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p in touch。
He had always promised that； she thought to herself as she drove away。 But he'd rarely kept in touch。
Fifteen
OPERATING FROM A SUITE at the Hay…Adams Hotel； Stephano spent the morning playing telephone tag with harried corporate executives。 It had been easy to convince Benny Aticia that he was about to be arrested； photographed； printed； and otherwise harassed by the FBI。 Convincing egos like Paul Atterson at Monarch…Sierra Insurance and Frank Jill at Northern Case Mutual was another matter。 Both were typical CEO's； serious white men with huge salaries and large staffs to keep away anything unpleasant。 Arrests and prosecutions were for the lower classes。
The FBI proved quite helpful。 Hamilton Jaynes dispatched agents to both headquarters…Monarch's in Palo Alto and Northern Case MutuaPs in St。 Paul… with instructions to call on both men and ask a bunch of questions about the search and capture of one Patrick Lanigan。
Both threw in the towel by lunch。 Call off the dogs； they said to Stephano。 The search is over。 Cooperate fully with the FBI； and for heaven's sakes do something to get these agents out of our headquarters。 It was very embarrassing。
And so the consortium unraveled。 Stephano had kept it together for four years； and in doing so earned himself almost a million dollars。 He'd spent another 2。5 million of his client's； and he could claim success。 They'd found Lanigan。 They had not found the ninety million； but it was still around。 It had not been spent。 There was a chance of recouping it。
BENNY ARICIA was in the suite with Stephano throughout the morning； reading papers； making calls of his own； listening as Stephano worked the phones。 At one； he called his attorney in Biloxi and got the news that Patrick had arrived。 And amid almost no fanfare。 The local TV ran the story at noon； plete with a shot of the Air Force cargo plane roaring overhead as it landed at Keesler。 That was as close as they were allowed。 The local Sheriff confirmed that the boy was back。
He had listened to the torture tape three times； often stopping it to replay his favorite spots。 Once； two days ago on a flight to Florida； he had listened to it with earphones as he sipped a drink in first class and smiled at the blood…curdling sounds of a man begging for mercy。 But the smiles were rare for Benny these days。 He was certain Patrick had told what he knew； and it wasn't enough。 Patrick knew he would someday get caught； that's why he shrewdly placed the money with the girl； who then hid it from everyone； including Patrick。 Brilliant。 Nothing short of it。
〃What will it take to find her？〃 he asked Stephano； as the two lunched on soup sent up by room service。 The question had been asked many times already。
〃What； or how much？〃
〃How much； I guess。〃
〃Can't answer that。 We have no idea where she is； but we know where she's from。 And we know she'll likely surface somewhere around Biloxi； now that her man's there。 It can be done。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Just guessing； I'd say a hundred thousand； with no guarantees。 Put up the money； and when it's gone； we quit。〃
〃Any chance the feds will know we're still looking？〃
〃Nope。〃
Benny stirred his soup…tomatoes and noodles。 Down one point nine million already； it seemed foolish not to give it one last shot。 The odds were long； but the reward could be enormous。 It was the same game he'd played for four years now。
〃And if you find her？〃 he asked。
〃We'll make her talk；〃 Stephano said； and they exchanged grimaces at the unpleasant thought of doing to a woman what they'd done to Patrick。
〃What about his lawyer？〃 Aricia finally asked。 〃Can't we bug his office； tap his phones； somehow listen in when he talks to his client。 Surely they'll talk about my money。〃
〃It's a possibility。 Are you serious？〃
〃Serious？ I got ninety million out there； Jack。 Minus a third for those bloodsucking lawyers。 Of course I'm serious。〃
〃It could be tricky。 The lawyer's not stupid； you know。 And his client's a cautious fellow。〃
〃e on； Jack。 You're supposed to be the best。 You're certainly the most expensive。〃
〃We'll do a preliminary…trail him for a couple of days； see his layout。 There's no rush。 His client isn't moving for a while。 Right now I'm more concerned with getting the feds outta my hair。 I need to do a few trivial things like reopen my office and get the bugs outta my phones。〃
Aricia waved him off。 〃How much will it cost me？〃
〃I don't know。 We'll talk about it later。 Finish your lunch。 The lawyers are waiting。〃
Stephano left first； on foot； and waved politely to the two agents parked illegally on I Street； down from the hotel。 He walked briskly to his lawyer's office； seven blocks away。 Benny waited ten minutes and caught a cab。
They spent the afternoon in a conference room crowded with lawyers and paralegals。 The agreements were faxed back and forth between the lawyers…Ste…phano's and the FBI's。 Eventually both sides got what they wanted。 The criminal charges aigainst Stephano were dropped and would not be pursued against his clients。 The FBI received his written promise to divulge everything he knew about the search and capture of Patrick Lanigan。
Stephano truly planned to tell most of what he knew。 The search was over； thus there was no longer anything to hide。 The interrogation had produced little； just the name of a Brazilian lawyer who had the money。 Now she had vanished； and he seriously doubted the FBI had the time and desire to pursue her。 Why should they？ The money didn't belong to them。
And though he worked hard not to show it； he desperately wanted the FBI out of his life。 Mrs。 Stephano was severely rattled； and the pressure at home was enormous。 If he didn't reopen his office quickly； he'd be out of business。
So； he planned to tell them what they wanted to hear； most of it anyway。 He'd take Benny's money； what was left of it； and chase the girl some more； maybe get lucky。 And he'd send a crew to New Orleans to watch Lanigan's lawyer。 The FBI didn't need to know these little details。
SINCE THERE WASNT an available square inch in the federal building in Biloxi； Cutter asked Sheriff Sweeney to find a spot at the county jail。 Sweeney reluctantly agreed； though the idea of the FBI spending time in his offices was unsettling。 He cleaned out a storage room and installed a table and some chairs。 The Lanigan Room was christened。
There was little to store there。 No one Suspected murder when Patrick died； and so there was no effort at gathering physical clues； at least not for the first six weeks。 When the money vanished； suspicions grew； but by then the trail was cold。
Cutter and Ted Grimshaw； the chief investigator for Harrison County； carefully examined and inventoried their meager evidence。 There were ten large color photos of the burned…out Chevy Blazer； and they tacked these on one wall。 They had been taken by Grimshaw。
The fire had been extremely hot； now they knew why。 Patrick no doubt had loaded the interior with plastic containers of gasoline。 That would account for the melted aluminum seat frames； the blown…out windows； the disintegrated dashboard； and the scant remains of the body。 Six photos were of the corpse； such as it