“The young goombahs are so stupid that they can’t connect him with the family any better than the FBI. When one of them gets turned and testifies, he knows nothing to tell. I mean, they know, but they don’t know.”

“And why haven’t some of the guys closer to him had him capped?”

“He’s too smart; he makes them so much money they’ve got nothing to complain about. And my guess is he’s already got the succession worked out, so that there won’t be any big-time squabble when he finally dies, if he ever does.”

“Why do you think he invited me to dinner?”

“Who knows? I guess he’s heard about you from Mary Ann since she’s been staying out there. Anyway, he knows your name from when we were partners, and all that. I mean, he reads the papers, and you’re in them often enough.”

They crossed the bridge, and Dino started giving directions.

“Anything new on Mitteldorfer?” Stone asked.

“Yeah, he’s vanished off the face of the goddamned earth,” Dino said. “That’s what’s new.”

“Why would he do that?” Stone asked. “He’s got his unconditional release; he’s clean; and, apparently, he’s got some money. Why would he need to disappear?”

“Well, I guess he might have thought we might like a chat with him after Eloise Enzberg was murdered.”

“If he did her, surely he’s smart enough to see that her body wouldn’t be found in the East River, wearing a Chanel suit.”

“Maybe, but also, maybe whoever’s helping him isn’t as smart as he is, and we know he’s getting help, don’t we?”

“He has to be,” Stone agreed. “Maybe somebody he knew in Sing Sing?”

“We’ve run down the names of everybody who served with him who’s been released in the past two years, and we can’t connect any of them. Where’s Sarah tonight, at home?”

“She’s at the gallery, hanging her work. Anderson and Kelly are with her. The opening is tomorrow night, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“You and Mary Ann are coming, aren’t you?”

“I am; I’m not letting Mary Ann out of her father’s house until this is over, if it ever is. Listen, Stone, after tomorrow night, I’m not going to be able to justify keeping a team on you and Sarah.”

“It’s too soon to stop, Dino.”

“Look, I report to people, you know? Nobody in the department is really convinced that these murders are connected to you and me. They think I’m crazy.”

“What about the attack on Mary Ann?”

“They’re saying that it was just a mugging attempt.”

“Even when she described the same guy that we saw do the woman behind my house?”