Sex, Lies & Serious Money

41

Heavenly peace showed up with two men carrying toolboxes; she was dressed in a nicely tailored boiler suit with a Strategic Services emblem embroidered above her left breast and carrying a small suitcase. “May I leave my case here somewhere, Stone? It’s got my civvies in it, for later.”

“Of course,” Stone said, “just leave it in my closet over there.” He pointed across his office.

“Now, you’ve seen the plans, can we start in here? We’ll make as little noise as possible, then we’ll drift upstairs.”

“As you wish,” Stone said. “I’ve got to read some documents. I’ll take them up to my study while you work in here.”

“See you later,” she said, tossing her long blond hair out of her way, then quickly pinning it up.

Stone took his briefcase upstairs and settled into a comfortable chair. His phone rang. “Yes?”

“Dino on one,” Joan said.

Stone punched the button. “Morning.”

“Yeah, and a nice one, too. I hear you have an unusual security tech wandering around your house. Quite a dish, huh?”

“Yeah, I think this is Mike Freeman’s idea of a joke.”

“You’re taking it all wrong — he’s heard you’re lonely, and he just wants to make you feel better.”

“Nah, he just wants me to walk around the house with a bulge in my trousers all day.”

Dino laughed loudly. “First step in feeling better.”

“I thought Jinx was the first step in feeling better.”

“She’s nice, but she heads off downtown every day to her studio, and you only see her at night.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, but she’s a professional woman with a lot of work on her hands, so she can’t devote herself fully to you.”

“That describes just about every woman I’ve met since Arrington died, even Heavenly Peace.”

“Nice name, huh? It’s how you’ll feel when she’s through with you. And she’s not the type to take her work to bed with her.”

“You have a point. Jinx has a bad habit of sketching ideas while I’m trying to get to sleep. Her painters are supposed to be out of her place today, though, so I should be able to get some rest.”

“Tell you what, if she abandons you, bring Hev to dinner.”

“Where’d you have in mind?”

“How about Rotisserie Georgette, on Sixtieth? I’ll book.”

“Let’s see how the day goes.”

“Talk to you later.”

There was a knock on the study door, and Jinx came in. “Joan said you were up here.”

“I’ve got workmen in my office installing security cameras, the result of our little incident the other night. What brings you uptown this time of day?”

“I came to get my stuff.”

“Abandoning me?”

“Not entirely, but I’ve got a show opening in Philadelphia in a couple of days that needs some fine-tuning, and maybe even a new set, so I’m out of town for a week, at least.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“Not so much. We’ve had some nice times, but I think I’m too much of a working girl for you.”

“Call me when you get back?”

“Would you like to come to Philadelphia for a couple of days?”

“Probably not — too much going on here.”

“Okay, see you when I see you.” She came over, pecked him on the forehead, and left the room.

Stone went back to work. An hour later, Hev stuck her head in. “My guys have got your office in hand, I think. Mind if I start on the master suite?”

“Go right ahead.”

“Is the coast clear up there?”

“Clear, and likely to remain so.”

She smiled. “Oh, well.”

“Hev, would you like to join some friends and me for dinner tonight?”

She cocked her head and smiled at him. “What a nice idea. I’ll check my bag and see if I have something suitable.”

“I’ll bet you do. You can shower and change upstairs when you’re done with work.”

“Where are we going?”

“Rotisserie Georgette on Sixtieth.”

“Then put me down for a yes.” She left, closing the door behind her.

Stone called Dino. “You’re on for dinner.”

“I’ve already booked for three — Viv is in Miami for a couple of days. Seven-thirty.”

“We’ll see you there.”

Stone went upstairs at the end of the day, expecting to find Hev still working, but when he walked into the master suite, he heard her shower running. He considered calling on her there, but resisted the temptation. Then, while he was resisting, the door opened, and she appeared wearing only a bath towel.

“Oops,” she said, retreating behind the door.

“Quite all right. You look very nice in a towel.”

“Why don’t you relax, and I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”

“Good idea.” He stretched out on the bed and dozed.