“You know about Henry Lee and Grace?”

“The Jacksons? I knew them thirty years ago. They were the golden kids of operations. What about them?”

“Jesus, Ed, you’re not keeping up.”

“Enlighten me.”

“You know I bought the Stone house out from under the twins?”

“That, I know.”

“Using a Delaware corporation for cover?”

“Yep.”

“Well, Billy is putting the word out that Henry Lee and Grace are the board of directors and only stockholders. They’re arriving tomorrow to take possession, and Tracey is making miracles over there as we speak.”

“Do they know about the Stone twins’ interest in the place?”

“They do, and they’re coming armed.”

“I would expect no less of them. Do you think the twins will go after them?”

“It’s been thought that they might. If they don’t make a move, we will let it be known that I’m the guy behind the Jacksons.”

“Well, if the scent of your blood isn’t enough to move the boys off square one, I don’t know what is,” Rawls said.

“One thing we have on our side is that the twins have a lot more to lose than they used to. In fact, they seem to have just about everything they want in the world, except that house.”

“Have they got a boat?” Rawls asked.

“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“A boating accident is always good.”

“Let’s hope they get a boat,” Stone said.

“Let’s hope they get a gasoline-powered one. I mean, if you’re looking for a tragic accident to happen, gasoline is always a good place to start.”

“Your view is so reasonable, it’s hard to argue with it,” Stone said.

“If you’re in the mood to employ gasoline, why not just commit a little arson on their house, as soon as they buy it?” Rawls asked.

“Because renovating it will keep them busy for a while. When it’s all done and ready to move into, then’s the time to torch it.”

“Not after they move in and are fast asleep?”

“That’s an inviting thought.”

Dino broke in. “You forget that these kids have stayed alive and well in prison for several years. They must be good at it.”

“I can tell you from experience,” said Rawls, who had done some time in his past, “that one gains wariness as a normal state of mind.”

“And they can take turns sleeping,” Dino pointed out.

“This is a problem we don’t have to solve before we finish this drink,” Stone said.

“You have a point,” Rawls agreed.

“Since we’re in a murderous mood,” Stone said, “why don’t we just let the idea roll around our occipital lobes. After it’s simmered there for a while, it might just, willy-nilly, develop into a plan that we could act on.”