'I value precision and control,' Fish said.
'And you caught somebody stealing,' I said.
'I told you at the beginning that I had a problem,' Fish said, and his velvet fog voice was suddenly metallic.
'If I had caught someone stealing, I would not have a problem.'
I let that pass.
'You have, I believe, recently had dealings with Marty Anaheim.'
'Marty had a tail on me,' I said.
'I backtracked the tail to Marty and expressed my dismay.'
Leaning on the wall, Vinnie almost smiled.
'You are intrepid,' Fish said.
'Marty is extremely dangerous.'
'But does he value precision and control,' I said.
'Did Marty tell you why he had a tail on you?'
'No, but he seemed very interested in whatever I might be doing for Julius Ventura,' I said.
'And he seemed quite interested in Julius's son-in-law.'
Fish pursed his lips for a moment and blew short silent whistles through them.
'What are you doing for Julius,' Fish said.
I shook my head. Fish nodded sadly.
'If I need to know,' he said, 'I will make you tell me. For the moment the point can remain moot.'
'Maybe you can tell me something,' I said.
'Was Marty acting for you when he put a tail on me?'
Again Fish whistled silently for a moment.
'Marty is ambitious,' Fish said.
'And charming,' I said.
'I understand that Julius's son-in-law used to courier cash between you and Julius.'
'He has done some work for me. Julius and I have areas of common interest in which we are cooperative.'
'It's what life's all about, isn't it?'
Fish ignored me. We both sat quietly for a time.
'Do you know why Marty was interested in Anthony Meeker?'
Fish said.
The name was up in the front of his brain. Did that mean Gino knew Anthony because he'd done some work for him, because he was Julius's son-in-law, or because he had recently become interested in him?
'If Marty was working for you, I'd say Anthony was skimming. If Marty's on his own in this, I don't know.'
Fish nodded.
'Maybe Marty is skimming,' I said.
'Why would that cause him to be interested in Meeker?'
'It would explain why you were interested in Marty,' I said.
'Maybe they were both skimming.'
'Many people, ah, skim,' Fish said.
'It is human. But it doesn't seem an answer sufficient to my questions.'
'Don't you hate it when that happens,' I said.
Fish didn't answer. He sat still and looked thoughtfully at me, his long hands folded quietly in his lap.
'Well,' Fish said, finally.
'Neither of us has learned as much from the other as he would have wished.'
'True,' I said, 'but I enjoyed listening to you talk.'
Fish did his imitation smile.
'Perhaps we'll talk again,' he said.
He stood and walked toward the door. Vinnie opened it, Fish walked through. Vinnie, his face expressionless, shot me once with -his forefinger and walked out after him.
