“Good to see you,” he said, although he, too, was staring at his foyer art collection.

“I’m plotting a heist.”

He played along. “Great idea. I’d rather have the insurance than the art. Some dark night I’ll slip you inside and help you load the truck.”

“It would be boring that way. I couldn’t get one good podcast episode out of that.”

“So now you’re planning to provide your own material?”

“No need, I guess. There’s such a wealth of it out there.”

“You’ve chosen something to work on?” He held up his hand to stop me. “I thought we’d talk onboard. It’s a beautiful day to be out on the water. You’re game?”

I had been on Sebastian’s yacht one time, a long day with people I had little in common with, although the food and liquor had been spectacular. Of course if Sebastian wanted me out on the water, out we’d go.

I followed him to the lagoon side of the property where a long dock extended into the water. The yacht was nowhere in sight, but several smaller crafts were.

“We’ll take the runabout.” He pointed to the end of the dock.

I was relieved this was not a party, but surprised at his preference, a small red bowrider comfortable for only a few people. I shouldn’t have been. Sebastian does what he wants, and not to impress others. It was a perfect day for cruising slowly along the lagoon.

At the end of the dock I stepped in, and after he cast off, he followed, motioning to the swivel deck chair beside his in the cockpit. The bowrider had a wraparound windshield, and bench seating in the helm. I stowed my handbag in a mesh net against the side that was nearest me and settled in to enjoy.

At first, as we cruised slowly along a shore dotted with spectacular homes, Sebastian acted as tour guide. I learned that the lagoon was twenty-one miles long, with two inlets to the ocean, so what had once been fresh water had turned brackish, creating an estuary favorable to the growth of sea life. Although the lagoon had been polluted and abused through the centuries, now both the government, private citizens and environmental groups had come together to restore what they could. Oysters, birds and fish in abundance had followed.

He pulled farther away from shore, out of a no wake zone and into a channel where he could crank up the outboard engine. I was enjoying the sun on my head and shoulders, the gentle motion of the boat and whatever cool spray dared to breach the windshield. When Sebastian asked me to tell him about the case we wanted to explore, I was happy to do it. As always, he asked insightful questions, but my answers seemed to satisfy him.

“Send me what you have, but so far, so good,” he said.

Pleased, I told him about another idea for a short series on Florida’s Stand Your Ground law. I wanted to keep listeners tuning in while we tackled our new cold case idea. I’d already done the footwork, taking suggestions from my former journalism professors for students who might like the job of researching and writing scripts.