Carnal Curiosity by Stuart Woods Read Free Book Online Page B

restaurant at the Waldorf yesterday. I want to see if there’s any follow-up.”
    There wasn’t. “Does he do this sort of thing often?” Stone asked.
    “He’s always getting into fights, and at the slightest excuse. Road rage is a problem, too.”
    “I think we need to get you a protection order on Wednesday,” he said.
    “I don’t think it will stop him,” she said.
    “It will let you put him in jail if he bothers you again.”
    “I did that once before—it just made him angrier. Can I borrow a gun from you?”
    “You’d need a license just to have it in your home,” Stone said, “and that takes time. I can arrange some protection for you for a couple of weeks, until things cool down.”
    “What about protection for you?”
    “You really think he’ll continue to come after me?”
    “Yes, I do. I’m sorry I got you mixed up in this. If we hadn’t run into him at that party, he wouldn’t even know about you.”
    “It’s not your fault, Crane.”
    “Maybe not, but I still feel guilty.”
    Stone switched off the TV and pulled her to him. “Let me see what I can do to help you forget about it,” he said, burying his face in her lap.
    She stayed until Monday morning, and he walked her outthe back way, through Turtle Bay Gardens. A gate led out to Second Avenue, and he put her in a cab there.
    She kissed him. “You be careful,” she said.
    “I’ll have somebody call you at your office later this morning about security arrangements,” he said, helping her into the cab.
    He went to his office and called Bob Cantor, who he sometimes used for help with security.
    “What can I do for you?” Bob asked.
    “I need a team of two men, armed, to keep a woman safe from her estranged husband, a large and angry man.”
    “You have anything to do with the estrangement, Stone?”
    “Nope, they were estranged for two years before I met her. She has a divorce hearing in family court Wednesday morning.”
    “You want them armed?”
    “Yes, indeed.” Stone gave Bob the number. “Have them pick her up at work when she leaves the office today.”
    “I’m on it,” Bob replied.

13
    O n Wednesday morning Stone went down to the courthouse and took a seat at the rear of the Family Court hearing room. Crane and Herbie Fisher were already seated at their table, and an attorney was at the other table, but no sign of Don Dugan.
    The judge, a woman in her late thirties, entered the courtroom, and everyone stood, then sat.
    “Case of Dugan v. Dugan,” the judge said. “Are both parties present?”
    Dugan’s attorney stood up. “Bob Harvey for Mr. Dugan. Judge, my client seems to have been detained, and I can’t reach him on his cell phone. I move to continue the hearing at a later date.”
    Herbie was on his feet. “Your Honor, Herbert Fisher for Mrs. Dugan. This is the third occasion on which Mr. Dugan has failed to appear after giving assurances. He has repeatedly delayed proceedings, settlement conferences, and other meetings for a period of two years. The parties have agreed on aproperty settlement, notarized copies are before you, and we move for an immediate final decree.”
    Don Dugan strode into the courtroom and down the center aisle, joining his attorney. “Sorry about that, Judge. Traffic was bad.”
    The judge glared at him. “It’s always bad and no excuse for a late appearance. In your absence, Mr. Dugan, I have a motion from Mrs. Dugan’s attorney for the immediate issuance of a final decree.”
    “Well, I think we need to talk about this some more,” Dugan said.
    His attorney whispered something in his ear, and he whispered back.
    “Well?” the judge asked.
    “We are ready to proceed, Judge,” Dugan’s attorney said.
    “That’s very kind of you, Mr. Harvey. Mr. Dugan, have you read the settlement agreement?”
    “Well, not all the way through,” Dugan said. “My attorney told me to sign it, so I did, but I don’t want a divorce.”
    Stone looked at Herbie, who was saying