Fevre Dream (46 page)

“Sandy, you want it, you got it. I wouldn’t think of messing around with your stuff. Can you have the piece in by Tuesday?”

Sandy laughed raucously. “Shit, no. In-depth, you said. I want as much time as I need on this. Maybe I’ll have it in within a month. Maybe not.”

“The news peg will go stale,” Jared whined.

“So what? A short piece in your news section will do for now. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right. Those are the conditions, take ’em or leave ’em.”

“Anybody but you, I’d tell ’em to get shoved,” Patterson replied. “But hell, why not? We go way back. You got it, Sandy.”

“My agent will call and get everything in writing.”

“Hey!” Jared said. “After all we been through, you want things in writing? How many times did I bail you out of jail? How many times did we share a joint?”

“Lots,” Sandy said. “Only they were always
my
joints, as I recall. Jared, seven years ago, you gave me three hours’ notice and bus fare in lieu of severance pay. So this time we’ll get a written contract. My agent will call.” He hung up before Patterson had a chance to argue, turned on the answering machine to catch any attempted call-backs, and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and a faintly bemused smile on his face. He wondered just what the hell he was getting himself into this time.

FEVRE DREAM

A Bantam Spectra Book

Published by

Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales
is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved

Copyright © 1982 by George R. R. Martin

Cover image of porch copyright © 2004 by Johner/Photonica

Cover image of nude copyright © 2004 by Alain Daussin/Getty Images

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 82-7711

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eISBN: 978-0-553-90098-9

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