Page 16 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

“Five? How about two?”

“What’s my cut of the take?”

“No take. It’s not a burglary. It’s a trash job. We’re sending a message.”

“Then I’d say good luck finding someone else.”

Sensing Toby was about to hang up, Nico said, “Okay, five grand. But I’m putting you in charge of the team.”

Toby was silent for a few seconds. “Fine, as long as I can pick my own people. And that’ll be an extra five to cover them.”

Nico had budgeted twenty grand, so he’d be getting this for far cheaper than planned. Still, he hesitated a moment before answering so that Toby didn’t think he was a pushover. “If that’s the way it’s got to be, then okay. You have a deal.”

“Great. What’s the job?”

Nico told him.

“Huh, that’s different.”

“Can you handle it?”

“Are you kidding me? Piece of cake.”

“How long to set it up?”

“Seeing as it’s Thursday, give me the weekend. We should be ready to go Monday night. If that works for you.”

“That works just fine.”

Chapter 5

On Monday, Stone sat in his office, feeling restless. Though it had been less than a week since Carly left, it felt closer to a month. He had come to count on her perspective and her keen legal mind.

It’s just temporary, he told himself.She’ll be back.

Probably.

“Are you still moping?” Joan said from his office doorway.

“I’m not moping.”

“You are, and it’s upsetting Tracy.” Tracy West was Stone’s new associate.

“I’m sure she’s not upset.”

“Let’s ask.” Before Stone could stop her, Joan called out, “Tracy, can you come here for a moment.”

“Leave her alone,” Stone said.

Still looking down the hall, Joan said, “Ah, there you are. Come, come.”

A moment later, Tracy appeared beside her, holding a legal pad. She was a slip of a girl, with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and wide round eyes that, at the moment, appeared nervous.

“Yes?” she said, her voice just above a whisper.

“Stone has a question for you.”

Tracy looked into the office. “Yes, Mr. Barrington?”

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