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Chapter 1

ELAINE’S LATE

Stone Barrington had already had a drink and had aliven up on Dino Bacchetti It was unlike his fore of the detective squad at the 19th Precinct, to be late for eating or drinking Stone was signaling a waiter for another drink and a ed in

“Why are you trudging?” Stone asked

“I’ at a waiter andmotions

“And why, pray tell, are you depressed?”

“Mary Ann and I have just split”

“Yeah, sure,” Stone said “Just sleep on the sofa tonight, and everything will be fine in the ”

“Not this tilass set before him “Words were spoken that can’t be taken back”

“Take it from a lawyer,” Stone said, “the only words spoken that can’t be taken back are ”Guilty, Your Honor“”

“Those were pretty much the words,” Dino said

“And who spoke them?”

“Who the fuck do you think?” Dino asked “You think she would ever cop to anything?”

“What did you plead guilty to?”