“That you and I make when?” Stone asked.
“Perhaps as early as this evening,” Mitzi said, “so you’d better get some rest.”
“Has Brian Doyle explained to you how dangerous this is, and why?”
“You mean from Derek’s rivals in the drug game?”
“I do.”
“I’m not particularly worried about that; we’ll be well protected. Still, I’m going to armor up, and you should, too.”
Stone nodded.
The girls got up and took turns kissing him.
“And don’t forget your ear bug,” Mitzi said.
“I think you’re going to get a hard time from the guys at your meeting,” Stone said.
“Oh, no; they’ll save that for you, and it will be mostly admiration. They have no idea who you were with last night.”
“I hope not,” Stone said, waving good-bye to them.
LATER, STONE WAS so
zonked out on the massage table that the masseuse had to turn him over when the time came. He had no memory of it when she finished. She helped him to the bed, and he fell into it, his body an oily overcooked noodle.
IT WAS a little after five when Mitzi called. “We’re on for tonight,” she said.
“Do we have to go to Sharpe’s studio? It’s dangerous there.”
“No, this is about Sig and my so-called money, so we’re meeting at 740 Park at seven. After Sig makes his pitch and we’ve recorded that for the benefit of the feds, I’ll take Derek aside and tell him I need some drugs for a friend.”
“Good. Don’t tell him you’re a user, or he’ll make you use some with witnesses around.”
“My story is that I use only booze, which is all he’s seen me use.”
“What are you going to ask him for?”
“Half a pound of marijuana and five ounces of coke.”
“Are you going to have cash?”
“I’ve already signed for it.”
“You’re not going to get a receipt for the drugs, you know.”
“Don’t worry, we have a bookkeeping way of keeping track of that.”
“You should insist that he give you the drugs in the apartment, too, not at his place and especially not in a car.”
“Yeah, yeah, Stone, I know. We’ve worked all that out. Can you be at the apartment at six thirty?”
“Yes, I guess so.”
“We can have dinner afterward,” she said.
“Okay. See you then.” He hung up.