Raising the Stakes

“What’s it to you?”

So much for the social niceties. Gray tucked the phone against his shoulder as he pulled the

nozzle from the gas tank and hung up the hose.

“My name is Gray Baron.”

“I don’t want none.”

“Excuse me?”

“Whatever it is you’re sellin’, I don’t want it.”

“I’m not a salesman, mister—”

Gray winced as the phone slammed in his ear. He got into the car and hit Redial. Again, Kitteridge answered immediately.

“Mr. Kitteridge,” he said quickly, “don’t hang up. I’m not selling anything.”

“You think I’m an idiot? Of course you are. What is it? In-surance? Home repairs?” Kitteridge’s voice took on a nasty edge. “Or maybe this is about that there loan you bastards give me last year.”

“It’s nothing like that. This is about your wife.”

“My what?”

“Your wife. Dawn Lincoln Kitteridge.”

There was a long silence. “Who is this?” Kitteridge finally said, so slowly that Gray could feel his suspicion through the phone.

“I told you. My name is Baron. Gray Baron.”

“What do you want with my wife?”

“I’d like to talk with her.”

“So did that other guy, couple of weeks ago, folks tell me. Or are you gonna claim you and he don’t know about each other?”

Gray thought about playing dumb and decided it would only heighten Kitteridge’s mistrust. “No,” he said, “I’m not. He worked for me.”

“And the both of you want to talk to my wife? Well, anything you got to say to her, you can say to me.”

“I’m afraid not,” Gray said politely. “This is a legal matter. I can only discuss it with her.”

“She don’t talk to nobody unless I say she… What kind of legal matter?”

Kitteridge’s tone had gone from hostile to sly. So far, so good. A horn tapped behind Gray. He glanced in the mirror, put the car in gear and pulled away from the pump.

“Well,” he said, as if saying more would violate his code of ethics, “I suppose I could explain it to you… But not over the phone.”

“You a cop? ‘Cause if the bitch got herself in trouble, I ain’t interested in hearin’ about it.”

“No trouble,” Gray said easily. “I’m not a cop, I’m a lawyer.”

“A lawyer? An’ you want to see Dawn?”

“Yes. I’m trying to find her for a client.”

“What in hell for?”