Swimming to Catalina (Stone Barrington 4)

Stone gave him Sturmack’s car phone number. “Call this number; a man will answer. Say to him, ‘Stone Barrington has a message for you from the other side; he’s not through with you and Ippolito yet.’”

“I got the number,” Dino said, “now what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Just do it, Dino; it’s important.”

“You want me to tell him who I am?”

“For Christ’s sake, no! Just say the words and then hang up and call me back on my cell phone.”

“Whatever,” Dino said, and hung up.

Sturmack turned left on Sunset, and Stone followed. Perhaps a minute later, Stone saw the man pick up his car phone and speak into it. Suddenly the brake lights on the Rolls came on, and Sturmack pulled over. As Stone drove past him, he could see Sturmack shouting into the car phone. Stone turned right, made a U-turn, and waited for the Rolls to pass on Sunset, then he fell in behind it again, perhaps a hundred yards back. His cell phone rang.

“Yep?”

“It’s Dino, I did it.”

“What did he have to say?”

“First there was a stunned silence, then he started calling me names, said he would have me castrated. I don’t know why—I’ve never even met the guy. Who was he?”

“Fellow by the initials of D.S. We talked about him before?”

“I remember. What’s this about?”

“I’m just rattling his cage. He and a friend of his tried to off me a few days back.”

“Sounds like you make the man nervous,” Dino said.

“I’m just getting started.”

“Oh, by the way, you remember the other name you asked me about? About his family connections?”

“Sure.”

“I told you the old mob guy didn’t have any sons, but he had a nephew. Apparently he had a brother who was an honest man, relatively speaking, worked in the garment district. The brother had a son. I believe the French say ‘Voilà!’”

“Indeed. It’s not all that useful at the moment, but it’s nice to know about.”

“Stone, are you working on getting yourself killed?”

“Far from it,” Stone replied. He missed Dino, and he had a thought. “I could use somebody to watch my back. Have you got any off-time coming?”

“To come out there?”

“I’ll spring for a first-class ticket and a room at the Bel-Air Hotel.”

“That’s a very tempting proposition,” Dino said. “Okay, but if you ever tell Mary Ann that it wasn’t department business, I’ll have you offed myself.”

“No loose lips here. Catch the next plane you can, rent a car at the airport, and they’ll give you directions to the Bel-Air. I’ll have a room waiting for you, and we’ll have breakfast in the morning.”

“You want me to come heavy.”

“Good idea. Rick helped me out in that regard.”

“Am I out of my fucking mind?”

“You’ll like it here, I promise.”