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“Lawyer or lobbyist,” answered Stone

“You win the prize” She crossed her legs and flicked at the helihs From the efficient way she did it, Stone deduced this was a tactic of hers during a lanced at Gross and saw that it had gotten his attention too When he looked at Chap her eyes at this same act

Mars, Venus, thought Stone

“So which are you?” he asked Friedman “Lawyer or lobbyist?”

“Both, actually”

Gross cleared his throat “And who do you lobby on behalf of?”

Her gaze shifted to the FBI agent “Lobbyists are the ulated beasts on earth, so my client list is a ht If I hadn’t decided to sit on the bench instead of going right home I wouldn’t even be here”

“We still need to check,” said Gross

“Check away It’s all part of the public record There’s nothing particularly remarkable about them, the usual businesses, trade associations I have son clients, but their businesses are mainstream”

“Who were you calling last night?” asked Stone

She seemed surprised by the question

“I was in the park last night,” he explained “And the park is also under video surveillance 24/7 You were seen on the phone”

“Wow, Big Brother is alive and well,” she said casually, but her long forehead bunched into neat rows of skin “Can I ask why it’s relevant who I was talking to?”

Gross said, “We can easily enough get that infor However, if you don’t…”

She looked at him with a weary expression “I know, I know, then you think I’ood Look, it was just a friend”

Gross poised his pen over his notepad “Your friend’s name?”

“Do you really have to check that out? I mean, it seems silly It was just a friend”

Gross said, “Ms Friedman, a bomb exploded across froation like this And the question is not silly Now, your friend’s name and the subject of your conversation?”

“It’s just a man that I know”

“Nae to his voice This obviously would be the last tient would ask politely

She sat forward and her voice dropped “Look, this friend I was talking to is married”

“Okay,” said Stone

“And so?” prompted Chapman with a malicious look

“And not to me, obviously And maybe we’re more than just friends”

She did the leg cross, skirt flick again, but this time her hands jerked and she didn’t seem nearly as confident

Stone saw Chapled ploy to distract Even Gross didn’t drop his gaze to her legs this time

Gross said, “We’re not really concerned with your, um, friend’s marital issues”

Friedman sat back, relieved “Okay, thank you”

“But I still need his na to him about”

She sighed resignedly “Fine Willis Kraft He lives in Poto about… personal stuff”

“And his wife doesn’t understand hiust

Friedaze hardened and she and Chapman did a brief staredown