Class Act

47

Stone had just hung up when Joan buzzed. “Jack Coulter is here. He doesn’t have an appointment.”

“Send him in.”

Jack came in, waved, and sat down.

“You look like a man in a hurry,” Stone said.

“I was afraid you’d already be dead,” Jack said.

“Don’t rush me.”

“Do you know who Antonio Datilla is?”

“The Don?”

“Correct.”

“How about Salvatore Trafficante?”

“The Don’s consigliere.”

“You’re better informed than I thought,” Jack said.

“It sounds as if you want to inform me further.”

“I just had lunch at the Brook, and they were sitting closer to me than you are now.”

“Tell me more.”

“They were speaking Sicilian, not knowing that I grew up in a household with a grandmother who spoke nothing else.”

“So you eavesdropped?”

“Didn’t bat an eyelid. You’d have been proud of me.”

“What was the content of their conversation?”

“Mostly you and a woman named Hilda, who, I understand, is in residence at your Key West house.”

“You understand way too much,” Stone said. “She wasn’t supposed to tell anybody.”

“That’s when some women tell everybody,” Jack pointed out.

“Not Hilda, not everybody. Just the guy who wants me dead.”

“They’re going to offer her a hundred thousand dollars to do it. You should be flattered. The last time she killed for them they only paid fifty thousand.” Jack leaned forward. “You’re thinking about fucking her again, aren’t you.”

“How did you know that?”

“You’re attracted by the idea of doing that to her before she can do the other thing to you.”

“If I’m not blushing, I should be,” Stone said.

“Don’t do it, Stone. That’s a fool’s bet.”

“I can’t disagree with you,” Stone said.

“Tell you what. Why don’t I go down there and kill her for you?”

“If you met her, you’d want to fuck her first,” Stone said.

“I suppose there’s a bit of a challenge involved.”

“It’s a nice thought, Jack, and I appreciate it, but you don’t want to get involved in this.”

“What about you?”

“I’m already involved. If I don’t go down to Key West, she’ll come up here.”

“She won’t be expecting me.”

“Don’t underestimate her, Jack.”

“Then let me find another assassin — one who won’t be tempted to fuck her first.”

“What kind of assassin is that?”

“A woman.”

Stone thought about that. “Possibly.”

“Certainly.”

“How can you be sure the woman won’t want to fuck her, too?”

“Because she’s cold-blooded and coldhearted. She doesn’t let anything get in the way of business, not even sex.”

“Interesting.”

“And she’s already in Florida.”

“Where?”

“Palm Beach.”

“How much?” Stone suddenly realized that he was talking about sending a hired killer to murder someone.

“Twenty-five grand,” Jack said.

“Sounds cheap, for that line of business.”

“It’s a discount for me.”

“Why for you?”

“Because I got her out of a very bad jam, once. Saved her life. She’s pitifully grateful.”

“I thought you said she was cold-blooded and coldhearted.”

“Not where I’m concerned.”

Stone thought some more.

“Don’t let your conscience get the better of you, Stone. Hilda is taking money to kill you. That should let you see just where you stand on her list of priorities.”

“This can’t happen in my house,” Stone said. “It’s a small town.”

“Then we’ll have to arrange for the deed to be done somewhere else.”

“Is your lady smart enough to handle that?”

“It’s what she does,” Jack said. “And she’s never been caught, or even suspected.”

“Why don’t you have a chat with her and see what’s involved? And I want to know everything: how she gets to Key West from Palm Beach, how she gets back, how she deals with the body, how she covers her tracks. What is your lady’s name?”

“Gigi.”

“What else?”

“Just Gigi.”

“Is she beautiful?”

“Just a sec,” Jack said. He got out an iPhone and started scrolling, then stopped and handed the phone to Stone.

Tall, slim, looked great in the bikini. “Wow.”

“Will she appeal to Hilda?”

“E-mail this to me, and we’ll find out,” Stone said.

Jack e-mailed the photo.

“We’d better give Gigi another name,” Stone said.

“Why?”

“If they travel in the same crowd, Hilda could have heard of her.”

“All right: Cara,” Jack said. “Cara Connery.” He stared off into space.

“Are you having second thoughts, Jack?”

“Always,” Jack replied. “That’s how you stay ahead of the game.”