Dirty Work (Stone Barrington 9)

“I know. Can we just drop it?”

“And Irving is not the kind of guy to just trust you for a quarter of a mil.”

“It’s not a quarter of a million, it’s two twenty-five.”

“Oh, that’ll make all the difference,” Dino said.

“Really, Dino, you’re ruining my dinner.”

“Of course, you’ve got some bucks in the bank. You could write Irving a check.”

“I’d have to sell stock, and my portfolio is way down. I have hopes of it bouncing back, but it would cost me dearly to write that check right now.”

“Didn’t you have to make a margin call last week?”

“Dino, if you keep talking about this I’m going to go back to the room, find your gun, and shoot you.”

“I didn’t bring a gun.”

“Let’s change the subject, all right?”

“Okay.” Dino chewed for a moment and sipped his wine. “Does Carpenter know you left town?”

Stone groaned. “I didn’t have time to call her.” He dug out his cell phone and called the Lowell. “What’s the name she’s registered under?”

Dino looked thoughtful. “I don’t remember,” he said. “She’s got too many names.”

The hotel answered.

“Just a moment,” Stone said, covering the phone. “Come on, Dino, help me out here.”

“I swear, I can’t remember it.”

“Neither can I.” Stone slapped his forehead. “Susan!” he said.

“That’s right!”

He put the phone to his ear. “May I speak to Susan Kinsolving, please?”

The phone rang and rang, then the operator came back on. “I’m sorry, sir, but there’s no answer. Would you like voice mail?”

“Yes, please.” Stone listened to the message and heard the beep. “It’s Stone. I’ve had to leave town on business. Please call me on my cell phone.” He repeated the number, in case she had lost it. “I’ll be back in a day or two.” He punched off.

Dino laughed. “A day or two? That’s funny.”

“We might get lucky.”

“We already got lucky, and you blew it.”

“I blew it?”

“It wasn’t me,” Dino pointed out.

“You were closer to him than I was. You could have just grabbed him.”

“Who could see after the flash went off?”

“Well, I couldn’t see either.”