He walked down to Third Avenue and hailed a cab, and fifteen minutes later he was sipping his first Knob Creek. Dino arrived five minutes later, simultaneously with his first Scotch, via waiter.

“You’re looking very fresh and relaxed,” Dino said.

“I am exactly that,” Stone replied. “I found a replacement for Marilyn this afternoon, and the woman is an angel.”

“I want to meet her,” Dino said.

“Come around this time tomorrow evening and have a drink with us, but don’t stick around for dinner, even if I invite you to, which I won’t.”

“What’s she like?”

“That’ll be a surprise; you’re not going to believe what you see.”

“I take it that’s a favorable assessment of her charms.”

“You may infer that. Oh, and she knows Marilyn—they used to work at the same day spa—and she tells me that Marilyn has retired from the business and moved into an apartment paid for by a married lawyer, who is…”

“Bernie Finger.”

“You’re so smart.”

“That’s a cheesy thing to do, send his girlfriend around to spy on you.”

“I’m going to make him pay for that before all this is over.”

“And how will you do that?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.” Stone looked up to see two large men in shiny clothes walk into the restaurant and be seated across the room. “Dino, was there a black Lincoln parked out front when you came in?”

“There’s a black Lincoln parked outside every restaurant in New York,” Dino said.

“Including this one?”

“Yeah, it’s there.”

“I think it belongs to the two gorillas over there,” Stone said, deliberately pointing with his arm outstretched at the pair.

They feigned looking at the menu and sipped their drinks.

Stone waved Gianni over. “What are the two apes over there drinking?”

Gianni gave them a glance. “Chivas Regal.”

“What’s the worst Scotch you stock?”

“We’ve got something called Great Scot. We use it to discourage those who’ve had too much to drink. It tastes like paint thinner, with iodine.”

“Send them one on me, and make sure you tell them it’s from me.”

Gianni headed for the bar.

“You think Carmine is having you followed?”

“Carmine or Bernie. I think they’re trying to intimidate me.”

“Is it working?”

“Not yet.” Stone watched as the drinks were delivered to their table and Gianni delivered the message. The two tried to look baffled but raised their glasses in thanks to Stone and drank. Both looked stricken, and one of them waved Gianni back. A brief conversation took place: What the hell was this Scotch? Gianni explains that Stone specified it. They glower at Stone.

“Message received,” Dino said. “I have to tell you, I think it’s a faulty strategy to deliberately annoy people who are already considering beating you up.”