“Ah, you do remember.”
“I remember Nick. I don?t remember Tony.”
But then suddenly I did remember him, a little kid with incredibly curly hair who spent most of his
time on the putting green when he wasn?t caddying. He must have been fifteen or sixteen that
summer.
“Aha, I see recognition in those green eyes.”
“Yeah, he?s younger than she is.”
“The best kind, darling.”
“He had a sister.”
“Dierdre.. . DeeDee?” Babs pressed on.
“Skinny little kid, used to hang around the club?” I asked. “Skinny little kid? I can tell you haven?t see
her in a while.” “What?s she doing these days?” I asked, trying to seem interested.
“She?s Charlie Seaborn?s secretary—Seacoast National Bank.”
“Did Raines know about the affair?” I tried not to sound too interested.
“Not so you could tell.”
“What happened?”
“Poor little „Tony. Rumour has it he decided to get rich quick arid got mixed up in some pot
smuggling. He went to prison for five years. I?ve lost track of him since. It almost killed DeeDee.”
The conversation was cutting close to the bone. I decided it was time to ease on out.
“You?ve been a lot of help,” I said. “I?ve got to get moving but I owe you a drink.”
“You better believe you do, dearie,” she said. “You know how to get in touch. And if you don?t, I
will.”
I headed out of the restaurant, feeling like I had barely averted disaster.
No such luck.
20
HIDE AND SEEK
Stick was hiding behind the morning paper in the lobby of the hotel when I left the restaurant. He
flashed that crazy smile of his when I spotted him.
“Not bad, not bad at all,” he said. “Doe Findley and Babs Thomas for breakfast. And I was afraid
you?d get lonely.”
“Strictly business,” I said.
“Hey,” he said, spreading his arms out at his sides, “1 never doubted it for a minute.”
“I?m sure you have my social calendar filled for the day,” I said. “What?s up?”
