Kisser (2010)

it.”
    “We had some good times,” she said. “It might be fun to revisit them.”
    “Right now, Tiff, I’m embroiled in a number of things that are creating great pressures on my time. Maybe in a few weeks.” She might forget about it in a few weeks.
    “I’ll look forward to it,” Tiffany said. “Good-bye.”
    Stone hung up and dialed Mitzi’s cell phone.
    “Hello?”
    “I’ve just had a phone call from the U.S. Attorney,” he said.
    “Oh?”
    “Don’t play innocent with me. You failed to remove my name from that prospectus before you faxed it to her.”
    “I asked Brian to do that,” she said. “I’m sorry, if he didn’t.”
    “I might have known,” Stone said. “Ms. Baldwin would like you to be an undercover agent for her in the pursuit of Sig Larsen. What shall I tell her?”
    “Does she know I’m a cop?”
    “No.”
    “I’d better speak to Brian about this, then.”
    “Do it now; Tiffany is an impatient woman.”
    “You should know,” Mitzi said, with a vocal leer. “I’ll get back to you.” She hung up.
    Stone went back to his sandwich, which had grown cold. He nuked it for a few seconds, then started to eat again. The phone rang.
    “Stone Barrington.”
    “It’s Brian Doyle, your commanding officer.”
    “Go fuck yourself, commander.”
    “I hear you’ve got the U.S. Attorney trying to poach one of my people.”
    “You sent her the fucking prospectus without taking my name off it, as requested. That’s why she called me.”
    “What did you tell her?”
    “Nothing. I refused her to give her my client’s—Mitzi’s—name. She wants to use her to get at Larsen.”
    “I’m using her to get at Sharpe.”
    “Look, if you’d shown some interest in busting Larsen, this wouldn’t have happened. Trust me, Tiffany Baldwin is going to gnaw away at this case until she knows everything, so my advice to you is to call her right now and offer to share the fruits of your investigation and the use of your undercover officer in making a federal case against Larsen. Maybe Sharpe, too. It’s an easier way for you to get him off the street.”
    “But without the credit.”
    “So work out a credit-sharing plan with Tiff. She’ll keep her word if you get it in writing.”
    “Why did you get me into this shit, Stone?”
    “ You got you into this shit, Brian, and unless you call Ms. Baldwin right now, she’s liable to approach you through the commissioner. It would be a lot better if you could tell the commissioner you got the Feds involved and worked out a deal with them.”
    Doyle didn’t say anything for a moment.
    “Look,” Stone said, “if she calls me back, I’m going to have to tell her more.”
    “Don’t threaten me, Stone.”
    “It’s how it is, Brian. Now go deal with it.” Stone hung up. His sandwich was cold again.

43
    STONE SAT AT ELAINE’S with Dino, gulping bourbon.
    “What’s the matter?” Dino asked.
    “What’s the matter?” Stone made a moue. “Well, let’s see: I’ve been assigned by Eggers to save a fair damsel from the clutches of an evil fortune plunderer, as a result of which I’ve become embroiled in an NYPD undercover drug operation; I’ve been shanghaied back into the department, reporting to Brian Doyle, of all people; I’ve been fucking his undercover detective and her girlfriend at the same time, all the while trying to protect Carrie Cox from her evil ex-husband while fucking her; Tiffany Baldwin has reared her beautiful but addled head again and wants me to fuck her, and she’s going to try to shanghai me into working on her undercover operation to bust Sig Larsen. Let’s see, did I leave out anything?”
    “Well, mostly, it sounds as if you’re fucking every woman in sight. What else is new?”
    “Two undercover operations.”
    “They don’t sound all that daunting.”
    “They’re plenty daunting, believe me; multiple opportunities to get one or more of these women killed along with myself.”
    “Wear armor.”
    “Brian Doyle has thoughtfully provided that along with an ear bug that’s hell to get out once it’s in. Did I mention that?”
    “I don’t remember,” Dino said. “Have another drink.” He waved at a waiter.
    “You talked me into it,” Stone said, draining his glass and setting it aside to make room for another, which arrived with lightning speed. “It’s hot in here,” he said to the waiter. “Please make it cooler.” He patted his forehead with his napkin. “It’s always too hot