“What’s the matter?” Manny said. “Don’t you guys know when you’re getting your chain yanked? I don’t do that kind of business. Now get out of here—I got no more time for you.”
“I’ll bet you’d have time if I put twenty-five big ones on the desk right now,” Stone said.
“Then do it, or hoof it,” Manny said.
They hoofed it, thanking Manny for his time. IN T H E A I R P L A N E on the way back, Stone tuned in a jazz station on the satellite radio, switched on the autopilot and sat back. “So Manny’s the arranger, you think?”
“Oh, yeah,” Dino replied. “Not that you could ever nail him. Not even if we’d been wearing a wire today.”
“Manny’s a shit, but he’s not stupid,” Stone said.
“Anyway,” Dino replied, “we know how he’s paying for that offi ce space.”
“You betcha,” Stone said.
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STON E M E T E VA N Keating and Gigi Jones at the airport. Gigi rented a car and left for the Marquesa, while Stone drove Evan to the Federal Building in Key West, near the Monroe County Courthouse.
“Now, listen to me carefully, Evan,” Stone said. “It’s important that you answer all of Corelli’s questions truthfully.”
“Why not?” Evan said. He didn’t seem concerned.
“I’ll tell you why not. It’s a federal crime to lie to an FBI agent, a DEA agent or any other federal law enforcement offi cer. Corelli is going to be investigating this incident with your boat from more than one direction, and if he finds something that contradicts your testimony, you’ll find yourself doing jail time.”
“Just for lying to a DEA agent?” Evan asked. “It doesn’t seem all that important.”
“Remember Martha Stewart? They didn’t get her for insider trading; they got her for lying to an FBI agent. She did a year for that. You might keep that in mind if you start to fudge an answer.”
“Why are you letting me talk to this guy?” Evan asked. “You’re my lawyer.”
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“I’m letting you talk to him because I think you’re innocent of a crime and you can be truthful with him without hurting yourself. If that’s not the case, tell me now, and I’ll cancel the appointment.”
Evan was quiet. “Why is it to my advantage to talk to him?”
“Because you’ve been caught in possession of drugs—that’s a felony. The amount found and its purity indicate intent to distribute—
that’s another felony. If you can truthfully convince Corelli that you’re innocent, we may be able to make this go away. If I tell him you’re not going to answer his questions, you’re liable to find yourself charged and on trial, and they have a lot of evidence. Do you fully understand your situation now?”
“Yes, I think I do.”
“Do you still want to answer Corelli’s questions?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Now, we’re likely to be seated in a room with a mir-ror on the wall. Behind that wall is certainly going to be a video camera, and probably several other DEA agents, including Corelli’s boss. Everything will be recorded, and they’ll play it over and over again, so your demeanor will be important. Give full answers; don’t be terse. It’s not like you’re taking a lie detector test; you’ll be talking to human beings who will make judgments about you.”
“Are they likely to give me a lie detector test?”
“It’s a possibility. Does that make you nervous?”
“Of course.”