“Pugg can walk you to work.”

“No.”

“Pugg doesn’t understand no.”

“Shouldn’t you be selling tires?”

“Pugg is on his lunch hour.”

“You’re probably a really nice guy,” Cate said, “but I have to be honest. I’m just not interested.”

“Pugg is crushed.”

“The fact that I kneed you in the groin last time I saw you must have given you some indication.”

“Pugg thought you were playing hard to get.”

Cate slipped into the condo and closed and locked the door. She looked out the security peephole. Pugg was still there. Don’t panic, she thought. He’ll go away.

An hour later, Marty swept into the condo. “There’s a hairy little man in the hall. He says he belongs to you.”

“He’s mistaken.”

“Thank goodness. So far I’ve had a hideous day. My agent is a pig. He’s going to have to be replaced. And Kitty Bergman is a bitch. I hate and loathe Kitty Bergman.”

“I thought you loved Kitty Bergman.”

“That was yesterday. Have there been any calls for me?”

“Someone’s calling every hour and hanging up when I answer.”

“That’s not good,” Marty said. “That’s not good at all.”

“Do you have a problem?”

“Heavens, no. Some razor burn on my chest, but aside from that…”

The phone rang, and Marty and Cate stared at it in silence.

“You should answer it,” Marty finally said.

“Hello?” Cate said into the phone.

“I want to talk to Marty.” It was the raspy-voiced guy again.

Marty was vigorously shaking his head… no, no, no.

“Marty isn’t available.”

“I know Marty’s there. I saw him go into the building.”

“Sorry, I haven’t seen him.”

“You’re a lying bitch. Tell Marty I’m outside, waiting.”

And he disconnected.

“He called me a bitch, and he said he’s outside waiting,” Cate said to Marty.

“This is a real pain in the ass,” Marty said. “This is turning into one of those days. I’m going to go to my room and take a pill and pack.”