Evan read the instructions over carefully. “All right. Why do I want Levy killed?”

“A business partnership gone wrong—there’s some insurance money. Don’t try and give too much detail; you don’t want a guy like Manny to have any more information than he actually needs to accomplish the hit. The more you tell him, the more he’ll ask.”

“Okay.”

Stone handed Evan an envelope. “Here’s your money back. We’ve wiped all the fingerprints off, and all the bills have been marked with a tiny dab of a fluid that won’t show except under ultraviolet light. Also, we’ve left the bands from South Beach Security in place; that will lend credibility. Offer him forty grand, and go as high as sixty if you have to. You’ll give him half the money up front and let him propose how you give him the second half. That’s probably when the state cops will bust him, so you have to call us and give us a location. Otherwise, they’ll have to put a tail on you.”

Tommy gave him a wallet. “You’ve got a driver’s license, a Social Security card and some miscellaneous I.D., all in the name of Howard Worth. It’s an identity we did for a drug cop; all we did was make a new license with your photo from my cell phone camera.”

Evan put the wallet in his pocket. “Do you want me to identify myself by that name?”

“No, that stuff is just in case he searches you. Tell him your name is Joe, just Joe. All he should know about you is that name and the number for this phone.” Tommy handed him a phone. “Memorize the number. It’s a throwaway. Don’t call anybody but Manny from this phone.”

Stone handed him another phone. “Use this for general purposes, like calling us.”

“Am I going to have to wear a wire?” Evan asked.

“No,” Tommy said, handing him a well-used briefcase. “The briefcase is wired, so keep it within about eight feet of you and Manny. It’ll pick up everything and record it. It’s a solid-state recorder, very small, and it’s concealed under the lining of the case. We’ve put a few pens, paper clips and other junk in there, just to look like you use it every day, but there’s room for the money, too.”

“Got it,” Evan said.

“It’s okay if you’re a little nervous,” Stone said. “Anybody would be, under the circumstances. Try and stick to the script we’ve talked about, but you can improvise, if you think it will help. Just don’t talk too much; you might make mistakes.”

Stone described Manny’s office, so he would know what to expect. “Okay, you ready to make the call?”

Evan took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay.”