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Elaine’s, late

Stone Barrington sat with his client, Mike Freeic Services, and his former partner from his NYPD days, Dino Bacchetti, over the ruins of dinner and a bottle of excellent Cabernet

“That was good,” Mike said “I never kne good the food was here, until you started bringing me”

“Comfort food,” Dino said

Elaine sat herself down in the spare chair “Comfort food?” she asked “Is that some kind of crack?”

“It’s high praise,” Stone said quickly, not wanting to get her started Elaine’s did not enjoy a high reputation with the food critics of the local ood tables, but the regulars kne good the food was, and that was all she really cared about

“I’ll take high praise,” Elaine said

Stone’s cell phone hu it out of its holster “Stone Barrington”

“Stone, it’s Arrington,” she said Stone and Arrington had once been a very big ite fathered a son by her

“Well, hello there,” he said “I thought I’d never hear froether in his Maine house, on Islesboro, at Dark Harbor, and then she had taken her leave, saying it was over

“I want to hire you,” she said

“I’m for hire How’s Peter?”