The drinks arrived, and Lance raised his glass. “To coincidence,” he said. “You put enough coincidences together, and what you get is . . .” He gazed at Holly. “. . . fate.”
Holly blushed. “Let me explain. I’m in New York looking for a man named Trini Rodriguez, who may be using the name Robert Marshall.”
“Why?” Lance asked.
“Multiple homicides,” Holly replied. “Today, he came out of the La Boheme coffeehouse and got into your car.”
“That was Trini Rodriguez?” Lance asked.
“Yep. What was he doing with you?”
“Well, I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you it was nothing to do with multiple homicides.”
“What name did he give you?” Holly asked.
“I was told he was called Bobo. He was to assist me in some enquiries, as the British would put it.”
“Did he?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that.”
“Swell
,” Holly said. “First, the FBI protects this bastard, and now the CIA.”
Lance looked around and made a tamping motion with his hand. “Please. I wish I could help you, Holly, but until today I’d never clapped eyes on Mr. Rodriguez, and I never expect to again. However, if he should cross my line of vision again, I’ll be glad to call you. May I have your number?”
Holly gave him her card while Stone rolled his eyes.
“Anything else you can tell me about him or about the people who sent you to him?”
“Alas, no,” Lance said sadly. “The nature of the work, I’m afraid.” He turned to Stone. “By the way,” he said, “have you, by any chance, heard from Herbert J. Fisher?”
“No, I haven’t,” Stone said. “Should I have?”
“Just a thought. Herbie didn’t make his flight to Saint Thomas this evening.”
“I thought you had a man on him,” Stone said.
“I thought so, too, but Herbie, the little shit, eluded him. Herbie is out there in the land, somewhere, in his red Mustang, moving about with reckless abandon.”
“That’s just terrific,” Stone said. “If I hear from him, what shall I tell him?”
“Tell him to go and stand on the corner of Forty-second Street and Broadway, then call me,” Lance replied. “I’ll have someone go there and shoot him.”
Stone wasn’t at all sure he was kidding.
15
THEY HAD FINISHED dinner and were standing on the sidewalk in front of Elaine’s, saying their goodbyes. Dino got into his waiting car and was driven away.
“May I give you a lift?” Lance said to Holly and Stone.
They spoke at the same time. “No,” Stone replied. “Yes,” Holly said.
Lance opened a rear door and motioned them in. “Stone, I know where you live. Holly, where can I take you?”
“You can take us both to my house,” Stone said.