Stone felt panic rising in his chest. This conversation was out of control—out of his control, anyway. At that moment, Juanito appeared with the cordless phone. Stone could have kissed him.

“For you, Mr. Barrington,” the steward said.

Stone took the phone. “Hello?”

“Stone, it’s Dan Griggs. I’m sorry to call you so late.”

“That’s all right, Dan. What’s up?”

“One of my men—a plainclothesman—has spotted somebody matching the description of this Paul Manning.”

“Where?”

“Downtown, at a bar and restaurant called Taboo.” He gave Stone the address.

“He’s still there?”

“At the bar, talking to a woman. You want me to have him picked up?”

“No, Dan, I’ll go down there myself.”

“Okay. My man will be around if you need backup. His name is Detective Riley—short, good-looking, wears sharp suits.”

“I’ll call you later,” Stone said. He hung up and turned to the two women. “Something’s come up. I have to go downtown,” he said.

“I’ll come with you,” Callie said.

Stone had to think only for a nanosecond. He didn’t trust the two of them alone together. “All right,” he said. “Liz, do you mind?”

“No, go ahead. I’m going to have a brandy and turn in.”

“Let’s go,” he said to Callie. He led the way off the yacht and to the car.

“Where are we going?” Callie asked.

“You know a bar called Taboo?”

“Sure.”

“Get me there.”

“Okay, but why are we going there?”

“A man answering the description of the man you saw at the party is there. I want to know if it’s the same man.”

“Who is he?”

“I can’t really answer that until I’ve talked to Liz.”

“He’s part of the legal matter?”

“Yes.”

“Take a left, then a right,” she said.

Stone followed her directions.

“Is that why you wanted me to come along, so I could identify him?”

“Yep.”

“I got the feeling you didn’t want Liz and me talking about sex.”

“I can’t imagine how you got that idea,” Stone said.

“Well, you were obviously uncomfortable with the turn the conversation was taking. What was Liz talking about?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Well, I suppose I’ll have to ask her, if I want to know.”

“Oh, all right,” Stone said. “She suggested that she and you and I have a threesome. I want to point out that it was she who raised the subject, and I said absolutely nothing to encourage her.”

“Turn right again,” Callie said.

Stone turned.

“So what did you tell her?”

“I didn’t tell her anything. I was too surprised.”

“What were you going to tell her, after you’d recovered from your surprise?”

“I wasn’t going to tell her anything.”

“Why? Did the idea not appeal to you?”

Stone turned and looked at her.

“Keep your eyes on the road,” she said. “And take the next left.”