“I do things my way,” Jonas drawled. “Or I don’t do them.”

Amused, and perhaps admiring, David broke into a smile. “That never changes. Look, I’ve been out of touch for a few weeks. The drops still going smooth?”

With those words, Jonas’s last hopes died. What he’d found in the safe-deposit box had been real, and it had been Jerry’s. He buttered a roll as though he had all the time in the world. Beneath the table, Liz touched his leg once, hoping he’d take it as comfort. He never looked at her. “Why shouldn’t they?”

“It’s the classiest operation I’ve ever come across,” David commented, taking a cautious glance around to other tables. “Wouldn’t like to see anything screw it up.”

“You worry too much.”

“You’re the one who should worry,” David pointed out. “I don’t have to deal with Manchez. You weren’t around last year when he took care of those two Colombians. I was. You deal with supplies, I stick with sales. I sleep better.”

“I just dive,” Jonas said, and tapped out his cigarette. “And I sleep fine.”

“He’s something, isn’t he?” David sent Liz another grin. “I knew Jerry here was just the man the boss was looking for. You keep diving, kid.” He tipped his cup at Jonas. “It makes me look good.”

“Sounds like you two have known each other for a while,” Liz said with a smile. Under the table, she twisted the napkin in her lap.

“Go way back, don’t we, Jer?”

“Yeah. We go back.”

“First time we hooked up was six, no, seven years ago. We were working a pigeon drop in L.A. We’d have had that twenty thousand out of that old lady if her daughter hadn’t caught on.” He took out a slim cigarette case. “Your brother got you out of that one, didn’t he? The East Coast lawyer.”

“Yeah.” Jonas remembered posting the bond and pulling the strings.

“Now I’ve been working out of here for almost five. A real businessman.” He slapped Jonas’s arm. “Hell of a lot better than the pigeon drop, huh, Jerry?”

“Pays better.”

David let out a roar of laughter. “Why don’t I show you two around Acapulco tonight?”

“Gotta get back.” Jonas signaled for the check. “Business.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He nodded toward the restaurant’s entrance. “Here’s my customer now. Next time you drop down, give a call.”

“Sure.”

“And give my best to old Clancy.” With another laugh, David gave them each a quick salute. They watched him stride across the room and shake hands with a dark-suited man.

“Don’t say anything here,” Jonas murmured as he signed the breakfast check. “Let’s go.”