The Other Clock

On the other end of the line, he heard street noise, then the hush of an elevator lobby. She was moving somewhere expensive, somewhere with polished stone and men in dark coats pretending not to listen. "Marcus is dangerous," she said. "So is everyone with a Bloomberg terminal and no conscience." "No. Marcus is dangerous because he does not need money. People who still need money can be predicted. They have pressure points. Marcus wants leverage for sport." Ethan looked at the half-closed laptop. "And you are telling me this because?" "Because he asked me about you before I ever wrote your name down." The room narrowed. "When?" "This afternoon." Ethan stood. The kitchen chair scraped against the floor like a warning.