Swimming to Catalina

were as impressive as his monologue had been. Stone began to believe that the actor should write his own scripts.
    When it was over, Vance retired to his suite, and Stone faced the feds again.
    “That was very impressive, but it wasn’t enough,” Hank Cable said.
    “I told you that it wouldn’t be,” Stone replied, “but now you have a direction. I suggest that you begin by arresting Martin Barone on charges of tax evasion, money laundering, and whatever else you can come up with from the wiretap of his offices. You can at least threaten him with Vance’s testimony. Even though that won’t happen, Barone doesn’t know. You could throw in the kidnapping charge, too; I can give you a witnesswho’ll testify that Barone was in possession of Mrs. Calder’s car for several days.”
    The meeting broke up, and Stone asked Rick Grant to stay behind.
    “You were right,” Rick said. “There’s not going to be much left for the LAPD.”
    “Oh, there might be,” Stone said. “How about murder?”
    “You’re still alive.”
    “Vinnie Mancuso and his partner, Manny, aren’t.”
    “You’ll never tie that to Ippolito.”
    “There’s a new way in,” Stone said. “Let me make a couple of phone calls.” He called Betty Southard and made a request and had a longer conversation with Lou Regenstein; then he invited Rick to join him in the car.
    “Where are we going?” Rick asked.
    “To Centurion Studios,” Stone replied.
    “For what?”
    “To see Billy O’Hara. He’s up to his ass in this.” As they drove, Stone explained what he had in mind.
    “The guy was a cop,” Rick said. “You really think he’ll go for it?”
    “One way to find out. If he doesn’t, you and I have a lot more work ahead of us.”
     
    At Centurion they picked up the visitor’s passes that Betty had left for them and asked directions to the security director’s office. They hadn’t made an appointment. O’Hara’s secretary disappeared into his office, then came out. “He’ll see you,” she said.
    “Please call Mr. Regenstein’s office and tell him we’re with Mr. O’Hara,” Stone said. He and Rick went into the private office and closed the door behind him.

    “Rick!” O’Hara said rising to greet him with a handshake. “How are you?”
    “Very well, Billy,” Grant said. “I’d like you to meet someone; this is Stone Barrington.”
    O’Hara’s handshake stopped before it got started; he was clearly nonplussed. That was enough to convince Stone.
    Stone and Rick sat down.
    “What can I do for you?” O’Hara asked. He was making an effort to regain his poise.
    “You’d better deal with the phone call first,” Rick said. Immediately, the phone rang.
    The secretary’s voice came over the intercom. “Mr. Regenstein for you,” she said.
    “Tell your secretary to go to lunch,” Rick said.
    “She’s already been to lunch,” O’Hara replied, his hand on the phone.
    “Tell her to go again.”
    “Robin,” O’Hara said into the intercom, “go over to Office Supplies and stock up on everything. Give me an hour here.” He picked up the phone. “Lou? How are you?”
    Stone and Rick could hear Regenstein’s voice blaring over the instrument; he was clearly very angry.
    “Wait a minute, Lou,” O’Hara was saying, “let’s talk about this.”
    Regenstein went on at some length, and O’Hara wasn’t getting a word in edgewise. “All right,” he said finally, then hung up.
    “Billy,” Rick said, “even though you no longer work for Centurion Studios, we have Mr. Regenstein’s permission to use this office for as long as it takes.”
    “As long as what takes?” O’Hara said shakily.Most of the color had drained from his face.
    “Billy, you were a good cop, maybe even an outstanding one, but that’s not going to help you now, unless I have your complete cooperation.”
    “About what?” O’Hara asked.
    “Here’s how it is: you’re under arrest for kidnapping and murder one; there’ll be other charges later. You know your rights, but consider that I just read them to you.”
    “Kidnapping? Murder? What are you talking about, Rick?”
    “Shut up and listen to me. I’m going to give you an opportunity you’ll never have again after this meeting. I’m going to go out on a limb and offer you complete immunity from prosecution, if you tell meeverything right now. You’ll have to testify against Ippolito, Sturmack, and Barone, and anybody else involved, but after they’re