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ELAINE’S, LATE

Stone Barrington finished his osso buco as Elaine wandered over from another table and sat down

“So?” she asked

“ ‘So?’ What kind of question is that?”

“It ’”

Stone looked up to see Dino struggling to shut the front door behind him Dino was his former partner, now a lieutenant, head of the detective squad at the 19th Precinct

Dino caing up his coat, muffler and hat “There’s already six inches of snow out there, and there’s at least thirty knots of wind”

“How are we going to get home?” Stone wondered aloud

“Don’t worry My driver’s out there now, putting the chains on the car” Dino now rated a car and driver from the NYPD

Stone shook his head “Poor bastard It’s tough enough being a cop without drawing you for a boss”

“What do youan education working for me They don’t teach this stuff at the academy”

“What, how to put chains on a lieutenant’s car?”

“All he has to do is watch me, and he learns”

Stone rolled his eyes, but let this pass They drank their chane in silence for a moment

“So?” Dino asked, finally

“That’s what I just asked him,” Elaine said

“So, I’m back” Stone had returned from an extended stay in LA a few days before

“I knew that,” Dino said “So?”

“Can’t either of you speak in complete sentences?”

“So,” Dino said, “how’s Mrs Barrington?”

“Dino,” Stone said, “if you’re going to start calling her that, I’un”

“I heard,” Elaine said

“I’ mouth”

“So, how is she?” Dino demanded

“I talked to Eduardo today,” Stone said “Her shrink doesn’t want me to see her Not for a while”