Evan gave him a big shrug. “He handed me a note with instructions, I gave him the money and went to the men’s room. When I came back he was gone. The note said the job was done.”

“Shit,” Stone said.

GIGI MOTORED INTO Stuart Harbor faster than the law allowed.

“Head for the Pirate’s Cove Hotel Marina,” Larry said, pointing at a sign. “Pull up next to a ladder.”

She did so and climbed up the ladder.

Larry switched off the engine, and while holding on to the ladder with one hand and his duffel with the other, pushed the Whaler under the dock. “Walk, don’t run,” he said. “Hold my hand, and make conversation. Laugh.”

She did as she was told. They walked ashore and to the hotel’s garage.

“Look for something older, something eighties or nineties,” he said. She pointed at an elderly Lincoln Continental, and she followed his directions and got behind the wheel.

It took Larry less than half a minute to hotwire the car. “Back out and go slowly up the driveway,” he said. “Take your first left, then your fi rst right.”

Shortly, they were on A1A, driving south. Larry produced a cell phone and made a call. “Hello, sugar,” he said, “Plan B. Meet me at the place in fi fteen minutes.” He hung up. “That was my wife,” he said. “We’re going to dump this car a few miles down the road, then we’ll head south in our car. We’ll drop you in Florida City, where you can get a cab to Key Largo and your boat.”

“Okay,” she said. “Nobody knows where I am, so I can just say I’ve been on the boat the whole time.”

“That’s the girl,” Larry said.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATE R he said, “Turn right, and drive behind the filling station.” The station was dark, having been closed for months.

She followed his instructions.

“Stop here,” he said, “and flash your lights, then shut it down.”

She did so, and a car across the street flashed its lights.

“You’ve got your money, right?”

“Right here in my bag,” she said.

Larry raised his hand and shot her once in the head, then he opened her bag, removed the money and put it into his duffel. Taking her bag with him, he got out of the car, wiped down the areas he had touched, ran across the street and got into the car.

“Hey, sugar,” he said, kissing her. “Stop at the first Dumpster you see; I want to get rid of something.” A couple of minutes later she did, and he tossed Gigi’s bag away. “Okay,” he said, “let’s head for the Everglades.”

“Is the girl not coming?” his wife asked.

“She didn’t make it,” Larry said. “She knew my name.”

“So does Manny,” she reminded him.