“I always lock up tight.”
“Did you set the alarm?”
“Yep.”
“You forget to do that a lot.”
“Dino, I set the alarm, all right?”
“Whatever you say.” He sounded doubtful.