Chapter 59

Ryan was getting nervous. He had now spotted a second likely cop at the dining room door.

“What’s the matter?” Sylvia asked.

“I’m not sure,” Ryan replied, “but if anything happens, get the hell out of here and don’t look back.”

“Gotcha,” she said.

The check came, and Ryan counted out the hundreds and a generous tip. He checked the doorway again and didn’t like the people he saw. “This might be a good time for you to go to the ladies’,” he said to Sylvia. “It’s down the hallway to your left. So is the kitchen door.”

“Good luck,” she said. “If you make it, give a girl a call.”

“Don’t go back to the suite.”

“There’s nothing there that I can’t walk away from.”

“Take care of yourself, Sylvia. It was fun.”

“It sure was.” She patted her lips with a napkin, got up, picked up her purse from the floor between them, and made her way unhurriedly toward the restrooms. As she stepped out of sight of the dining room door she detoured through a door marked KITCHEN EMPLOYEES ONLY.

Inside, she stopped a waiter. “Which way out?”

“Either back the way you came, or if you want Fifty-sixth Street, go to the end of the room and take your first left.”

“Thanks, sweetie,” she said, patting his cheek.

“Rough evening?” he asked.

“Not yet,” she replied, and went on her way.

—

Ryan gave her a couple of minutes’ head start, then he reached across his body under his coat and yanked the 9mm from its holster. As he stood up he put the weapon into his front right pocket but kept his hand on it. He walked unhurriedly toward the door, and as he approached he could see into the lobby. An elevator door opened, and Dino Bacchetti stepped out, his hand holding his jacket back to reveal a firearm.

The sight of Bacchetti caused a wave of anger to rise in Ryan’s body. He raised his arm, took aim for a tiny moment, and fired.

—

As Stone’s elevator door opened he saw Dino with his back to him, his right arm sweeping back his jacket to free up his weapon. As he did, a gunshot split the air, and Dino’s left shoulder jerked back. Simultaneously, he raised his hand and fired back. Stone pushed Hank to the rear wall of the elevator car and pressed her there with his body.

“This is the first time I’ve done this to gunfire,” she said.

“Don’t move.”

“Who’s moving? I’m enjoying myself.”

—