Page 63 of Think Twice

“Cognac?” Win asked.

“Why not?”

“Because for one thing you never drink cognac.”

“It’s a new me,” Myron said. Then, thinking about his parents’ last phone call: “Got an edible?”

“Is that a joke?”

“My parents swear by them.”

“Your parents are rarely wrong,” Win said. “I can get us some.”

“Nah, a cognac will be fine.”

“Good man.”

Win’s face was already red from the drink. Myron had noticed that Win now drank more than he used to, or perhaps it was just showing up on his face now. They both held their drinks and sat in burgundy leather chairs. A nineteenth-century pashmina wool carpet from northern India covered the floor between them. The carpet was a deep scarlet with gold stars and azure lotus blossoms.

“I spoke to PT,” Win said.

Many years ago, when Win and Myron had done “favors” for the FBI, PT had been their contact. The public didn’t know him, but every president and FBI director since Ronald Reagan considered him an intimate.

“What does PT say?”

“Greg did it. The DNA evidence is overwhelming.”

“A little too overwhelming maybe.”

Win shrugged. “Sometimes the simplest answer.”

“And sometimes not. What else did PT say?”

“He didn’t know the feds were tailing you.”

“Would he have warned me if he did?”

“I don’t see why. You were doing the legwork for them.” Win put down his drink and steepled his fingers. “There is one other wrinkle.”

“Oh?”

“PT insists it has to remain confidential.”

“Okay.” Myron took a swig of the cognac. He didn’t want to know the price per swig. “So what’s the wrinkle?”

“The murder of Jordan Kravat.”

“What about it?”

“That’s the reason for the FBI’s involvement.”

Myron nodded. He had already put that together. “Two murders, two different states.”

“Ergo the FBI involvement,” Win added. “Correct.”

“Let me guess,” Myron said. He took another swig and realized that he was already feeling it. Happened fast with Win’s cognac. Maybe the rich even have ways of speeding up the alcohol-effects process. “Even though Joey the Toe was convicted of Jordan Kravat’s murder, they aren’t sure he did it.”

“You should drink cognac more often,” Win said. “Clears your thinking.”