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Stone, Tamlyn, and Dino grabbed their glasses and, with Sara and Ash, followed the waiter toward the dining area.

As they were leaving the bar, Stone noticed the same guy from before watching them again.

This time, there was no doubt in his mind.

To Dino he said, “There’s man at the far end of the bar who seems to have taken an interest in us.”

Dino nonchalantly glanced in that direction.

“The one with the salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache?”

“Yes.”

“Never seen him before.”

“Me, either.”

“Seen who?” Tamlyn asked.

She was nearest to them.

“Someone at the bar who seems to have taken an interest in us,” Stone said.

“Maybe he recognizes Dino from TV. I’ve been here less than two weeks, and I’ve already seen him on the news a few times.”

“It’s the price of fame,” Dino said.

“Perhaps you should see if he wants your autograph,” Stone suggested.

“Who wants whose autograph?” Sara asked.

“A guy at the bar who’s been looking at us, apparently,” Tamlyn said.

“He’s out of luck, though,” Dino said.

“I have a strict no-autographs-while-I’m-at-dinner policy.”

“Oh, my God,” Sara said in disbelief.

She stopped in her tracks and stared toward the bar.

Ash, who’d been behind her, moved to her side, concerned.

“Is everything all right?”

“That’s Stevie,” she said.

She raised her hand and waved at the mustached man at the bar.

A sheepish smile spread across the man’s lips as he tentatively waved back, then rose from his seat and headed over.

“It is you,” Sara said as he neared.

“I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Sara, my dear. It’s been far too long.” He walked straight up to her and embraced her like a long-lost friend.

“You look fantastic.”

“That mustache is new. And your hair, it’s so long.”

“I’ve been trying something new.”

“It looks good on you.” She smiled warmly.

“What on earth are you doing here?”

“I’m meeting an old friend.”

“I mean in New York. Don’t tell me you live here.”

“Unfortunately, no. Just visiting. I’m back in California now.”

“Near your mother?”

There was a slight hesitation before he said, “Yes.”

“She must be happy about that.”

Stevie smiled but said nothing.

“What are the chances we’d run into each other?” Sara chuckled, then remembered she wasn’t alone.

“Where are my manners? Everyone, this is my friend Stevie. Stevie, these are Tamlyn, Stone, Dino, and Ash.”

They exchanged greetings.

“Here on vacation or business?” Stone asked.

There was something about the guy’s name poking at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t figure out why.

“A little bit of both,” Stevie said.

“You said you’re waiting for a friend?”

“Yes.”

“You’re both welcome to join us for dinner, if you’d like.”

Stone saw a flash of panic in Stevie’s eyes, then the guy smiled again.

“That’s very kind. Thank you, but as soon as my friend gets here, we’re off to a show.”

“What are you seeing?” Sara asked.

After a slight hesitation, Stevie said, “No idea. My friend said it was a surprise.”

“I hate to break up the reunion,” Dino said, “but my stomach is reminding me that we haven’t ordered our food yet.”

“I’ll leave you to your dinner,” Stevie said.

“So good to meet all of you.” He took Sara’s hands.

“And I’m so happy to see you again.”

She gave him another hug.

“We should exchange contact info. Do you have a card?”

“Not on me.”

“Ash, may I impose on you for one of yours and a pen?”

“Of course.”

As he pulled them out, Sara said to Stone, Tamlyn, and Dino, “Go ahead. We’ll be right there.”

Once at the table, Stone purposely sat in a chair from which he could see both the bar and the restaurant entrance.

“Am I the only one who got a creepy vibe from Sara’s friend?” Tamlyn asked.

“No,” Stone said, his gaze on Sara, Ash, and Stevie.

“There’s definitely something off about him.”

Stefan took the business card from Sara.

On the back, she’d written her name, phone number, and email address.

None of the information was new to him, but he smiled as if it was and said, “Thank you.”

“Let’s stay in touch,” she told him.

“Absolutely.”

“Nice meeting you, Stevie,” Ash said.

He then smiled at Sara and motioned to the table where the others were now sitting.

“After you.”

Inside, Stefan was seething.

Stevie had been Sara’s nickname for Stefan, and she was the only one he’d ever let call him that.

He had already been annoyed by how touchy the guy was with Sara, but he outright hated him now, earning Ash a prominent place on Stefan’s problems-to-deal-with list.

“Take care, Stevie,” Sara said.

“If you have time before you leave town, let me know, and we can grab a coffee.”

“I’ll do that.”

He walked back to the bar, the whole time resisting the urge to sprint for the exit and get the hell out of there.

His martini glass was still on the counter.

He chugged the remains and contemplated ordering another.

Before he could decide, a big man stepped in beside him and set a forearm on the bar.

Stefan shot him a quick glance of annoyance, then looked around for the bartender, having decided another martini was a great idea.

“I think maybe you’ve had enough,” the big guy said.

“Yeah?” Stefan said.

“ I think you need to mind your own business.”

The big guy leaned over and whispered in Stefan’s ear, “Mr. Gennaro says it would be a good idea for you to call it a night.”

Stefan blinked.

“You work for Gennaro?”

The man looked at him as if that was the stupidest question he’d ever heard.

“Fine,” Stefan said.

“Why does he care where I’m having a—” The answer hit him before he could finish the question.

“Oh, shit. It’s happening tonight, isn’t it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the big man said.

Stefan grinned.

“Sure, sure. I get you. I have no idea, either.” He raised a hand to get the bartender’s attention, then realized the big guy was still looking at him.

“I need to pay my tab, then I’m gone.”

The big guy pushed back from the bar, said, “You have a nice night,” and walked off.

Toomey went to the restroom, where he did his business, then washed his hands and checked his hair in the mirror.

He’d been across the street from Barrington’s place when Stefan had arrived that afternoon.

He’d called Gennaro and described the man to him.

Gennaro said he was a punk named Stefan.

Toomey asked if he should scare the guy off.

“You need to keep a low profile,” Gennaro had said.

“So, don’t do anything unless you think he’s going to be a problem.”

Toomey should have intervened earlier at the restaurant, but by the time he realized that Stefan was doing a poor job of hiding his interest in Barrington and his friends, one of them recognized the guy.

That sparked another call to Gennaro.

“He’s what?”

“Talking to them.”

“Why?”

“I’m not close enough to hear. He seems to know a young woman who’s with the lawyer.”

“But not Barrington?”

“They shook hands like this was the first time they’d met.”

“Huh, interesting,” Gennaro said.

“If you can get him alone, I want you to suggest he make himself scarce. Then stay on Barrington.”

“Understood.”

Toomey finished up in the restroom and headed back to the bar, where he was pleased to see that Stefan had left.

He shot Gennaro a text telling him as much, then sent a more detailed message to Pinkie and Miguel.

Those tasks complete, he settled back with a glass of cola and waited for Barrington’s next move.