“How’s it going?” Grant asked.
“I’ll tell you, but I want it understood that I’m not reporting a crime; this is strictly off the books.”
“Agreed,” Grant replied.
“Yesterday, Onofrio Ippolito, called me at the Bel-Air and invited me to a dinner party aboard his yacht, anchored off Catalina. I went to Marina Del Rey for my ferry ride, which was conducted in a fast sports fisherman by Vincent Mancuso and a friend of his called Manny. When we were almost there, one of them pulled a gun, then they bound me hand and foot, attached a chain and an anchor to me, and kicked me overboard. Just before they did that, one of them said, ‘Compliments of Onofrio Ippolito.’”
Grant looked at him oddly. “And why are you still here?”
“I got very lucky, shed the anchor, and made it to a moored sailboat. Some very nice people brought me back to the mainland.”
“And you’re not reporting the crime? You don’t want me to arrest Ippolito and his boys for attempted murder?”
“No. Not yet, anyway. You could nail the two hoods, but I don’t think you could make the case against Ippolito on the basis of the phone call, and Vinnie and Manny sure aren’t going to implicate him.”
“Probably not. What do you want to do?”
“Well, I’ve made a start; I sank their boat, Maria, very early this morning. She’s right in the middle of Marina Del Rey; they’ll have a hell of a time getting her up, and it will be very expensive.”
Grant burst out laughing. “You’re tight, that’s a start. What next?”
“I told you I thought there was a bookie operation running out of Vinnie’s Deli. Can you have it raided?”
“I’d need probable cause for a warrant.”
“How about a tip from a snitch?”
“Who?”
“Me. You can even put my name on it, if you have to.”
“I think I can arrange a raid.”
“Good; I hope your guys won’t be too careful with the fixtures and fittings.”
“I’ll mention that. What else?”
“This guy, Martin Barone? I’d like to know everything there is to know about him and Barone Financial Services.”
“Okay.”
“Do you know somebody at the FBI that you can trust?”
Grant thought about that for a minute. “What part of the FBI?”
“Them that deal with financial institutions.”
“Yeah, I know a guy.”
“I’d like to meet him.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Tell him there might be a kidnapping involved; those guys love a kidnapping.”
“Okay. Where can I find you?”
“I’m back at Le Parc. I figure they won’t be looking for me there.”