Excerpt from Worst Fears Realized by Stuart Woods, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"He'll grow old waiting," Stone said.

A handsome man of about forty spotted Dino and came across the room, towing a tall blond woman in a Chanel suit.

"Dino," he said, shaking hands. "I'm glad you could make it. You remember Dana."

The woman shook Dino's hand. "Who's this?" she asked, turning her gaze on Stone.

"This is Stone Barrington, Dana. Stone, this is Martin and Dana Brougham."

"How do you do?" Stone said mechanically, shaking their hands.

"I've heard of you," Brougham said, steering Stone and Dino toward the bar. "You were Dino's partner at the Nineteenth Precinct a while back, weren't you?"

"A while back," Stone echoed. "After I left the force they had to kick him upstairs; nobody else would ride in the same car with him."

"You're over at Woodman and Weld, aren't you?"

"I'm of counsel, to them," Stone replied, "but Woodman and Weld would probably rather you didn't know it." It was a remark he wouldn't have made if he had been entirely sober.

Brougham laughed. "What are you drinking?"

"Wild Turkey on the rocks, if you have it."

Brougham grabbed a bottle that looked like a crystal decanter and poured Stone a double. "This is Wild Turkey, but it's got a leg up on the standard stuff."

Stone tasted the whiskey. The man was right. This stuff cost thirty bucks a bottle; he was beginning to like Brougham.

A couple arrived at the front door, and Brougham went off to greet them. "Wander around," he said. "Meet some people."

Stone looked around. The room was jammed with people, and somebody was playing the piano rather well. "I see at least four cops," he said to Dino.

Worst Fears Realized by Stuart Woods. Copyright (c) 1999 by Stuart Woods. Reprinted with permission from HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.