{"product_id":"shoot-first-isbn-9780735217218","title":"Shoot First","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn the latest nonstop adventure from #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e-bestselling author Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington must defend a woman whose business--and life--are under threat.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStone Barrington is enjoying a round of golf in Key West when the game is violently interrupted--and it seems as if the target of the disturbance may have been one of his playing companions, the brilliant businesswoman behind a software startup on the cutting edge of technology.  Soon it becomes clear that this incident is only the first thrust in a deadly scheme to push the beautiful young woman out of the way and put her company's valuable secrets up for grabs.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the sun-soaked Florida shores to an idyllic English country retreat, Stone embarks on a quest to protect his lovely new companion while searching for the mastermind behind the plot against her.  But he may find that her enemy is far more resourceful--and dangerous--than he could have anticipated.\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eShoot First\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Smooth...The principal pleasure lies in watching the suave, resourceful Stone maintain his good humor and high lifestyle throughout all his travails.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Barrington’s banter with Dino and the lure of diving into the hero’s lavish lifestyle will satisfy those seeking a fast-paced escapist adventure.”—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eMore Praise for Stuart Woods \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Stuart Woods is a no-nonsense, slam-bang storyteller.”—\u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A world-class mystery writer...I try to put Woods’s books down and I can’t.”—\u003ci\u003eHouston Chronicle \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Mr. Woods, like his characters, has an appealing way of making things nice and clear.”—\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Woods certainly knows how to keep the pages turning.”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Since 1981, readers have not been able to get their fill of Stuart Woods’ \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling novels of suspense.”—\u003ci\u003eOrlando Sentinel \u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Woods’s Stone Barrington is a guilty pleasure...he’s also an addiction that’s harder to kick than heroin.”—\u003ci\u003eContra Costa Times\u003c\/i\u003e (California)\u003cb\u003eStuart Woods\u003c\/b\u003e was the author of more than ninety novels, including the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling Stone Barrington series. A native of Georgia and an avid sailor and pilot, he began his writing career in the advertising industry. \u003ci\u003eChiefs\u003c\/i\u003e, his debut in 1981, won the Edgar Award. Woods passed away in 2022.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stone Barrington and his friends Dino and Vivian Bacchetti had      just finished a dinner of Caesar salad and Dover sole at Patroon,      a favorite restaurant of theirs in the East Forties of New York.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, by the way,\" Stone said, \"there's a Steele Group board      meeting this weekend, and I wondered if you two would like to      come?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let me get this straight,\" Dino said. \"You want us to come to a      corporate board meeting?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Did I mention that it's in Key West?\" Stone asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Love to,\" Dino said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Same here,\" Viv echoed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Joan has found a rental house for me, and I'm told it's      comfortable, and she's stocked it with food and drink. Why don't      we all stay a few days?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can get some time off,\" Viv said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'll ask my boss,\" Dino said. Dino was the police commissioner of      New York City.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The mayor?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, me. I asked, and I said, 'Sure, it's okay, stay as long as      you like.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You're a very generous boss,\" Stone said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Thank you. I try to cultivate good employee relations.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can back him up on that,\" Viv said. \"When I was his employee,      he cultivated relations with me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I hope he's not that generous with all his employees,\" Stone      said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I hope so, too,\" Viv replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You can both hope,\" Dino said. \"When do we leap off?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Saturday morning. Pick me up at ten. We'll be in Key West by      four. The board meeting isn't until Friday, but most of us will be      playing in a golf tournament on Sunday and Monday.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Arthur Steele is getting very generous with his directors, isn't      he?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, once in a while he'll spring for a jaunt. They're all staying      at the Casa Marina, the old hotel built by Henry Flagler, the      railroad guy who built the Breakers in Palm Beach and others in      the early part of the last century.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"So why aren't we staying there?\" Dino asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You want to rub elbows with a lot of suits this weekend?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We'll stay with you,\" Dino said. \"Should I go armed?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm not anticipating bandits in the Keys, but suit yourself.\"      Dino always went armed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They were wheels-up before noon on Saturday, and StoneÕs Citation      3 Plus made the flight easily in one leg, no refueling along the      way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At Key West International there was an envelope waiting for Stone      at the FBO's front desk, containing house keys and a car key and      instructions for operating the house, as well as some history of      it. The car turned out to be a metallic white Mercedes S-Class      convertible with twenty-eight miles on the odometer. They stowed      their luggage in the trunk, and Stone put the top down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I hope you like freckles on a girl,\" Viv said. She was a redhead.      \"Dino will turn the color of mahogany in about an hour, and I try      to keep up.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stone followed the directions in the envelope; their landmark was      a strip club called Bare Assets.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sounds like a nice neighborhood,\" Viv said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Can we have drinks there tonight?\" Dino asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If we do, it will be the only sex you'll get on this trip,\" Viv      replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"They don't have sex there, just looking,\" Dino protested.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm aware of that, and it's all you'll get. How many bedrooms are      there, Stone?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Four, I'm told.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Then you'll have two to choose from, Dino.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Here's a thought,\" Dino said, \"let's stay home and grill some      steaks.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Good idea,\" Viv replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The house was on a narrow lane between Truman Avenue and the      island's cemetery. It had a bricked driveway and a garage and a      carport, housing a golf cart, and Stone pulled into the garage.      They got out and toured the house.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There was a book-lined study, next to an outdoor courtyard,      followed by a dining room, a living room, and another, larger      courtyard bordered by a koi pond, and beyond that there was a spa      and a sunken swimming pool, all of it surrounded by jungle-like      vegetation and flowers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stone,\" Viv said, \"this is spectacular!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We haven't seen the guest rooms and the kitchen,\" Stone said,      consulting the note, \"and there's a bar\/video room. Oh, and that      little house over there is the master suite, and we have an      outdoor kitchen, bar, dining room, and living room, as well as the      indoor ones.\" He pointed out everything. \"From what it says here,      I think you two will want the first guest room.\" They looked at it      and approved. The kitchen was next. \"Laundry room off the kitchen,      in case Dino wants to rinse out his underthings.\" The next room      contained a fully stocked bar and a very large flat-screen TV.      They went back to the car, got their luggage, and settled in.      \"Drinks in half an hour,\" Stone said. \"Outdoor bar.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stone checked out the master suite and found a bedroom, dressing      room, and a bath with a large tub. He found a TV remote control on      the bedside table, but no set. He pressed the on button and a      flat-screen TV rose from a cabinet and filled the wall at the foot      of the bed. He could watch the Sunday political shows from there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Everybody met in the outdoor living room, which was covered with      an awning, in case of showers. There was no rain, and Stone tended      bar, also making a couple of bottles of vodka gimlets and putting      them in the freezer. In the process he found steaks and groceries      in the outdoor kitchen fridge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I could live here,\" Viv said, settling into a sofa with a gimlet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If only it were in New York City,\" Dino responded, \"on top of a      tall building, maybe.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh,\" Stone said, \"there's a little house next to the back door      that used to be free-standing, but a previous owner moved it over,      bolted it to the main house, and made room for the driveway. A      caretaker lives there. He keeps the place running and feeds the      koi.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As if on cue a large, well-built man appeared and introduced      himself as George. \"Let me know if you need help with the      electronics or anything else,\" he said, then he declined a drink,      excused himself, and returned to his little house.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"There'll be a housekeeper, too, tomorrow morning.\" Stone looked      at another sheet of paper. \"The property was originally three      small houses on three lots. Somebody bought them all and made them      into the property you see now.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Smart move,\" Dino said. \"And you're playing golf tomorrow?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Arthur hustled me into playing in his tournament, and I haven't      touched a club for more than a year.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Then you'll lose,\" Dino pointed out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I think that's what Arthur has in mind,\" Stone replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh,\" Viv said suddenly, putting a hand to a cheek.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What?\" Stone asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I just had a premonition.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A premonition of what?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't know, but something bad.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dino waved an arm. \"Bad? What bad could happen here?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As Fats Waller used to say, 'One never knows, do one?'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stone was up early and found a housekeeper cleaning up their      dishes and the grill from the night before. She introduced herself      as Anna, then went back to work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When she was done with the kitchen, Stone scrambled himself some      eggs, microwaved some bacon, and toasted a Wolferman's English      muffin, the sourdough flavor he liked. Joan, his secretary, had      briefed somebody well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He left Dino and Viv to sleep as late as they liked, then he      recorded the Sunday political shows on the DVR, got the golf      invitation from his briefcase, and followed the directions to the      golf club. Somebody took his clubs from the trunk and carried them      to the practice tee, and Arthur Steele greeted him there, his nose      already sunburned.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You'll be in my foursome with Arthur Junior and Meg Harmon, both      new board members,\" Arthur said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'd better hit a few to find out if I still can,\" Stone said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He teed up a ball and made a big swing with his driver, then      watched it slice fifty yards into a swamp. \"Nothing's changed,\" he      muttered, and he hit a bucket of balls, working on his swing until      it began to straighten out a little.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Arthur Jr. was a clone of his old man, and Meg Harmon was a      thirty-five-ish blonde, slim and fit-looking. She, Stone knew, had      started a Silicon Valley software company in her early twenties      and had recently sold it to a syndicate, with the Steele Group as      a partner, for $1.5 billion. She teed up, and her drive went      straight for better than two hundred yards. Arthur Jr. was next,      and he drove about the same distance, but hooked it into the      rough, muttering under his breath. Big Arthur hit one straight for      two hundred and fifty yards.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You've been practicing, Arthur,\" Stone said. \"That's cheating.\"      He teed up and sliced into the rough, but he was long and he still      had a shot to the green, if his lie was good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They were walking back to their carts when Stone heard a single      crack, and he immediately thought: rifle! A man in the next      foursome, waiting to tee off, made a loud noise and was knocked      down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Everybody on the ground!\" Stone shouted as he ran to the man, who      had a bleeding shoulder wound. Stone looked around him and from      the way the man had fallen, thought the shot had come from a      swampy area to his right. He heard a vehicle door slam and gravel      spraying beyond the trees. \"From over there,\" he said, getting to      his feet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A club employee came running up. \"Call nine-one-one,\" Stone said,      \"and tell them a man's down with a gunshot wound. Ask for an      ambulance and the police.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Arthur walked over, dusting himself off. \"That's Al Harris,\" he      said, nodding at the man on the ground. He knelt. \"How are you      feeling, Al?\" He got a grunt for an answer. \"Hang on, help is on      the way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stone looked around him at everyone's position. From where people      had been standing when he heard the shot, he calculated that the      shooter could have been aiming at Meg or Arthur, and with a miss,      Al Harris had caught the stray bullet. It could, Stone thought,      also have been aimed at himself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The ambulance arrived first, the hospital being nearby, and two      detectives were next by a couple of minutes. Stone greeted them      and introduced himself, then he told them his theory of where the      shot had come from and where it had been aimed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Are you a police officer?\" the older of the two men asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Retired detective,\" Stone replied. \"I worked homicide.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm Harry Kaufelt,\" the man replied. \"This is my partner, Moe      Cramer. We work anything that comes up. Did you see the shooter or      his vehicle?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, but from the sound of the door slamming and the engine, I      think it could have been a pickup truck.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Harry got on his radio and reported. \"Look for a pickup with a      rifle rack. Yeah, yeah, I know, lots of those around. He could be      headed north on U.S. 1. Let the sheriff know.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The EMTs were loading Al Harris into their vehicle, and one of      them came over to Harry. \"He's in shock,\" the man said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Get him taken care of,\" Harry said. \"We'll talk to him later.\"      Then he spoke to Stone again. \"And you figure either you or the      lady or the gentleman there could have been the target?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"He only needed a gust of breeze or a jiggle of something to miss      one of us and hit Mr. Harris.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, Mr. Barrington . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stone, please.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, Stone, we're going to follow your lead on this, because we      don't have one ourselves. Moe, you go talk to the other two, and      I'll grill Stone, here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What would you like to know?\" Stone asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You all look as though you're out-of-towners,\" Harry said. \"Where      you from?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Mr. Steele and I are New Yorkers. The lady is from the West      Coast, south of San Francisco somewhere.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And what brought you all down here?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"All the people playing are directors of the Steele Group, an      insurance company. Mr. Steele is the chairman and CEO. The fellow      next to the cart is Arthur Steele Junior.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You have any reason to think that somebody down here might hold a      grudge against any of you?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I've visited Key West a few times, but I don't know a lot of      people. I've done some business with an attorney named Jack      Spottswood.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Him, we know, and his family. You haven't screwed any of them on      some business deal, have you, Stone?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, and if I had, I don't think the Spottswoods would react this      way. They're nice people to do business with. And, for what it's      worth, I don't think this is local.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh? You think a professional is involved?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Are you aware of any contract killers living on your turf?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Nope. Our killers are usually drunk or mad at an ex-wife or      girlfriend.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Then that leaves a pro, doesn't it?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You may have a point.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And a pro is going to be a lot harder to catch,\" Stone said.      \"He'll have an escape route all planned. You've already covered      U.S. 1-that leaves the airport, doesn't it?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"First call I made, when we got here,\" Harry said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Look for a couple,\" Stone suggested.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Why's that?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Because the shooter would want to blend in, and he knows you'll      be looking for a man traveling alone.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"'Scuse me.\" Harry got on the radio. \"Thanks, Stone, that's a nice      insight. Not that I wouldn't have thought of it myself, a couple      of hours after they flew out of here. Any other thoughts?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'd check the car rental agencies at the airport, too. I doubt if      he took a cab out here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I doubt if he rented a pickup truck, too,\" Harry said, \"since      nobody rents pickups. A van, maybe.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"He's not getting on a plane with a rifle,\" Stone said. \"Maybe he      left it in whatever he rented.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I think he would think it would take us longer to find it in that      swamp,\" Harry said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You have a good point, Harry.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Moe rejoined them. \"I got exactly nothing from those folks,\" he      said to Harry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stone, how well do you know those two?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I've known Arthur for at least ten years. I met the lady about      half an hour ago. I can tell you that she recently sold her      software company for one and a half billion dollars.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, that opens up a whole new field of suspects for us, doesn't      it?\" Harry said. \"Ex-partners who feel cheated, ex-lovers or      husbands, or anybody who might profit from her death. What town is      she from?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You'll have to ask her,\" Stone said. \"I don't know that      territory.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They both shook Stone's hand and wandered off in the direction of      Meg Harmon.","brand":"G.P. Putnam's Sons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302198530277,"sku":"NP9780735217218","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780735217218.jpg?v=1767736558","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/shoot-first-isbn-9780735217218","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}