L.A. Dead (Stone Barrington 6)

"You can't run forever."

"What else can I do? You can't talk to her like a normal human being. I've got Marc Blumberg working on an Italian divorce."

"I have a feeling this is not going to be as easy as divorce."

"Funny, I have the same feeling," Stone replied.

When they got back to the bungalow, Louise came into the study. "Lou Regenstein's secretary called. Lou would like you to come to an impromptu dinner party he's giving for some friends at his house tonight. He says to bring somebody, if you'd like. It's at seven-thirty." She laid the address on his desk.

"Let me make a call," Stone said. He found the number for Charlene's RV and dialed it.

"Hey, Sugar," she said. "How you feeling?"

"I think I've recovered my health. Would you like to go to a dinner party tonight?"

"Sure, but I won't be done here until six-thirty or seven."

"Have you got something that you could wear? We could leave from here."

"I've got just the thing," she said. "I wore it in a scene this morning."

"Pick you up at the RV about seven-fifteen?"

"Seven-fifteenish."

"See you then." He hung up. "Call Lou's secretary and tell her I'd love to come, and I'm bringing a date."

Louise went back to her desk to make the call.

"Who's the date?" Dino asked.

"Charlene Joiner."

Dino's eyebrows went up. "You kidding me?"

"Nope," Stone replied smugly. "She's a new friend."

"One of these days, you're going to screw yourself right into the ground," Dino said.

Chapter 47

Charlene kept Stone waiting for only fifteen minutes. When she emerged from her dressing room she was wearing flowing cream-colored silk pants and a filmy patterned blouse. Stone noticed in a nanosecond that the blouse was so sheer that nipples were readily in view.

"So that's what L.A. women wear to dinner parties." He laughed, kissing her.

"They do if they have the right equipment," Charlene replied, wrapping a light cashmere stole around her shoulders.

"You're going to be very popular tonight," Stone said.

"With the men, anyway. Whose house are we going to?"

"It's a surprise."

"I love a surprise," she said, settling into the car. "This is Vance's car, isn't it?"

"It is. I borrowed it."

"Such an incestuous town," she said.