“I’d sure like to know what kind of boat that is,” Tommy said. “It’s very odd for a boat to be spending the night out at the reef. I mean, I suppose a guy might go out there to have a few drinks and get laid, then feel too drunk to drive home, but it’s not a usual thing to have a boat out there at two in the morning.”

“Maybe he’s meeting somebody out there,” Dino said.

“A drug delivery? That’s possible, I suppose, but the Coast Guard might notice two boats out together and take a look. Halfway up the Keys there are two balloons moored to cables that are fi fteen thousand feet long. They run them up and use down-facing radar to catch smugglers who are flying low in airplanes or doing odd stuff in boats. I think two boats out at the reef in the middle of the night might draw their attention, but probably not one boat.”

“Let’s make a pass at Key West Bight,” Stone said. “Maybe we’ll see the boat.”

“Okay.” Tommy ran past the cruise ship docks and the waterfront hotels and slowed as he passed the breakwater.

“Nothing but boats,” Dino said. “I think it’s too much to expect to get lucky doing this.”

“You’re right, Dino,” Stone said, looking around. “We’re just wasting Tommy’s fuel. Why don’t you let me fill up your boat on my expense account, Tommy?”

“Okay,” Tommy said, aiming at the fuel dock. They spent twenty minutes there filling the tanks, then headed back toward Garrison Bight and the yacht club.

Once Rosie was secured in her berth, they went into the club to get a sandwich and a beer.

“Stone,” Dino said, “how much longer is your law fi rm going to let you loiter in Key West before they pull the plug?”

“I don’t know,” Stone replied, “but I’m surprised Bill Eggers hasn’t already been on the horn.”

Stone’s cell phone vibrated.

“Hello?”

“It’s Eggers.”

“Speak of the devil.”

“Give me a report.”

Stone put aside his sandwich and spent five minutes bringing Eggers up to date.

“You mean you’re on an island that’s four by five miles, you’ve already spotted this guy once, and now you can’t fi nd him?”

“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Stone said. “It would be nice if you would call his old man and get me some background on the guy—

how he makes a living, who his best friends are, anything that would give me a lead. This is a lot harder than you think.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” Eggers said. “I’ll call you when I know more, and I’ll expect you to know more by then.” Eggers hung up.

“Is he pissed off?” Dino asked.

“No more than usual.”