Part 16 (1/2)
”What's the name of your company?”
”QS Security.”
”Clients?”
”The president of the United States, for one.”
”I mean, after after you quit the Secret Service.” you quit the Secret Service.”
”The Saudi royal family when they come to Manhattan. Madonna. Michael Jordan. Several high-profile football players. Jeremy Cole, for one. Now that you got him that big contract. Others you'd recognize.”
”How many people at QS?”
”Forty. And I'm not one of those guys who hires temporary help if I get a couple of big jobs at the same time. I only take the number of jobs I can handle with the people I've I've trained. People who understand how I do things.” trained. People who understand how I do things.”
”Ever lost a client?” Gillette asked, drinking some water.
”Never.”
”Close?”
”Define 'close.' ”
”Anyone you've been protecting ever been hurt?”
”No.”
”Attacked?”
”Sure.”
”You ever been shot?”
”Yup,” Stiles replied, pulling back his jacket and lifting up his s.h.i.+rt to point at a nasty scar beside his navel, then to another one on the left side of his rib cage.
Gillette gazed at the wounds, wondering how it would have felt if one of the bullets had hit him last night. ”Why'd you quit the Secret Service?”
”They didn't pay very well.”
”What do you charge?”
”Two thousand a day, plus expenses. Another thousand a day for each additional person.”
Gillette whistled. ”You must be good.”
”Very good.” good.”
”You don't talk much, do you, Quentin?”
”My clients don't usually care about talk. They care about being safe.” Stiles glanced around the office. ”If you're really really looking for companions.h.i.+p, I can put you in touch with another kind of firm. High end. No questions asked.” looking for companions.h.i.+p, I can put you in touch with another kind of firm. High end. No questions asked.”
”Thank you, no.” Gillette took another drink of water. ”Get some references to my a.s.sistant, will you?” But he already knew he was going to hire Stiles. Something about the man impressed him. And, as a.n.a.lytical as he was, Gillette had learned over the years to trust his instincts, too.
”I'll leave telephone numbers with her on my way out, numbers of people I've worked with.”
”Good.”
”What's the job?” Stiles wanted to know.
”Protecting me full-time.”
”How long?”
”I don't know.”
”Then it's three three thousand dollars a day. I charge an extra grand when it's open-ended.” thousand dollars a day. I charge an extra grand when it's open-ended.”
Gillette did some quick calculations. Almost a hundred thousand a month just for Stiles. Plus another thousand bucks a day for anyone else Stiles used. A lot, but so be it. ”Okay.”
”Why?” Stiles asked after a few moments.
”Why what?”
”Why do you need protection?”
”Someone blew up my limousine.” He didn't want to mention last night yet.
Stiles's eyes flashed to Gillette's. ”The one that exploded in front of a church over on Park Avenue?”
”Yes.”
”I heard about that.” Stiles shook his head. ”And you waited three days three days to get in touch with someone like me?” to get in touch with someone like me?”
Gillette shook his head. ”No. We own a firm that provides executive protection. The CEO of that firm has people with me.”
”What firm are you talking about?”
”McGuire & Company. You familiar with them?”
”Of course.” A quizzical expression ran across Stiles's face. ”If you own them, and Tom McGuire already has someone with you, why did you call me?”
Gillette liked the fact that Stiles was familiar with McGuire & Company, particularly that he knew who Tom McGuire was. ”Last night I was attacked,” he said quietly. ”A woman-”
”Stop talking,” Stiles ordered, scooping up the television remote from the table. He pointed it at the set in the far corner of the room and clicked. When it was on, he turned the volume up high, then pulled his chair close to Gillette's. ”Go ahead, but keep your voice down.”
”What's the problem?” But Gillette knew what Stiles was thinking. And he liked how suspicious the guy was.
”Keep your voice down, please. please.”
Gillette leaned toward Stiles. ”What's the problem?” he repeated innocently.