“Call him and ask if he ever knew a guy named Ippolito who worked for Charlie Luciano.”
“You’re still hung up on this Ippolito guy?”
“Yep.”
“Okay.”
“Ask him if the guy had a son in the family business, too.”
“Okay; where can I reach you?”
“Try my cell phone; I’ll be moving around.”
“It’ll be after lunch, my time.”
“That’s fine.”
Stone hung up, then checked in with his secretary. He left for lunch with precious little to go on and no cooperation from the injured party, the husband. Unless one of his phone calls paid off, he was back to square one.
16
Stone gave his car to the valet and strolled into Spago Beverly Hills. He was shown to a table in the garden, where he ordered a mineral water. The place was already full, and he spotted a number of familiar faces from films and television, then he saw Rick Grant coming toward him. The cop was grayer and heavier but otherwise much the same as Stone remembered.
“How are you, Stone?” Grant said, extending a hand.
“Not bad, Rick; you?”
“Getting by.”
“You’re at headquarters now?”
“Yeah, I’ve got soft duty as a deputy to the chief of detectives.”
“Administrative stuff?”
“More like consulting on various cases. Right now I’m writing a long report on the state of organized crime in L.A., that being my old specialty.”
“That’s very interesting,” Stone said. “Why don’t we order?”
They chatted amiably while their food was served.
“What was that about moonlighting?” Grant finally asked.
“I need some local knowledge and, maybe, influence on something I’m working on. I’m sorry you’re not available.”
“I didn’t say that; I said that the department frowns on it. It didn’t seem like a good idea to talk about it on the phone. What’s involved?”
“Five hundred a day; I’m not sure for how long, but it’s cash, and I’m not going to issue a 1099 to the IRS at the end of the year.”
“That’s nice, but I meant, what is it, exactly, you need?”
“Advice; intelligence; absolute discretion; maybe an occasional flash of the badge.”
“Tell me about the problem.”
“A friend of mine has disappeared; her husband called me a few days ago and asked me to come out here and find her.”
“Domestic thing?”