“Like most multibillionaires, he is a very impatient man, and we have word that he is very angry that Ian is still alive. The twins are said to have been his favorites among his many children.”

Stone looked up, and his eye fell on the bar. Two men were just sitting down: the ex-policeman named Ryan and Al Parisi, son of Gino. “Oh, no,” he said.

“Oh, no what?” Felicity asked.

“Just a tail I thought I had lost,” Stone replied. “Excuse me for a moment.” He got up, strode into the bar, and leaned over the table where the two had sat down. “Get out,” he said.

They seemed surprised to see him. “What are you talking about?” Ryan asked.

“Get out or you’ll be spending a few days in jail.”

“Come on, Gene,” Al Parisi said, tugging at his companion’s sleeve.

“The hell you say,” Ryan replied. “I’ll drink wherever I want to.”

“Not anymore,” Stone said, producing his cell phone. “You are never again going to spend a minute where I am.” He pressed a speed dial button.

“Bacchetti.”

“I’m at Caravaggio.”

“Swell. Have some pasta for me, I’m working late.”

“I’ve been pursued here by Ryan and the little Parisi. I’d be grateful for your help with that.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Dino said. “Don’t shoot them or anything, I’ll have them out of there in minutes.”

“Thank you, Commissioner.” Stone hung up.

“Come on, Gene,” Al said, standing up.

Ryan got reluctantly to his feet. “We’re going to settle this sometime,” he said to Stone.

“No, I’m going to settle this if I encounter you again—anytime, anywhere.” Stone turned and strode back to his table.

“What was that all about?” Felicity asked.

“Pest control,” Stone replied.

Chapter 26

Al Parisi was asleep when the phone rang. He ignored it, but it wouldn’t stop. He glanced at the bedside clock: a little past eleven, he wasn’t sure about AM or PM. He finally surrendered. “Hello?” he croaked.

“This is Hilda, at the office,” she said. “Mr. Brubeck wants to see you right away. It’s very, very important.”

“Okay, I can be there in forty-five minutes.” But she had already hung up. He had always hated that bitch.

Al shaved and showered and put on his best suit. This sounded like work to him, and he hadn’t been sure if there would be any more work after the old man bought it. He ran downstairs and found a cab. He hadn’t been in it for more than a minute when his cell rang. “Yeah?”

“It’s Gene. I thought of what to do about Barrington.”