Loitering with Intent

56

STONE LANDED AT Tamiami Airport, rented a car and drove to South Beach. When they were a block from Manny White’s office building, he stopped. “Okay, you take the car from here,” he said to Evan. “Put my cell phone number in your personal phone on a speed-dial button, so if you get into trouble you can call us. When you’re done, drive back to this point and pick us up.”

“Okay,” Evan said.

“There’s parking behind his building, and you can go in the rear entrance.”

“Got it.”

Stone had the feeling he was a lot more nervous than Evan. “Don’t hurry it; he’ll think you’re panicky.”

“When do I want this hit done?”

“As soon as possible. Tell him you’re under some time pressure, but don’t tell him why. Tonight is okay, tomorrow. Don’t agree to anything later than that, and insist on knowing when they’re going to do it. Tell him you want to be well away from the action.”

“Okay. Can I go now?”

Stone and Dino got out of the car, and he drove away.

MANNY WHITE’S SECRETAR Y buzzed him. “Mr. White,” she said, “your appointment is here.”

“Send him in,” Manny said, and he rose to meet the young man who entered his office. They shook hands, and Manny indicated a chair. “Have a seat, Joe.”

“Thank you. Wally Millard sends his best regards.”

“How did you meet Wally?” Manny asked.

“My New York lawyer sent me to him when I needed some work done.”

“What sort of work?”

“We don’t need to go into that,” Evan said.

“Tell me about your problem,” Manny said.

“I’m in business with a man, and it’s not working out. I want to sell the business, and I have a buyer, but my partner wants a lot more out of the deal than he put in.”

“So you want a sort of business divorce?”

“You could put it that way.”

“And it won’t be amicable?”

“No, and I’d like it to be permanent.”

Manny stood up and walked around the desk. “Stand up, Joe,”

he said, “and take off your jacket. I need to take some precautions.”

Evan stood up and watched as Manny went through his coat pockets and felt along every seam.

“Unbutton your shirt and pull out your shirttail,” Manny said. Evan did as he was told.

Manny lifted his shirt and inspected his chest and back, then made sure there were no wires attached to the shirt. He patted Evan down carefully, paying particular attention to his crotch. “Drop your pants to your knees,” Manny said.

Evan did so and stood still while Manny pulled down his shorts and parted the cheeks of his ass. After Evan had pulled up his pants, Manny checked his shoes and socks.

“All right, you can get dressed,” Manny said. “You’re clean.” He picked up Evan’s briefcase and opened it.

Evan took out the envelope with the cash. “We’re not ready to get to this yet,” he said.

Manny emptied the briefcase onto his desk, then felt the inside for lumps, then he raked the detritus from the case back into it and set it on the desk.

Evan put the money back into the case.

“All right,” Manny said, “tell me what you want.”

Evan took a pad from the briefcase and wrote, “I want him dead,” then showed it to Manny.

“I understand you. What’s the man’s name?”

Evan wrote “Michael Levy” and the address.

“Where is this?”

“North of here a couple of hours, about eight or nine miles south of Stuart, on the Intracoastal Waterway.”

“How far from I-95?”

“Six or seven miles, but your best opportunity would come from a boat, which I will provide.” Evan took the map from his pocket and spread it on Manny’s desk. “There’s a little marina up this creek, right here. It’s private and untended, and I have a Boston Whaler tied up there. It’s black and has the name Waverider on the bow. The key is in a little locker under the steering wheel, and the outboard has a push-button starter.”

“Okay, and this map gets my guy there from the interstate?”

“Right down this little road,” Evan said, pointing. “All he does is start the boat, untie it and go down the creek a hundred yards or so to the waterway, then turn north. There’s a powerful spotlight in the boat, if they go after dark, but I’d suggest starting at dusk and approaching the place after the sun is well down. The house is here, marked by an X, and there’s a dock. There’s a sign on the dock with the initials M.L.”

“Will my guy need to go inside?”

“Maybe, but probably not. Mike has a drink or two on his back porch at sunset. Your man can approach him down the dock, as if to ask for directions, or if he’s good with a rifle, shoot from the end of the dock.”

“He’s good with everything. Is your friend armed?”

“He has a shotgun, but he keeps it locked in a cabinet in the kitchen, so it won’t be at hand. When the job’s done, your man should just take the boat back to the marina and tie it up, then drive away.”

“You understand, something like this will be expensive?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Fifty thousand dollars, half up front, the rest when the job is done.”

“I can manage forty, twenty now.”

“You’ll have to manage fifty.”

Evan pretended to think it over for a few seconds, then he nodded. “All right,” he said, “but there are time constraints. I need it done tonight if possible.”

Manny looked at his watch. “That may be possible. If not, then tomorrow night.”

“No later than that,” Evan said. He took the envelope from the briefcase and removed three bundles of $10,000 each. He removed five thousand from one bundle, then slid the stack toward Manny.

“I don’t give receipts,” Manny said, raking the money into a desk drawer. “How can I reach you?”

Evan wrote down the number of his throwaway cell phone and handed it to him.

“I’m expecting a call from my man soon,” Manny said. “I’ll call you when I know. Here’s how we do the final payment: You and I will meet for a drink around the time of the work being done. When I get a call that it’s complete, you pay the rest.”

“How will I know he’s dead?” Evan asked.

“You can drive up there and take his pulse if you want to, but you pay when I get the call. Wally will tell you that I don’t welsh on deals. Anything goes wrong, you get all your money back.”

“I’d rather be out of the state when it happens,” Evan said.

“We’ll be in a public place where I’m known. The waitress and the bartender will remember you, but not me. You’ll have a solid alibi.”

A cell phone rang, and Manny took it from a drawer. “Yeah?” He listened for a moment. “Good news.” He covered the phone and said to Evan, “It’s my guy,” then he continued. “What’s your ETA?” He listened some more. “Are you up for something good tonight? It’s a couple of hours north of here. The usual price. Good. Instead of my picking you up, rent a car. Call me when you’re on your way, and we’ll meet at that place we met last time, say four o’clock? I’ll have all the details and the first payment. See you then.” Manny hung up.

“He’s available tonight,” he said to Evan.

“Good.”

“You and I will meet at a restaurant called the Steak Shack. It’s on this street, about two blocks down.” Manny pointed.

“Good.”

“Seven-thirty and bring the rest of the money.”

“I’ll see you then,” Evan said. The two men shook hands, and Evan left.

Manny stood at the rear window and watched Evan get into a car and drive away, then he called Larry again.

“Yes?”

“Listen, the job is going to involve a boat.”

“I don’t do boats.”

“Put Gigi on.”

“Hello?”

“Listen, kiddo, I need your help for an important job tonight. It needs to be done from a boat, and Larry doesn’t mess with boats.”

“I already found that out,” she said. “He’s useless. How long is this going to take?”

“You’ll be done by nine tonight. Larry’s renting a car, and we’ll meet at a place he knows, where I’ll give you the details.”

“How much?”

“Ten grand for very little work in advance. All you have to do is get him to a dock in the boat.”

“All right, I’ll see you later.” She hung up. Manny sat down at his desk, pleased with himself. This one was going to be a piece of cake, and it would make up for the failure in Key West.