Stone Barrington 27 - Doing Hard Time

and pressed the speaker button.
    “Hello,” she said.
    “Hi, there. Why are you on the speakerphone?”
    “It’s against the law to use a cell phone in the car. It’s not so obvious when the speakerphone is on.”
    “Are you on schedule?” Teddy asked.
    “Right on the button. Where are we meeting?”
    “Would you mind going to Michael’s again?”
    “Not at all. I liked it there.”
    “Michael’s, then, at seven-thirty.”
    “You’re on.”
    “Are you wearing my favorite scarf?”
    “The red one? You bet!”
    “Great, I’ll see you at the bar.” Teddy hung up.
    “What does the red scarf mean?” Todd asked, stuffing her phone back into her purse.
    “Mean? Nothing—he just liked it the last time I wore it, so I wore it again.”
    He squeezed her thigh. “You sure about that?”
    “Oh, don’t be so nervous,” she said. “Billy has no way of knowing you’re coming.”
    Todd checked his watch. “Step on it,” he said. “I want to be a little early.”
    •   •   •
    At Todd’s instruction, Charmaine pulled over to the curb down the block from the restaurant, instead of giving it to the parking valet. It was seven o’clock. Todd pressed the button to lower the windows, then switched off the ignition.
    “I like the night air in L.A.,” he said, making himself comfortable in the passenger seat. “All you have to do now is to alert me when you see your Billy drive up to the restaurant.”
    •   •   •
    Teddy reached through the car window and placed the silencer to the back of the man’s head. “Why wait to be introduced?” he asked.
    “Shit,” Todd muttered.
    “Charmaine,” Teddy said, “please get out of the car. Is your bag in the trunk?”
    “Yes,” she said, getting out and pressing the trunk release.
    “Move over into the driver’s seat,” Teddy said, prodding Todd with the silencer.
    Todd scrambled over the console as instructed.
    “Charmaine, go into the restaurant and have a drink at the bar. The gentleman and I will have a little chat, then I’ll be back. I won’t be long.”
    “I’m here to deliver a message to you,” Todd said.
    “Start the car, and let’s drive over to Shutters,” Teddy said. “You haven’t checked in yet, have you?”
    “No, but they’re expecting me.”
    “While you drive, you can give me the message.”
    “Mr. Majorov would like to meet you in Las Vegas,” Todd said.
    Teddy chuckled. “I’ve already received that message, from the last gentleman Mr. Majorov sent, and you may recall, I declined.”
    Todd drove the short distance to Shutters and, on Teddy’s instructions, pulled into the garage.
    “I should warn you,” Todd said as he parked, “Mr. Majorov doesn’t like having his invitations declined, and he doesn’t like his messengers shot.”
    “You needn’t worry about that,” Teddy said. “We’re going to call Mr. Majorov after you’ve checked into your room, and I’ll speak to him. Get your luggage from the trunk.”
    Todd pressed the trunk release, and the two men got out of the car. They walked to the rear, and when Todd leaned over to retrieve his bag, Teddy shot him in the head. He quickly folded the body into the trunk and closed it with his elbow, then he put away the pistol and walked the short distance back to Michael’s.
    Charmaine was sipping a margarita at the bar, and he sat down beside her and ordered her another and one for himself.
    “I think he meant to kill us both,” Charmaine said.
    “So do I,” Teddy replied.
    “He’s not going to get a chance to do that, is he?”
    “No, he’s not.”
    “How am I going to explain this to Pete Genaro and Majorov?”
    “I’m going to make a proposal,” Teddy said, “and if you accept, you’ll never have to worry about either of them again.”
    “I’m all ears,” she said.
    “First, let me ask you some questions: Do you have any family?”
    “My mother died last year, and she was my closest remaining relative. I have a couple of cousins, but I haven’t been in touch with them for years.”
    “Is there anything in your Las Vegas apartment that you can’t do without?”
    She thought about that for a moment. “Nothing that can’t be replaced on a shopping spree.”
    “Do you want to go on working at the casino and hotel?”
    “No, it’s getting too scary there. I mean, they sent that guy to kill me, as well as you.”
    “Then come and live with me, and let me take care of you. I’ll give you a new, foolproof