Near Miss

Chapter 19

Fred drove Stone to Woodman & Weld that morning, then picked him up again right before lunch, and headed for home. They’d only gone a few blocks when he said, “I don’t mean to alarm you, but we appear to have picked up a tail.”

Stone didn’t look back. “Anyone we know?”

“I noticed him when I was waiting for you, but that was the first time I’d seen him.”

“Describe him.”

Fred did so.

“That sounds like Bozo.”

“The clown?”

“Yes, but not the one you’re thinking of.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll take a few turns. To make sure I’m right.”

“If it’s Bozo, you are right. But go ahead.”

Three turns later, Fred said, “He’s still there.”

“Is he being obvious?”

“No, but he’s not being as cautious as he thinks he is.”

Stone looked at the road ahead. “We don’t want him to know we’ve made him. Pull over after the next light. I’ll go into that building. I believe we have a couple of clients there.”

Stone entered the lobby and crossed over to the first-floor café, where he ordered a coffee and then called Dino.

“Trench appears to be back at it,” he said. “He’s having us followed.”

“By the man from the other night? Bozo?”

“One and the same.”

“Do you want me to have him pulled over?”

“No. But I wouldn’t mind having someone following him.”

“In case he gets a little frisky?”

“Not the word I would have used, but yes. Call Fred. He’ll give you a description of the vehicle.”

“Consider it done.”

Stone settled down at one of the tables, with a copy of the Times. After twenty minutes, he called Fred. “Is our friend still there?”

“Last I checked.”

“And Dino’s people?”

“They arrived ten minutes ago.”

“Good. Then come pick me up.”

After watching the lawyer’s Bentley pull into the garage in Turtle Bay, Bozo drove on for another few minutes, stopped at the side of the road, and called Trench.

“Barrington’s at his home office.”

“Does he know you’re watching him?”

“He doesn’t have a clue.”

“Huff thought that, too.”

“Well, I’m not Huff.”

“What about Matilda?”

“No sign of her yet.”

“What’s the plan?”

“I have a couple of ideas. How identifiable do you want the bodies?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, as long as they’re both gone.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say. What do you think about giving them a big send-off.”

“How big?”

Bozo explained what he had in mind.

Trench chuckled. “I like it.”

“I thought you would.”

“How long until you can be ready?”

“I’ll need a few hours to get everything worked out, then it’ll depended on when Barrington and Matilda go out. Worse case, by tomorrow. It’s not going to be cheap, though.”

“How much?”

“I need to make a few calls first.”

“All right. Remember, when it happens, I want to be there.”

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t want you to miss it.”

Bozo called an acquaintance he knew named Pike Larson.

“Yes?”

“It’s Bozo.”

“What do you want?” Larson asked, surely as ever.

“I need to do a little shopping. Is your store open?”

“That depends on what you want.”

“An accessory for a friend’s Bentley.”

“How big of an accessory?”

“As big as it needs to be.”

“I might have what you need. It’ll cost you, though.”

“How much?”

“Two Gs.”

“No friends-and-family discount?”

“You are neither friend nor family.”

“That hurts.”

“Do you want it or not?”

“I want it.”

“Then come and get it. I don’t do deliveries.” Larson hung up.

Bozo did some quick math in his head, factoring in what else he would need and adding a pad, then called Trench back. “It’ll cost four grand.”

“You’re not thinking of skipping out on me, are you?”

“Four grand wouldn’t get me far.”

“Far enough.”

“The way I see it, this is my audition. Once you see how well I do, you’ll find more jobs for me, and I’ll make a whole lot more than four grand.”

“Give me thirty minutes.”