Stone Barrington 06-11

bystander. Makes a big wound in the original recipient, though.”
    “Why doesn’t everybody use it all the time?”
    “Because it costs something like three bucks a round. It’s best saved for special occasions.”
    “And what are you carrying?”
    Stone handed her a pistol. “It’s a Sig Pro. Guy I know sent it to me. Got a fifteen-round magazine.”
    “I want this one,” she said, tucking it into the belt of her jeans.
    “Oh, all right, I’ll take the P239.” He handed her the Pro’s magazine and closed the safe. “Let’s go.”

    “Okay,” Dino said as they headed downtown at mid-morning, “here’s what Vito told me. You ready?”
    “We’re ready,” Stone said.
    “He’s luring Trini down to the store with a really good story.”
    “What’s the story?”
    “The story is, a truck is going to make a delivery to Vito’s grocery store, and half of the truck is given over to a compartment rigged up as a room. It’s air-conditioned, it has a bed and a chair and lights and a chemical toilet and a lot of dirty magazines. The truck actually exists, according to Vito.”
    “What’s the truck got to do with this?” Holly asked.
    “Vito has told Trini that they’re going to take him to Florida in the truck, two guys driving nonstop. He’s got food and water and the magazines in the back, and they’re there in twenty-four hours.”

    “Trini wants to go back to Florida?”
    “He says he can get lost among his homeboys down there, and then he’ll get a ship out somewhere. Anybody stops the truck, the rear part is stacked to the ceiling with cartons of Italian foodstuffs. Pretty slick, huh?”
    “Pretty slick,” Holly admitted.
    “So that’s how Vito knows for sure Trini will be there today?”
    “Right. He’s due at noon.”
    “And Vito is just going to hand Trini to me?”
    “That’s the idea.”
    “I don’t get it,” she said.
    “What?”
    “What’s in it for Vito?”
    “He makes Eduardo happy.”
    “Eduardo is still in this?” Stone asked.
    “Up to his ears, apparently, and Vito always likes to make Eduardo happy. In his business, you make Eduardo happy, good things happen to you.”
    “This is just crazy enough to work,” Holly said.
    “Wait a minute,” Stone said.
    “What?”
    “Trini was behind Vito’s kidnapping us, right?”
    “Right, I guess,” Dino said.
    “Well, I’d like to know what Vito told him.”
    “Why can’t you just relax and let this happen?”
    “Oh, all right, I suppose Vito could tell him something .”
    “You bet your ass he could.”
    “What’s the plan when we get there?”
    “Vito will tell us then.”

57
    T HE THREE WALKED into Vito Galeano’s grocery store at eleven sharp. The place was not terribly big—four rows of shelving running up and down the space, a counter at the rear, and, up half a flight of stairs, a loft office from which Vito had a view over half glasses of the entire store. It was old-fashioned and fragrant with hanging sausage and spices. Vito came down the stairs, checking each of the half-dozen customers in the place, and finally, checking out Stone, Dino, and Holly.
    “ Buon giorno ,” he said to Dino.
    “ Buon giorno ,” Dino replied.
    “How you doin’?” he said to Stone and Holly.
    “Good,” they replied simultaneously.
    “This is Gino,” he said, nodding at the aproned man behind the counter, who nodded at them all.
    Vito reached under the counter, pulled out an apron, and handed it to Dino. “Here’s how we’re going to do this,” he said. “Dino, you’re the only one who looks like he could work here, so you put on the apron and stand behind the counter with Gino. Pay attention to the way he works while we’re waiting, so you won’t look stupid when Trini comes in.”
    “Right,” Dino said. He took off his jacket and tie, rolled up his sleeves, and put on the apron.
    “You were born to this,” Stone said.
    “Aw, shut up.”
    “You two,” Gino said, nodding at Stone and Holly, “get over to one side of the store, so the shelves will hide you. Trini comes in, he’ll walk down the center aisle, like everybody. When that happens, Gino, Dino, one of you sing out, ‘Vito, gimme a price on a whole Genoa salami!’ That means Trini is in the store.” He looked out to the street. “Here comes the truck.”
    They all turned to see a beautifully painted black truck pull up to the curb. Painted on the side was the legend “Gaetano Galeano & Sons, Premium Provisions” in a