Loitering with Intent

18

THEY FINISHED BREAKFAST , and Stone called Tommy Sculley. “Hey, Tommy.”

“Hey, Stone.”

“What happened with Evan Keating?”

“We brought him in for a chat. He said he didn’t know Charley Boggs was dead until you told him. He seemed upset about it.”

“Yeah, he said he and Charley had known each other since they were in prep school.”

“It’s hard to think of Charley in prep school, but we’re checking with the school now to confirm all this.”

“What’s your take on Keating’s possible involvement?”

“I’m inclined to think he’s not involved, but I’ve been burned before, so I’m not going to form an opinion until I’ve checked everything out.”

“Did he tell you about Charley using his boat?”

“I didn’t ask him about his boat.”

“Evan denies having spent a night on his boat out at the reef, and he says he lost his cell phone the day he bought the boat. For what it’s worth, Charley helped him move the boat the day he bought it, so he could have filched Evan’s cell phone and taken the boat out to the reef without Evan’s knowledge.”

“Yeah, I guess. That would support the contention that Evan wasn’t involved in the drug trade with Charley.”

“Something else makes me think Evan is clean of all this,” Stone said.

“What’s that?”

“This is between you and me, Tommy; it involves client confi dentiality.”

“Okay, it goes no further.”

“Last night I offered Even Keating twenty-one million for his share of the family business, and he turned me down.”

“He turned down twenty-one mil? Holy shit! Why?”

“Because he thinks his father owes him a lot more and is trying to cheat him. Doesn’t sound like he’d be a candidate for a quick buck dealing drugs, does it? I mean, he’s already living on one trust fund that seems to be supporting him in comfort.”

“You got a point,” Tommy said.

“One other thing, and this doesn’t sound so good: when Evan bought Chuck Chandler’s boat, he paid for it with a hundred thirty thousand in hundred-dollar bills.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him?”

“I mean, a guy who’s got that kind of money would run it through a bank, wouldn’t he?”

“Could be some sort of tax dodge.”

“Yeah, that could make sense.”

“Did you release him?”

“Yeah, we talked for about two hours, then I cut him loose.”

“Did you get an address?”

“Yeah, he’s staying at the Gardens, which is a block or two from the Marquesa. It’s just as nice, but more expensive.”

“Be interesting to know if he’s paying cash,” Stone said. “I’ll find out.”

“Will you let me hear from you about that and the check with the prep school?”

“Sure. See you later.”

Stone hung up. “Evan is staying at the Gardens, just up the street from here.”

“I saw the sign,” Dino said.

“Oh, it was Evan’s girlfriend, Gigi Jones, who slugged me outside the restaurant. He says she’s sometimes overprotective.”

“Well, at least that resulted in your meeting the Swede. Was the blow to the neck worth the roll in the hay?”

“I think it’s going to take me longer to recover from the roll in the hay,” Stone said. “I’m supposed to call her about dinner tonight, but I’m not sure I’m up to it.”

“Take a nap; you’ll be fi ne.”

Stone’s cell phone vibrated. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Evan Keating.”

“Good morning.”

“I didn’t call you last night, because I got the feeling I didn’t need a lawyer.”

“Evan, let me explain something to you: cops do everything they can to make you feel like you don’t need a lawyer, then they can nail you for something you said. If they call you in again, take along a lawyer.”

“Well, okay, but I didn’t kill Charley, and I don’t think I’m a suspect.”

“You’ll be a suspect until they can hang it on somebody else, or until they can prove to themselves that you didn’t do it.”

“How did my father react to my turning his offer down?”

“I haven’t spoken to him, just to my law firm’s managing partner. He’ll break the news to your father.”

“Expect an explosion,” Evan said. “Old Dad has always exploded easily.”

“Do you think he’ll want to renegotiate?”

“He won’t have a choice; he can’t sell the business without my agreement, and it’s my guess that he’s already figured out that he’s not equipped to run the place.”

“Is there anyone in your family who is qualifi ed?”

“No, so selling is the right thing to do. Do you know what he was offered for it?”

“No, and if I knew I couldn’t tell you. There’s nothing stopping you from demanding to see the contract, though.”

“Good point. Tell your office that I want to see the contract, and that I won’t discuss it further until I see it.”

“I’ll do that. Where can I reach you?”

“I’m at the Gardens.”

“How about a cell phone number?”

“I’ve got to buy a new one; I’ll call you when I get it. In the meantime, you can leave a message at the Gardens.”

“Okay, Evan, I’ll request the contract.”

“Bye.” Keating hung up.

Stone redialed Bill Eggers.

“Eggers.”

“Evan Keating just called me. He wants to see the sales contract for the business.”

“Warren doesn’t have to show it to him,” Eggers said.

“He does if he wants Evan’s assent to sell. He says he’ll have nothing else to say until he sees the contract.”

“You haven’t been giving him legal advice, have you, Stone?”

“Me? I’m not his lawyer.”

“Exactly, so be careful what you say to him.”

“I won’t be speaking to him again, unless he sees the contract.”

“I’ll talk to Warren, and if he’s agreeable, I’ll FedEx it to you.”

Stone gave him the Marquesa address and hung up.

“Now negotiations get interesting,” he said to Dino.

“Take your time,” Dino said.