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Back Loitering With Intent Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Stuart Woods
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  64. AUTHOR’ S NOTE

“It seems likely that drug smugglers, who work regularly in and out of Key West, spotted Evan’s boat, which is well known on the island, having been previously owned by the local tennis pro, Chuck Chandler. Perhaps this person or persons thought the drugs might arrive in Key West with less chance of being found if they entered the harbor on a well-known local boat instead of whatever drug-running rocket ship they were traveling in.”

“I do know of a couple of cases where smugglers tried to move drugs on the boats of unsuspecting owners,” Corelli said, “so your supposition is not entirely beyond reason. However, I will still need to question Mr. Keating and his girlfriend, Ms. Jones.”

“If you’ll give me your card,” Stone said, “I’ll arrange a meeting as soon as Evan arrives back in Key West.”

“Tommy,” Corelli said, “you know this gentleman. Is his word to be trusted?”

“Yes,” Tommy said.

Corelli stood up, and so did everybody else. “In that case, I’ll look forward to your call,” he said, handing Stone his card. They all shook hands, and Tommy and his party left.

“You up for some conch fritters?” Dino asked.

“Always,” Stone replied.

45

45

STONE AND DINO were polishing off their usual dessert of key lime pie.

“I think we should go to Miami,” Dino said. Stone blinked. “Why?”

“To talk to our erstwhile colleague Manny White.”

“Why?”

“Because we don’t have anything else to do, and visiting Manny will keep us busy.”

“What do you hope to learn from Manny?” Stone asked.

“We already have our suspicions about Manny,” Dino said, “but even if they aren’t true, he probably knows more about all this than we do.”

“That wouldn’t be hard,” Stone said. “But first I need to call Evan.”

He did so.

“Hello?”

“It’s Stone. Where are you?”

“Still in Connecticut. We’re taking a morning flight from LaGuardia tomorrow, and we’ll land in Key West at two o’clock.”

“Where are you staying?”

“At the Marquesa again. We can’t stay on the boat, can we?”

“Not yet. A DEA agent came to see me earlier today. Naturally, he’s anxious to talk with you about the drugs found on your boat.”

“Naturally,” Evan replied.

“I’ll set something up with him tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll go see him.”

“All right. Not before four o’clock; you know how flights are these days.”

“That will be good. See you then.” Stone hung up, called Rocco Corelli and made the appointment. “All right,” he said to Dino, “let’s go to Miami. Do we have an address?”

“He’ll be in the phone book,” Dino replied. On the way to the airport, Stone got a weather forecast and fi led a fl ight plan. Half an hour later they were winging their way north.