Loitering with Intent

38

STONE SPENT YET another happily exhausting night with Dr. Annika Swenson but got up early and returned to the Marquesa for breakfast with Dino, who was already having his on the front porch. Stone ordered, then sat down.

“You missed Charley and Gigi from across the way.”

“They left?”

“They checked out last night, luggage and all.”

“Maybe they were planning a cruise,” Stone said. “Charley said yesterday that Gigi was shopping for groceries for the boat.”

“Maybe so,” Dino said. “Think we’ll ever see them again?”

“Who knows? I don’t particularly care.”

“Are you starting to get free of this business, then?”

“Annika makes it hard to think about anything else when you’re with her.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Genevieve can be like that. I’ve been late to work a few times.”

“When do you think we ought to get out of here?”

“I’m good for another day,” Dino said. “Tommy invited us for lunch and a boat ride to nowhere.”

“Sounds good,” Stone said. “I’ll ask Annika to join us; it’s her day off.”

“Tommy and I will protect you from her.”

“Let’s get an early start tomorrow. It’ll take us about fi ve fl ying hours, plus a fuel stop in South Carolina, and I’d like to get to Teterboro by three or so, before rush hour starts.”

“I’m fine with that,” Dino said.

Stone’s breakfast arrived, and he dug in.

A LITTLE BEFORE noon Stone dropped Dino at the yacht club, then went to pick up Annika. She wasn’t quite ready, and he took a chair in her bedroom and watched her get dressed. It wasn’t as much fun as watching her get undressed, but it wasn’t bad.

“Annika?”

“Yes?”

“You remember, you said you treated Evan Keating for a knife wound at the hospital?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Do you remember how he paid his bill? I mean, did he have medical insurance?”

“I don’t know; that’s not my department.”

“Where was the knife wound?”

“He was raked across the ribs on the left side. The ribs protected the internal organs.”

“How long was the cut?”

“Perhaps twelve centimeters.”

“That’s what, five inches?”

“A bit less.”

“Can you find out if he had insurance and, if not, how he paid his bill?”

“Yes,” she said. She picked up a phone, called the hospital’s billing department and spoke for a couple of minutes, then hung up.

“He didn’t have medical insurance,” she said. “He paid with his American Express card. The cashier remembered it, because it was black, and she had never seen one before.”

“A black American Express card? That’s the one you have to spend a lot of money to get, isn’t it?”

“I think so; I’ve never seen one. Why are you interested in this?”

“Idle curiosity. Did Evan Keating have a beard?”

“No, he was clean-shaven. There was a girl with him, I remember—very pretty.”

Stone’s cell phone buzzed on his belt. “Hello?”

“It’s Tommy; Dino and I are on the way to the airport. Paul DePoo called, and the guy with the red Cessna is there, waiting for them to get it out of the hangar.”

“I’ll be right with you,” Stone said, and he hung up. “Annika, are you ready?”

She presented herself in an outfit that showed off her long legs and considerable cleavage. “I am ready,” she said.

STONE MADE IT to the airport in record time. “Annika, do you mind waiting in the lounge for a few minutes? I have to do this.”

“All right,” she said, and she went inside. Stone followed her, then found Tommy and Dino in Paul DePoo’s offi ce.

“The guy’s in the waiting room,” Tommy said. “Did you notice him?”

“No, I wasn’t looking for him, I guess.”

“And he’s getting impatient,” Paul added.

“Give us a one-minute head start,” Tommy said to Paul. “We’ll wait for him in the hangar.”

The three of them hotfooted it to the hangar, where a lineman with a tow was just clearing the doors with the red Cessna.

“Okay,” Tommy said, “let’s just be looking at the airplane, until he gets close enough to talk to. Dino, are you carrying?”

“Yep,” Dino said.

“Nope,” Stone said.

“Then stay behind us, Stone, and let me do the talking.”

“He’s coming,” Dino said, pretending to inspect the airplane,

“and I don’t believe it, but he’s got the gun case slung over his shoulder.”

The man approached. As the counter woman had said, he was medium everything, and his yellow baseball cap was his only distinguishing feature. “Can I help you gentlemen?” he asked, unslinging the gun case and setting down a leather duffel.

“We were just admiring your airplane,” Tommy said. “Are you Frank Harmon?”

“No,” the man replied, “Frank Harmon is the man I bought the airplane from. I’m Jim Vernon.”

Tommy showed him a badge. “May I see some I.D., Mr. Vernon?”

The man looked slowly around the group. “For what purpose?”

“For the purpose of identifying you,” Tommy replied. “Please don’t make me ask you again.”

The man dug out a wallet and handed Tommy a driver’s license. Stone watched him like a hawk, expecting trouble. Tommy looked carefully at both sides of the license. “Is this your current address, Mr. Vernon?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Do you have any documentation for the airplane with your name on it?”

“I have a bill of sale in the backseat,” Vernon replied. “I’ll get it for you.” He unlocked the pilot-side door.

“Allow me,” Dino said, stepping between Vernon and the airplane. He reached into the rear seat and brought out the aluminum briefcase. “Heavy,” Dino said, weighing it in his hand. “Shall I open it for you?”

“That’s all right,” the man said. “I’ll do it. It has a combination lock.”

“Why don’t you give Lieutenant Bacchetti the combination and let him open it?” Tommy said. “We’d feel more comfortable.”

Again, Vernon looked at the three strangers. “It’s one-two-three,”

he said.

Dino spun the combination on the two locks and opened the case.

Stone leaned forward and looked over Dino’s shoulder. There were some papers in the case, and Dino lifted them to reveal half a dozen camera lenses underneath.

Vernon took the papers from Dino and handed Tommy one of them. “That’s the bill of sale,” he said. “Harmon’s phone number is on it, if you’d like to call him. The FAA is a little slow in issuing new registrations.”

Tommy looked the document over. “Mind if we have a look in the gun case?” he asked.

“What is this?” Vernon asked. “Some kind of drug thing?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Dino said, relieving him of the case. “I assume the combination is the same.” He set the case on the ground and opened it. Inside were three fl y-fishing rods and reels.

“I’m down here for the bonefishing,” Vernon said, “not running drugs. You want to search the airplane?”

“Thank you,” Tommy said, and he and Dino began looking inside the cabin.

“Beautiful airplane,” Stone said.

“Thanks,” Vernon replied, watching the cops work.

“I used to own one, but it wasn’t as nice as this.”

“Frank Harmon does nothing but restore old airplanes,” Vernon said. “He does good work.”

Tommy closed the airplane door and approached Vernon. “Thank you,” he said. “Now may I have a look in your duffel?”

“There’s a handgun in there,” Vernon said. “And I’m licensed to carry it.” He handed over the duffel.

Dino and Stone gathered around to watch Tommy go through the bag.

“Well, look what we’ve got here,” Tommy said, holding up a rifl e barrel and a silencer. “Mr. Vernon,” he said, “you’re under arrest.”

The three men turned to look at him, but Jim Vernon was gone.

“Over there,” Stone said, pointing. Vernon hit the chain-link

fence with a foot, grabbed the top and vaulted over it. He hit the ground on the other side and ran like a frightened deer. Tommy, Stone and Dino began to run. They reached the fence.

“Give me a leg up,” Tommy said, “then go get your car.”

Stone and Dino tossed Tommy over the fence, then ran for the parking lot.