[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
been scamming off each other for so long now, the art could be anywhere. A lot
of dead bodies left behind for this loot.
I thought of Marco Varelli and why the old man wasn t allowed to die a natural
death, simply because he might connect Wrenley and Caxton to the stolen
Vermeer.
The Feds got nothin better to do than look for counterfeit money and seize
illegal Cuban cigars. This gives em a mission, Coop. It ain t all bad.
Mike was tucking his napkin into the collar of his shirt. Hey, Jake, better
stick that tie in your shirt. You get sauce on that thing it ll ruin the
design completely. What s he got on this one, blondie? Gerbils? Wait ll I tell
Mercer you got little rodents running around on your necktie.
Frankie came over to make sure everything was okay. See the group at that
table for six? It s the CEO of one of the big ad agencies, with a few of his
models. One of the girls saw you on TV the other night and wants to meet
you.
I turned to look around, assuming that Frankie was talking about Jake.
Relax, it s not me for a change. It s Chapman.
The tall redhead was beaming at Mike. She must have seen him on the news,
being interviewed about the close of the Caxton murder investigation.
Tell her I ll be over as soon as I finish my dinner, will you, Frankie? He
wiped the empty pasta bowl with a piece of bread and winked at his admirer.
So, either of you guys hear the question tonight?
We had been in the car on our way to the restaurant when Jeopardy! aired.
No.
Easy one. Would have been a split.
What was the category?
Religion.
I never bet against you on that.
Yeah, but since you spent some time in church last week, I thought you d give
it a shot. The answer was: Seventeenthcentury cleric who created the most
famous sparkling white wine.
I laughed. That religious I am. Dom Pérignon, the monk who discovered
champagne.
Mike got up from the booth and called over to the bar. Hey, Vic, you got any
champagne on ice? I ll be back over when they bring out the chicken. I m gonna
go introduce myself to my fans. You know how that is, Mr. Tyler, don t you?
He winked at me and put his napkin on his seat.
Jake turned to ask if I was all right. I smiled and nodded, reaching up to
kiss him on the side of his neck. Thanks for your patience. I ll be fine.
He held my face and pressed his mouth gently against mine. Then he sat back.
There s a follow-up question to the one about Dom Pérignon. I feel just like
that lucky old monk. Know what he said when he took his first sip of
champagne?
I have no idea.
I m tasting stars! Jake said, pulling me toward him and kissing me
again.
I heard the sound of the cork popping out of the bottle and flying up against
the ceiling. The Temptations were singing My Girl, Mike had come back to the
booth to await the next course, and Vic was pouring champagne for everyone.
The events since the night I met Mike at Spuyten Duyvil would be less raw in a
few weeks, we d catch the West Side rapist soon, and new cases would draw me
back into the work I loved.
We lifted our glasses to toast our missing partner once more, with Mike
extracting a promise from us to bring Mercer to dinner here as soon as he was
able. We would be a team again, in spite of the devil.
Acknowledgments
Page 164
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
For almost thirty-five years, Alexandra Denman has taught me everything there
is to know about friendship. Her love, her loyalty, her humor, and her
intelligence have enriched my life beyond measure. Ben Stein, Alex s husband,
is right to call her the goddess.
My fictional heroine draws her name as well from Alexander Cooper artist, book
lover, and devoted friend to Justin and me. This book owes much to Alex and
Karen Cooper, who introduced me to the galleries of Chelsea, the brilliance of
Richard Serra, and the existence of the Hi-Line Railroad. They advanced the
plot over wonderful meals and lots of good wine.
Susan and Michael Goldberg give new meaning to the word generosity. Along
with the crew of the Twilight Captain Cutter, Todd, Wes, Kelly, and
Stephens they have given us a paradise to which to retreat, calm seas for
sailing, and a safe haven for dreaming. Their book parties make all the lonely
hours at the keyboard worthwhile.
Although my beloved pal Jane Stanton Hitchcock lives a shuttle flight away
from me now, her fictional counterpart is ever present on the pages of this
book. It was more reliable to research the art world capers with a phone call
to Jane than through the texts.
I am deeply grateful to Vineyard friends, who help sustain and encourage me
through long summer days, when writing novels seems to be the least likely way
to pass the time. To Ann and Vernon Jordan, with enormous respect and
boundless affection; and Louise and Henry Grunwald, with great admiration and
eternal gratitude. Their morning phone calls boost my spirits and dinners
together nourish my soul.
My prosecutorial patron saint remains Bob Morgenthau. I have been fortunate to
have had the benefit of his guidance, his integrity, and his wisdom for a
quarter of a century. The women and men of the Manhattan District Attorney s
Office and especially my devoted friends and colleagues in the Sex Crimes
Prosecution Unit are the best in the business. Along with our counterparts in
the New York Police Department and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,
they continue to work on the side of the angels. Survivors of violent crimes
who come forward with courage and fortitude, and trust our ability to do
justice for them, have my profound esteem.
Last year I lost two friends, each of great spirit and heart. Whenever Alex
Cooper goes to the ballet as she does here with Natalie Moody she will be
watching the dancers at American Ballet Theatre and honoring Howard Gilman, an
extraordinary man whose spirit lives on in all of those man and beast whom he
embraced.
And my young protégée, Maxine Pfeffer, who lost her valiant struggle with
cancer, will always be Coop s paralegal, Max. Thinking of her will forever
bring a smile to my face.
Some of my Vassar classmates asked me to create a character-in memory of one
of our dear friends, the actress Marilyn Swartz Seven, who also died too
young. She is here as a woman of mystery a role I hope she would have enjoyed
performing.
The crews at Scribner and at Pocket Books have been a delight. I am especially
grateful to Susan Moldow, for her support; John Fontana, for his stunning
design; Giulia Melucci, for her relentless and enthusiastic efforts on my
behalf; and Sunshine Lucas, for her patience and efficiency.
My thanks to all the booksellers and librarians who continue to put this
series in the hands of readers, and to readers who wait for more.
The collaboration with Susanne Kirk, friend and editor, has been one of the
blessings of this business. She has helped me make this a better book.
I have seen so many books dedicated to Esther Newberg in the last year that I
have run out of superlatives for her. The best thing my husband ever did for
Page 165
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
me, other than ask me to marry him, was to introduce me to Esther brilliant
agent, brilliant friend.
My family remains my most precious gift. My only regret is that my father the
gentlest man I ve ever known, who introduced me to this genre when I was a
child did not live long enough to see the joy this career has given me. But I
thank my amazing mother, Alice, and all the Fairsteins Guy, Marisa, Lisa, and
Marc for their support, and the Feldmans and Zavislans Diane, Jane, Jan,
Matthew, and Alexander for theirs as well.
Most of all, I am constantly inspired by the love of the most wonderful
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]