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“He’s not just onme He says he has friends who could hurt me if I don’t pay him by next week”

“Why is he pushing so hard? I just loaned you ten thousand dollars to give hih of a down payment to calm him down”

Silence

“Wasn’t it?” Leo asked

“No” Phil eating again “That was a drop in the bucket You have no idea how much I owe him”

“Well, I’rand total”

More silence

“Phil?” Leo prompted

“A hundred and twenty-five”

“Thousand?” Leo gasped “You owe that Albanian crook a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars?” He slapped his hands on his desk “Are you out of youraround Not even Wallace—not anymore Plus, you, better than anyone, knows that a withdrawal of that size would have the FBI in our faces in a minute”

Phil sank down on a chair, lowering his head into his hands “Leo, I don’t think he’s bluffing He said his boss is a big shot in an organized-criroup God knohat they’d do to e bank withdraould put the FBI on high alert, i worked over by the Albanian mob”

“Fine Okay I hear you” Leo’sfor solutions “Letto a bunch of cocktail parties with Cindy Liu I’ll be there, too So will a crowd of rich guests Maybe if Wallace and I put our heads together, we can co”

Phil’s head ca to these parties?”

“They started last week I’ve got a half dozen more this week and next Stall your bookie I’ll cohed “I always do”

“Thanks I can’t tell you how—”