“Too late for that,” August said. He reached out and shook Leo’s hand, which felt as weathered as a catcher’s mitt. “Mr. Kahn. Good to see you. I want to introduce you to an associate of mine.”

Xandria reached out her hand. Leo didn’t take it. “Mr. Kahn,” she said, still holding her palm open to accept his. “I’m here to make sure this transaction goes smoothly. You may not know me, but I believe you know my boss, Cornelius Hood.”

Kahn’s face transformed. “Cornelius!” he said, gripping her hand and giving it a firm shake. “Please pass on my best regards.”

“He’s in town, you know.”

“Here? In New York?” Kahn asked. He seemed a bit rattled. “I didn’t think he was allowed in the States.”

“He’s not.”

“I see,” Kahn said. He glanced back as if verifying his backup was still intact. “Does Cornelius have some interest in my book?” The question was aimed at August.

So the subject was going to arise sooner than later. August heard himself audibly gulp, an actual swallow, just like in the movies. “Not exactly.”

“Yes, he does,” Xandria said, stepping in. “But not the whole book.”

“Not the whole book?” Kahn laughed, his men picking up the cue to join in. “What? He only wants a couple chapters?”

“Three pages.”

Kahn stopped laughing. “Three pages? You serious?”

And then there they were. The three illuminated pages. Xandria fanned them out like a deck of cards before Kahn’s face.

“You tore them out?” Kahn looked as if he might explode. A few parents grabbed their children’s hands and darted from the area, just in case some real trouble was about to erupt among the cast of sinister characters.

“Don’t worry,” Xandria said. She opened the briefcase holding the Gutenberg and presented it to Kahn. “You’ll still get your book.”

“Great!” Kahn said, slapping his hands together. “Just what I wanted! Damaged property! You know what I give in exchange for damaged property?”

“The book is a gift.” Xandria slid the case over to Kahn. “A free gift from Cornelius. Damaged or not, it’s still worth more than anything else on your bookshelf.”

“Then you don’t know what’s on my bookshelf.”

Xandria took a step forward and placed a long finger under Kahn’s chin. “The Order knows everything about you, down to the number of hairs on your mistress’s head. Don’t get cute with me. Take this deal and your debt with Cornelius is settled.”

“I don’t have a—”

“October 23, 1983. Moscow. Ring a bell?”

Kahn knocked Xandria’s hand away from his face. He closed the lid to the briefcase and walked away, his men in silent tow.

August waited until Kahn was out of sight. “That’s it? I get nothing?”