“I know, pal, believe me.”
“About the tech.”
“What about him?”
“I need a man to go over an apartment, see what he finds.”
“He’s not planting anything?”
“Not a thing; I just want to see what somebody else might have planted.”
“Does he have to break in?”
“I’ve got a key, and the occupant is expecting him.”
“Give me the key and the address. I’ll contact him.”
Stone produced the key and wrote down Tiffany’s name and address. “Tell him to call first and say I sent… Wait a minute. No, tell him just to show up, having already written on a piece of paper that I sent him. No names, in case the place is wired.”
“Okay.”
“What’s it going to cost?”
“Since he’s not planting anything, I’ll make him do it for five hundred.”
“Steep. I haven’t got it on me.”
“I’ll front it; you can pay me back.”
Stone had another idea. “While he’s at it, I’d like him to take a look at my place.”
Dino’s eyebrows went up. “Are we still on the DIRT thing?”
“We are, and their information is just a little too good. Come to think of it, I’d like him to take a look at Amanda Dart’s place, too, but not until he’s been to me first.”
“His name is Bob Cantor; he’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Think you can get me a better rate for the three places?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“What’s new with you?”
“Mary Ann is apartment-hunting on the East Side.”
“Uh-oh.”
“You said it.”
“How is this going to happen?”
“The old man swears it’s going to be straight up. We’re going to rent it from a corporation that owns it.”
“Doesn’t sound straight up to me,” Stone said.
“What? That we rent?”
“Dino, make sure it’s a corporation that already owns rental units, and that the rent is in line with the market.”