“Business concluded,” Stone said.
“It’s not too early for a drink, is it?” Dino asked.
“Of course it’s too early. Let’s go to the Raw Bar and get some conch fritters.”
“I’m game,” Dino said.
THEY WERE HALF WAY through their fritters when Dino broke the silence. “There’s something I don’t understand,” he said.
“Tell me,” Stone replied.
“What did these two guys get out of switching identities?”
“They made it harder for their respective fathers to fi nd them.”
“My recollection, from what Tommy said, was that Charley’s father’s response to being told his son was dead was that he wasn’t surprised, that he’d thought he might be already dead.”
“Yeah, that’s what Tommy said the elder Mr. Boggs said.”
“Which means that Charley Boggs’s old man wasn’t looking for him.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“So what’s in it for him to switch identities with Evan?”
“I’ve got two answers for you: the first, not much; the second, maybe Charley was just doing Evan a favor. After all, we know that Evan’s father was looking for him, because he hired Manny White and me to find him, and Evan and Charley had been close friends since prep school, so it’s the sort of thing one friend might do for the other.”
“Yeah, okay,” Dino said, “but I think there’s another reason we don’t know about.”
“What’s that?” Stone asked.
“I don’t know. We don’t know about it. I just think there’s more to this story than we’ve been told.”
Another voice spoke. “That’s what I think.”
Stone looked up to see Tommy Sculley standing next to the table. He shoved onto the bench next to Dino.
“I’m willing to believe that,” Stone said. “But from my point of view, I know all I need to know. So do you, Tommy. You cleared a homicide, and you know what happened to Charley’s—excuse me, Evan’s drugs. Aren’t you happy?”
“No,” Tommy said, “and I don’t know why. Did Charley ask you to let Evan’s old man know he’s dead?”
“Yes, he did, and for a very good reason: He wants Warren Keating to stop trying to kill him.”
“That’s what I figured,” Tommy said. “That’s a good reason, also, for him to come in today and tell his story.”
“Yeah, I guess so. But he didn’t have to do that; he wasn’t a suspect, was he?”
“No.”
“So he could have gone right on being Evan Keating, if he’d wanted to.”
“Yeah, I guess he could have. And gone right on getting shot at. Doesn’t it bother you guys that this all wrapped up so neatly?”
“I like it when things wrap up neatly,” Dino said. “It’s just that they never do.”
“Sure they do,” Stone said. “Sometimes. All right, rarely.”
“There are always loose ends,” Tommy said. “Only this time, there aren’t.”
The three men sat and contemplated that in silence.
“You’re a troublemaker, Tommy,” Stone said.
“Sorry about that; I’m just not satisfi ed.”
“Try this,” Stone said. “If you find out Evan—ah, Charley—did commit some other crime associated with the murder, Rawlings has already given him immunity for it, so there’s nothing you can do, anyway.”
“Yeah, that’s very clever of what’s-his-name,” Tommy said. “I think Rawlings and I were snookered.”
“Now, wait a minute, Tommy, I haven’t snookered anybody. I didn’t know what Ev . . . what’s-his-name was going to say until I heard him tell you.”
“I believe you, Stone. That means you’ve been snookered, too. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“It would,” Stone said, “if I
“Well,” Tommy said, “when you find out you’ve been snookered, would you let me know how?” He got up and left, without waiting for an answer.
38
STONE SPENT YET another happily exhausting night with Dr. Annika Swenson but got up early and returned to the Marquesa for breakfast with Dino, who was already having his on the front porch. Stone ordered, then sat down.
“You missed Charley and Gigi from across the way.”
“They left?”
“They checked out last night, luggage and all.”
“Maybe they were planning a cruise,” Stone said. “Charley said yesterday that Gigi was shopping for groceries for the boat.”
“Maybe so,” Dino said. “Think we’ll ever see them again?”
“Who knows? I don’t particularly care.”
“Are you starting to get free of this business, then?”
“Annika makes it hard to think about anything else when you’re with her.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Genevieve can be like that. I’ve been late to work a few times.”
“When do you think we ought to get out of here?”
“I’m good for another day,” Dino said. “Tommy invited us for lunch and a boat ride to nowhere.”
“Sounds good,” Stone said. “I’ll ask Annika to join us; it’s her day off.”
“Tommy and I will protect you from her.”
“Let’s get an early start tomorrow. It’ll take us about fi ve fl ying hours, plus a fuel stop in South Carolina, and I’d like to get to Teterboro by three or so, before rush hour starts.”
“I’m fine with that,” Dino said.
Stone’s breakfast arrived, and he dug in.
A LITTLE BEFORE noon Stone dropped Dino at the yacht club, then went to pick up Annika. She wasn’t quite ready, and he took a chair in her bedroom and watched her get dressed. It wasn’t as much fun as watching her get undressed, but it wasn’t bad.
“Annika?”
“Yes?”
“You remember, you said you treated Evan Keating for a knife wound at the hospital?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Do you remember how he paid his bill? I mean, did he have medical insurance?”
“I don’t know; that’s not my department.”
“Where was the knife wound?”
“He was raked across the ribs on the left side. The ribs protected the internal organs.”
“How long was the cut?”
“Perhaps twelve centimeters.”
“That’s what, five inches?”
“A bit less.”
