BACK IN NEW YORK, Butch Crane and Curly were reading People. “I guess I didn’t really understand who my sis had gotten involved with,” Butch said.

“We need to figure out a way to hit him again,” Curly said.

“Listen, we both did very well out of our little caper. Let’s cool it now. Anyway, the guy is getting to be family, and I don’t want to foul my own nest.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll foul it for you, and you won’t need to lift a hand,” Curly said.

“Listen to me, Curly,” Butch said, closing the magazine. “We’re going to leave the guy alone. In fact, there is no more ‘we.’ I don’t want to hear from you again.”

“You don’t want me for an enemy, Butch.”

“Curly, I don’t want you for anything. We each made a hundred and fifty grand, and that had better keep you out of my hair.”

“Don’t threaten me.”

“Don’t make it necessary.” Butch got up and left Curly’s apartment and went back to his own. He was liking his new life, but he knew Curly would eventually find a way to screw it up for him; the guy was like that.

—

LAURENCE AND THERESA were walking up Canyon Road, where most of Santa Fe’s art galleries were housed.

“I like it here,” Laurence said. “It’s a beautiful town in a beautiful part of the country. Would you like to live here?”

“Well, sure,” she said, “but please remember, I still have a job, and I’m going to have to get back to it soon.”

“Why don’t you leave the job and just hang with me?”

“Because I don’t know you well enough, nor you me, to make a long-term commitment.”

“Think of it as an experiment, not a commitment—that can come later, if it’s what we want.”

“Look, I’ve got more than a job, I’ve got a career, and I’ve invested a fair number of years building it. What would I do if you tired of me and just took off?”

“More likely, the other way around, but I’ll tell you what. If I should do that—or if you want to leave—I’ll give you a million dollars to tide you over while you’re thinking about a new career.”

“A pre-breakup agreement?”

“Even better, I’ll give you the million right now, and you can take off anytime you get tired of life with me.”

“I’d feel like a whore.”

“That’s nonsense. Have you felt that way at any time since we met?”

“Well, no, but I haven’t been paid.”

He turned her around and used her back for a desk, then tore out the check and handed it to her. “Here. Cash it, if and when you need it. Think of it as insurance.”