The sign behind Finnegan's car where the forest met the swamp read, it is a violation of state amp; federal law to feed or harass alligators. Too bad. Finnegan looked big enough to keep a couple of them stocked for the winter.

Lucy got out of the car and went toward him.

"You're even more beautiful than your picture," Finnegan said to her, grabbing his cane in his left hand and leaning on it as he slid off the hood of his car. He switched his cigar to his cane hand and extended his right hand toward her, but Wilder noticed that the Irishman's clear blue eyes were on him.

Lucy did not take his hand. "You wanted to meet me?"

"Ah, Lucy, my darlin'," Finnegan said with a heavy brogue, which Wilder also figured was bullshit.

"You've been threatening me for two days," Lucy said. "Don't call me darling."

Wilder scanned the area, but there was no obvious security, even though he was sure Finnegan was not out here on his own. He slid his Glock back into the holster and got out of the Jeep.

"Oh, darlin', that's how business is." Finnegan shifted the cigar to his right hand again and gestured toward Wilder. "And who might this strapping lad be?"

"My friend," Lucy said. "Captain Wilder."

"Captain Wilder." Finnegan didn't bother to extend his hand toward Wilder. "I've heard of you." He drew hard on his cigar and looked back at Lucy. "And why do we need a captain of the Army here at a nice civilized meeting?"

" This isn't civilized," Lucy said, her eyes steady on him.

"Your 'friend,' eh?" Finnegan put just the right spin on the word to let them know he knew what their relationship was. "And poor Connor? Is he not your 'friend'?"

"No." Lucy looked annoyed, which was better than afraid, but not by much, Wilder thought. "Mr. Finnegan, people on my movie are getting hurt."

"Unfortunate," Finnegan said affably. "But accidents will happen. Nothing to do with me."

Lucy drew in her breath, and Wilder knew she was going to blow. He walked past Finnegan and checked out the car. "Nice wheels."

"You admire a fine automobile, Captain Wilder?" Finnegan said, turning away from Lucy as if she didn't matter.

"No. But since you want to talk bullshit, I thought I'd join in."

Finnegan nodded. "Ah, a man who likes to get to business quickly." He turned back to Lucy. "This really isn't negotiable, Lucy. We have a contract."

Lucy shook her head. "Oh, no. You-"

Wilder moved next to her, trying to draw Finnegan's attention. "Why are you so concerned about this movie being finished?"

"I want to see my name on a movie screen." Finnegan shrugged, tapping cigar ash on the ground. "Glory, if you will. An old man's whimsy.'

"No," Lucy said.

Women. Wilder kept his face impassive.

"Lass-"

Lucy rolled over him. "The last time we did a stunt, we had injuries. We almost lost our lead actor. And now somebody's in the hospital."

Finnegan smiled at her over his cigar. "Lucy darling, I cannot be held accountable for someone falling asleep at the wheel. That happens every day."

"Not to people on my crew. Not like this. Nor do I have meetings in swamps every day." She shook her head, furious. "This is ridiculous. I-"

"We'd like a guarantee," Wilder said, his hand in his pocket, palming the bug Crawford had given him. "Nobody else gets hurt. Whatever it is that you're doing, you do away from the cast and crew."

He smiled, which made Finnegan pull back a little. Now all he had to do was figure out how to plant it on Finnegan. It didn't look like they were going to be hugging when they split, and pointing at the sky and saying, Look, Halley's Comet! didn't appear to be a good move, either.

Finnegan nodded, leaning forward, one hand on the silver handle of his cane. "Just finish the movie and all will be well. I'll throw in a one-hundred-thousand-dollar bonus for you, deposited right after you finish filming tonight."

While you're flying away? Wilder glanced at Lucy, hoping she kept her cool.

She looked enraged. "You think I'll risk my people for money?"

She was practically spitting, so Wilder figured it was time for a little interference for his wingwoman. "You keep the action away from the civilians, and the movie will be done tonight."

"The hell it will," Lucy said, turning on him. "I decide-"

Finnegan's eyes narrowed as he pointed his cigar at her. "I decide. It's my movie, lass. My money. My movie."

Wilder noticed that the brogue faded with the rise in anger.

"Then you film it tonight," Lucy said.

Finnegan swung his cane up and shoved the tip at Lucy. "You do what I tell you-"

Thank you. Wilder snatched the cane, palmed the end of it, and then twirled it and put the point on Finnegan's throat. "Talk nice to the lady. Or else."

Finnegan froze, his eyes small and hard. "Are you threatening me? Boyo, you have no idea who you are messing with."

Wilder nodded. Then he reversed the cane and offered the handle to Finnegan. "Sorry. Just concerned for the lady's welfare."

"I'm still here," Lucy said, her eyes flat on Finnegan. "And I can take care of myself. This is ridiculous."

Then do what we talked about and agree to finish the damn movie, Wilder thought as Finnegan took his cane back.

"The movie will be done tonight," Wilder said once more, with a glance at Lucy. Her face was flushed with anger.

Lucy looked furious. "I do n-"

Wilder put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. "Lucy knows I'll be keeping an eye on everybody's safety, and now with your guarantee, she'll finish the shoot. Right, Lucy?"

The silence stretched out, and then she nodded once, sharply.

"So there is no problem," Wilder said. Except that I have to face this woman alone in a minute.

Finnegan looked back and forth between the two of them, then he slowly nodded also. "Very good."

Wilder stepped away from Lucy. "Time to go."

When she didn't move, he tapped her arm, and she pivoted and stalked back to the Jeep. Fortunately, it didn't have a door for her to slam. Wilder nodded at Finnegan before getting into the driver's seat. He carefully drove around the Jaguar and then accelerated away, looping around toward the exit gate.

"What part of 'follow my lead' didn't you get?" Wilder asked Lucy.

Lucy turned eyes like razors on him. "The part where you suck up to the bad guy, boss me around, and put my team in danger.' She was so mad, she practically bounced in the seat. "You saw him, J.T. He doesn't give a damn about anybody; he'd blow up the whole set if it'd get him what he wanted. That son of a bitch is a lying, thieving bastard, and you're flipping his cane around like a majorette on speed and then giving it back to him like-"

"Hey." Wilder held up the small tracker Crawford had given him.

"What's that?"

"A tracker. Homes in on a small transmitter-a bug. That I just planted on Finnegan."

Lucy blinked. "When did you do that?

"Just now. On his cane. Under the horse's head."

"Oh." Lucy's face eased. "Oh. That was pretty good." She looked over at him. "You think he's going to keep his word?"

"I think so," Wilder said. "It gets him nowhere to hurt people on the movie, Lucy. He just wants his helicopter so he can do what he needs to do."

"Which is?" Lucy said.

"Meet Letsky somewhere with the damn art."

Lucy took a deep breath. "All right. All right then."

"Plus, LaFavre will back me up if I need him."

"That hound?"

"He's the best at what he does," Wilder said. "We've been in some rough places together and we're both still breathing and have all our working parts because we have each other's backs."

Lucy considered that. "Okay. So now you tell me what the plan is for tonight. You do have a plan, right?"