Carter said, "Although she said she was in legitimate business, she is, after all, a mafioso, and we try not to get in touch."

I thought Carter was right, and in the evening I suddenly received a call from Melanie.

She wanted to talk to me about a perfume partnership, and I thought about what Carter had said during the day and declined. I had just hung up the phone when Carter's phone rang.

Carter was cutting fruit in the kitchen, so I picked up: "Hello, who is it?"

The other party didn't say anything and hung up. I realized it was Melanie's phone number and when Carter came out,...