Chuck laughed. “That’s the only way I can afford the boat. I can’t 47
S t u a r t W o o d s
buy a house, too, not with real estate prices the way they are down here. I’m comfortable, though. The old boat was a lot more cramped, and every time I bought a piece of clothing, I had to throw one away.”
“What did you do with the old boat?” Stone asked.
“I sold it to the first guy who looked at it. I think I may not have asked enough.”
“I’ve heard about the Peninsula Marina. Is that where you did the work?”
“Yeah, I rented a shed in the yard.”
“Did you ever run into a guy named Evan Keating in the marina there?”
“Sure did; I sold him my boat.”
Stone broke into a broad smile. “Finally!” he said.
“Finally what?” Chuck asked.
“We came down here to fi nd Keating; I’ve got some documents for him to sign. I saw him once, but he got away from me, and we haven’t been able to find him. Do you have an address for him?”
“No, but as far as I know, he’s living aboard my old boat. At least that’s what he told me he was going to do.”
“Where is he berthed?”
“I don’t know. I know the Peninsula didn’t have a berth for him.”
“Where did you keep the boat?”
“In the same slip at the yacht club where the new boat is.”
“Did you get an address from Keating or any other information that might help me fi nd him?”
“No. It was a cash deal, so I didn’t need an address, and, like I said, he was planning to live aboard.” He dug into a pocket of his shorts for his cell phone. “I’ve got his cell number, though,” he said, and he read it from his phone. It was the number they already had.
“Do you remember what bank his check was written on?”
“No bank. He showed up at the club with a paper bag with a hun4 8
L o i t e r i n g w i t h I n t e n t
dred and thirty thousand in hundreds in it. I’d never seen that much cash before.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Yesterday.”
“The same day he checked out of his hotel,” Dino said. “At least we know what boat to look for now. What’s the name?”
“Choke, ” Chuck said.
“Can you describe the boat?”
“Sure. Thirtytwo-footer, white hull, mahogany superstructure, twin screws.”
“That’s pretty small for twin engines,” Stone said.