Page 35 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

“And you’re not staying with us?”

“Youdorealize you’re not the only ones I know here, right?”

“Ah, I get it. You’d rather stay with a couple of has-been ex-presidents than with your good old friends.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Will and Kate what you think of them when I see them.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t said to them in person. Wait a second. Didn’t Will tell me they were off on vacation this week?”

“Hawaii. They left this morning.”

“And you’re in that big house by yourself?”

“Yep. Just me and a half dozen Secret Service agents. Holly was here, but she ended up having to leave, too.”

“That stuff with North Korea?”

“You are well informed.”

“If you get lonely, our guest room’s waiting for you.”

“Thanks, Ed. I’m settled in here, so I should be fine. But I was thinking that we could grab a meal.”

“How long are you here for?”

“A few days, maybe a week.”

“I’d say more than one meal, then. How about we start with lunch today?”

“That sounds great.”

“Come to my office around one, and we can go from here.”

—

In a luxury townhouse on the other side of Santa Fe, Simon Duchamp had just finished breakfast and was about to head to the local Duchamp Gallery when his phone pinged. His PI friend had responded to his request.

Nico Savage worked for someone named Winston Petry, inNew York City, as a lawyer and fixer who handled Petry’s dirty work.

According to the PI, Savage made a good salary, but didn’t have the kind of money to afford Simon’s services. Which meant he had to be fronting for his boss, who was loaded. Apparently, Petry was the kind of guy who felt the law didn’t apply to him.

Simon grinned. Loaded and not worried about being an upright citizen were two of his favorite traits in a client.

He called Savage on a burner phone.

“Nico Savage.”

“Good morning, Mr. Savage. Reed Langston tells me that you’d like to talk.”

“You’re his art guy?”

Simon bristled at the description but kept it out of his voice. “I understand you might be interested in acquiring a particular piece?”

“Not one. Several.”

“By several, you mean…?”

“Three should be enough.”

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