Dino set down his glass. “Max, I need to speak to the FBI’s Agent in Charge in Naples. Do you have his number?”
“No,” Max said, “and if I had it I’d be too drunk to call him.”
Dino whipped out his cell phone and pressed a button. “Sergeant,” he said, “this is Bacchetti. I want you to get hold of the FBI AIC in Naples, Florida. When you have him on the line, call me and hook us up.” He listened to the response, then hung up.
“Another gimlet?” Stone asked.
“Not until after this call,” Dino said. Twelve minutes passed, then his phone rang. “This is Bacchetti,” he said.
“Commissioner, this is AIC Ed Baxter, calling from Naples. How may I help you?”
“Ed, if I may call you that . . .”
“Of course, and you’re Dino?”
“Correct. I’m in Key West, observing a Coast Guard operation, in conjunction with the KWPD and your bureau, which has stopped and boarded a shrimper out of Naples smuggling a cargo of Russian caviar and Cuban cigars, both of the most expensive kind.”
“I’m aware,” Baxter said, “the shrimper is under tow and should be in Naples early this evening, where I and my men await.”
“I understand that this is, nominally, a Coast Guard operation,” Dino said, “in conjunction with your office. But my concern is with a connection of the ring to New York, which is where I believe the smuggling is controlled.”
“I understand, and we will be working closely with our New York bureau in this investigation.”
“We are investigating the recent homicides of a man named Randall Hedger and a friend of his called Estelle Parkinson. We believe that Hedger was running the smuggling ring, possibly in concert with a bookie called Pino Pantero, and that Hedger’s homicide may have been the result of a disagreement over the division of profits from their operation.”
“I see.”
“I would be grateful if you would, in your questioning of the crew and operators of the shrimper, find out if they are aware of either of these two names. I believe the owner of the shrimper is the most likely to be familiar with Hedger and/or Pantero. What I would like to know is: Do they have any other names in New York who are connected to these two men? You understand that my interest is entirely in the unsolved homicides, not your smuggling case.”
“I understand, Dino. And when the opportunity arises in our investigation, I will broach the two names and see if they strike a chord. How may I reach you directly?”
Dino gave him his cell number, noted the AIC’s number, thanked him, and hung up. “Okay,” he said to Stone, “let’s see if the trail leads to New York or if it comes to a stop in Naples.”
“Good thinking,” Stone said, pouring Dino another gimlet.
“It is, isn’t it?” Dino replied, accepting the libation.
Stone was awakened the following morning by the sound of the shower running. A moment later, Max stepped into their suite, rubbing herself with a towel.
“Anything I can do to help?” he asked.
“You helped a lot last night,” she replied. “I think the equipment needs a respite before you help any further.”
“That’s a reasonable request. I’ll wait until this evening before I become unreasonable.”
“That should do it,” she said, bending over to kiss him, while grabbing his wrist to keep his hand from landing somewhere else. She stepped into a thong and some jeans, pulled a cotton sweater over her head, ran a brush through her hair without using a mirror, stepped into her shoes, and grabbed a handbag. “See you later today,” she said.
“I’ll look forward to seizing you,” Stone replied. He struggled out of his berth and into a shave and a shower. Then, donning shorts and a polo shirt, he climbed the companionway stairs to the fantail, where Dino and Viv were waving goodbye to Max.
“Did she sneak out on you?” Dino asked.
“No, she just explained that she had to do a little police work before we could continue what we started a couple of days ago.”
Viv sighed. “Stone, I don’t know why you aren’t exhausted all the time,” she said.
“I’m reliably informed that exercise is good for the body parts,” he said. “In fact, you are just the person who is always telling Dino and me that.”
“Hear, hear,” Dino agreed.
“I was thinking of doing jumping jacks or running,” she said.
“Do you think those activities burn more calories than my usual methods?”
“Well, considering the frequency with which you practice your methods, you may have something there,” she admitted.
“And Max certainly seems to be fit, too,” Dino pointed out.
“We subscribe to similar regimens,” Stone said.
“Yeah, the tango isn’t all that takes two to do,” Dino replied.
Breakfast arrived just in time.
Later, taking the sun on the top deck, Stone asked, “Dino, have you heard from AIC Baxter today?”
“No, and I don’t expect to until they have exhausted every avenue of questioning their suspects and determined that sharing with me won’t interfere with their investigation. It takes federal officers a while to get around to sharing, and even then, they can be parsimonious with their divulgences.”
“Of course. Do you have any other lines of inquiry to follow in the meantime?”
“I do not, and neither do my people. It appears that Roberta Calder is off the hook for the two homicides, and the other two people involved are no longer walking and talking.”
“So, if Robbie done it, she’s going to skate?”
“Right now, I can’t see another result.”
“Herbie Fisher will be pleased.”
“Pleasing Herbie is not in my line of work, unless it’s entirely coincidental.”
“Maybe the execution of Hedger’s will might open some other avenue.”
“You think he’s made a bequest to Pino Pantero or Al Dix?”
“I very much doubt it, but one never knows, do one?”
“It’s far too nice a day in Florida for you to be lecturing me with Fats Waller quotes,” Dino said.
“Dino,” Viv said, “are your people questioning Robbie’s friends or employees? She has a lot of both, and one of them might come up with something.”
“Thank you for that observation, my dear. I’ll get right on that in two or three days,” Dino replied.
“Just a suggestion,” she said.
“Suggestion heard and digested,” Dino replied.
“I suppose we have to wait for it to pass,” Viv muttered.