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Published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in a G. P. Putnam’s Sons edition.

First Signet Printing, April 2002

Copyright © Stuart Woods, 2001

Excerpt from The Short Fovever copyright © Stuart Woods, 2002

eISBN : 978-1-101-10012-7

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

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Dedication

This book is for Marvin and Rita Ginsky.

Chapter 1

1

ELAINE’S, LATE.

Stone Barrington finished his osso buco as Elaine wandered over from another table and sat down.

“So?” she asked.

“ ‘So?’ What kind of question is that?”

“It means, ‘tell me everything.’”

Stone looked up to see Dino struggling to shut the front door behind him. Dino was his former partner, now a lieutenant, head of the detective squad at the 19th Precinct.

Dino came over, sloughing off a heavy topcoat. “Jesus,” he said, hanging up his coat, muffler and hat. “There’s already six inches of snow out there, and there’s at least thirty knots of wind.”

“How are we going to get home?” Stone wondered aloud.