Page 11 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

“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 atwo-monthleave 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 theman 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 intimidateme, 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?”

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