Laurence finished the first stack and handed them to Stone for checking, then started on the second stack. Stone gave the lot to Joan to make copies and pack for FedExing. “Now, two checks,” Stone said, “one for the entire price of the CJ 3 Plus, and another for the deposit on the Latitude. You’ll make progressive payments on that.”

Laurence wrote and signed the checks. “Whew,” he said, mopping his brow, “I think I now own everything I want to own.”

“Trust me, you’ll think of something else.”

“I expect so, but nothing with that many zeros attached.”

“Where are you planning to fly with your mentor?”

“Well, first, I’ll pick up my girl at Teterboro, then maybe to San Francisco, L.A., and other points west.”

“I keep a house at the Arrington Hotel in L.A.,” Stone said. “You’re welcome to the use of it while you’re out there. You could spend a few days in L.A. and make training flights every day, flying the local instrument approaches.”

“Great idea!”

“Your girl will like the house and the shopping on Rodeo Drive.”

“I expect she will.”

“Call me when you get back,” Stone said.

—

BUTCH LET HIMSELF into his sister’s apartment. “Sis?” he yelled. “I forgot something.” No answer so he beckoned Curly to follow him in. He went to the liquor cabinet and retrieved an unopened bottle of the Macallan 12 whiskey. “Okay, let’s make tracks.” As he walked past the coffee table he saw a familiar key lying there and picked it up.

“What’s that for?” Curly asked.

“It’s the key to our mark’s apartment,” Butch said. “Pity we don’t have time to get it copied.”

“You can’t get a locksmith to copy a hotel key,” Curly said. “I know because I used to work for one. But I know how to duplicate it. Has your sis got any candles?”

They went into the kitchen and found one.

“First,” Curly said, “we melt the candle, then I can make an impression of the key in the warm wax and make the copy myself with a couple of tools available in any hardware store.”

Butch found a saucepan, and soon they were able to pour the melted wax into an empty kitchen matchbox. They waited a while for the wax to cool a bit, then Curly pressed each side of the key and the tip into the wax and closed the matchbox. “Now,” he said, “let’s find a hardware store.”

“There’s one called Gracious Homes over on Third Avenue,” Butch said.

“Pretty fancy name for a hardware store.”