chime near the door. You could feel rain in the air.
“We still on for lunch tomorrow?” I asked, by way of starting the conversation.
“Looking forward to it,” he said. “I heard about the Lukatis boy. A damn shame.”
“Yeah,” I said. “A tough break for his sister.”
“Do you think it?s tied in to these other deaths?”
“I wouldn?t know. The body?s down south of here. The autopsy will be done there.”
“I see. Look, I want you to know that any help you give us in cleaning up this mess will be greatly
appreciated. Things have been happening so fast it?s hard to assimilate them.”
“Yeah,” I said, “the pace has been breezy.”
“I suppose you?re accustomed to such things.”
“Not really. Murder is always ugly, no matter where it happens or who the victim is.”
“Yes, I suppose. At any rate, if you need any help at all from me, just ask.”
“Thanks,” I said. After a decent pause I asked, “Did you know Tagliani?” I tried to sound casual.
“Yes. But as Frank Turner.”
“Were you social friends?”
“Not at all. I met with Turner on a couple of occasions to help him get oriented, but that was some
time ago.”
“And to size him tip?” I suggested.
He stared at me intently for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. “That, too.”
“So you knew him personally?”
“Not really; it was all business. I haven?t seen him to talk to since he moved here.”
“When was that?”
“I couldn?t say accurately. About three years ago.”
“Did you meet here in Dunetown?”
He nodded. “The first time we were supposed to meet at the old Beach Hotel, but it didn?t suit him, so
we switched the meeting to Charlie Seaborn?s yacht. The second time he had his own boat down
here.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Development ideas, other money interests. Later he put us on to”—he waved a hand vaguely in the
air—”several others.
“Bronicata, Chevos,” I said.
“Yes, only not by those names. You?ve got to remember, he came very highly recommended. He had
development resources, excellent credit references, all in the name of Frank Turner.”
