In the newest nonstop adventure from #1 New York Times -bestselling author Stuart Woods, the protégé becomes the heroas Herbie Fisher gets caught in a web of deceit, corruption, and greed . Under the tutelage of Stone Barrington, Herbie Fisher has transformed from a bumbling sad sack into the youngest partner at the white-shoe law firm Woodman & Weld, and a man whose company is in high demand both because of his professional acumen and his savoir faire. But even his newly won composure and finely honed skills can't prepare him for the strange escapade he's unwittingly pulled into, and which--unbeknownst to him--has put him at the center of a bull's-eye. In the city that never sleeps there are always devious schemes afoot, and Herbie will have to be quick on his feet to stay one step ahead of his enemies...and they're closing in. Praise for Barely Legal “Woods and Hall have crafted a fast-moving tale with a light touch....Crime fiction doesn’t get much more entertaining than this.”— Booklist (starred review) “Herbie manages to stumble his way to the exciting, satisfying climax. The courtroom scenes are convincing, and a host of inept crooks will resonate with fans of Donald Westlake’s caper novels.”— Publishers Weekly More Praise for Stuart Woods “Stuart Woods is a no-nonsense, slam-bang storyteller.”— Chicago Tribune “A world-class mystery writer...I try to put Woods’s books down and I can’t.”— Houston Chronicle  “Mr. Woods, like his characters, has an appealing way of making things nice and clear.”— The New York Times “Woods certainly knows how to keep the pages turning.”— Booklist “Since 1981, readers have not been able to get their fill of Stuart Woods’  New York Times  bestselling novels of suspense.”— Orlando Sentinel “Woods’s Stone Barrington is a guilty pleasure...he’s also an addiction that’s harder to kick than heroin.”— Contra Costa Times  (California) STUART WOODS is the author of more than sixty novels. He is a native of Georgia and began his writing career in the advertising industry. Chiefs , his debut in 1981, won the Edgar Award. An avid sailor and pilot, Woods lives in Florida, Maine, and New Mexico. PARNELL HALL has been an actor, screenwriter, and singer/songwriter. He is a former President of the Private Eye Writers of America and a member of Sisters in Crime. He has been a finalist for an Edgar, 2 Lefty, and 3 Shamus Awards. Parnell lives in New York City. 1 Benny Slick's life was flashing before his eyes. It was flashing upside down because two goons were hanging him by his heels from the window of his fourteenth-floor office. The elderly bookmaker had been hit with financial reversals. A horse running at two hundred to one had finished first; a surprising number of people had bet on the nag to win, and in order to pay them off, Benny had been forced to borrow more money than he had any realistic hope of repaying. The result was a visit from the one man in the world you didn't want to see. Mario "Payday" Capelleti, so named for his habit of walking into the shops of those who owed him money with two thugs and proclaiming "It's Payday!," had quite a reputation, and it wasn't good. Those who didn't pay were left with a reminder of why this behavior might not be the wisest course of action. Benny Slick was receiving such a reminder. Mario Payday was puffing on a big cigar. He walked over to the window and blew smoke in Benny's direction. It barely reached him, but the effect was chilling. "Hi, Benny. Remember me? You should. You took my money. And you failed to pay me back. Not only did you fail to pay me the principal, you failed to pay me the vig. No one fails to pay Mario Payday the interest on a loan. How could you forget that?" "I didn't forget!" Benny cried desperately. Mario's eyes narrowed. "You mean you did it deliberately? Benny, you know such disrespect cannot be tolerated." "I didn't do it deliberately!" "But you do remember that you owe me money?" "Yes, yes, I remember." Mario smiled and spread his arms. "He remembers. It's amazing how quickly people remember when they're upside down. So where is my money?" Benny's life was still flashing before his eyes, but then he was ninety-two years old and there was a lot to flash. From somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind the right image emerged. "I got it!" "What have you got, Benny?" "I got your money!" "How much money have you got, Benny?" "I got ninety grand!" Mario nodded approvingly. "Pull him up." Mario's goons pulled Benny back into the office. His legs were weak and he could barely stand. Mario's glare was not helping. "Ninety grand, Benny? You have ninety grand and you couldn't pay me?" "It's not in cash." Mario snapped his fingers, pointed to the window. "Put him back." Benny put up his hands. "No, no, no. You don't have to do that. I have a marker for ninety grand. It's good as cash. You can have it." "What marker?" "Vinnie the Vig owed me money,