Wayne Tarrance had improved his wardrobe by Friday of Cayman Week。 Gone were the straw sandals and tight shorts and teenybop sunglasses。 Gone were the sickly…pale legs。 Now they were bright pink； burned beyond recognition。 After three days in the tropical outback known as Cayman Brae； he and Acklin； acting on behalf of the U。S。 government； had pounced on a rather cheap room on Grand Cayman； miles from Seven Mile Beach and not within walking distance of any remote portion of the sea。 Here they had established a mand post to monitor the ings and goings of the McDeeres and other interested people。 Here； at the Coconut Motel； they had shared a small room with two single beds and cold showers。 Wednesday morning； they had contacted the subject； McDeere； and requested a meeting as soon as possible。 He said no。 Said he was too busy。 Said he and his wife were honeymooning and had no time for such a meeting。 Maybe later； was all he said。
Then late Thursday； while Mitch and Abby were enjoying grilled grouper at the Lighthouse on the road to Bodden Town； Laney； Agent Laney； dressed in appropriate island garb and looking very much like an island Negro； stopped at their table and laid down the law。 Tarrance insisted on a meeting。
Chickens had to be imported into the Cayman Islands； and not the best ones。 Only medium…grade chickens； to be consumed not by native islanders but by Americans away from home without this most basic staple。 Colonel Sanders had the damnedest time teaching the island girls； though black or close to it； how to fry chicken。 It was foreign to them。
And so it was that Special Agent Wayne Tarrance； of the Bronx； arranged a quick secret meeting at …the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise on the island of Grand Cayman。 The only such franchise。 He thought the place would be deserted。 He was wrong。
A hundred hungry tourists from Georgia； Alabama； Texas and Mississippi packed the place and devoured extra…crispy with cole slaw and creamed potatoes。 It tasted better in Tupelo； but it would do。
Tarrance and Acklin sat in a booth in the crowded restaurant and nervously watched the front door。 It was not too late to abort。 There were just too many people。 Finally； Mitch entered； by himself； and stood in the long line。 He brought his little red box to their table and sat down。 He did not say hello or anything。 He began eating the three…piece dinner for which he paid 4。89； Cayman dollars。 Imported chicken。
〃Where have you been？〃 Tarrance asked。
Mitch attacked a thigh。 〃On the island。 It's stupid to meet here； Tarrance。 Too many people。〃
〃We know what we're doing。〃
〃Yeah； like the Korean shoe store。〃
〃Cute。 Why wouldn't you see us Wednesday？〃
〃I was busy Wednesday。 I didn't want to see you Wednesday。 Am I clean？〃
〃Of course you're clean。 Laney would've tackled you at the front door if you weren't clean。〃
〃This place makes me nervous； Tarrance。〃
〃Why did you go to Abanks？〃
Mitch wiped his mouth and held the partially devoured thigh。 A rather small thigh。 〃He's got a boat。 I wanted to fish and snorkel； so we cut a deal。 Where were you； Tarrance？ In a submarine trailing us around the island？〃
〃What did Abanks say？〃
〃Oh； he knows lots of words。 Hello。 Give me a beer。 Who's following us？ Buncha words。〃
〃They followed you； you know？〃
〃They！ Which they？ Your they or their they？ I'm being followed so much I'm causing traffic jams。〃
〃The bad guys； Mitch。 Those from Memphis and Chicago and New York。 The ones who'll kill you tomorrow if you get real cute。〃
〃I'm touched。 So they followed me。 Where'd I take them？ Snorkeling？ Fishing？ e on； Tarrance。 They follow me； you follow them； you follow me； they follow you。 If I slam on brakes I get twenty noses up my ass。 Why are we meeting here； Tarrance？ This place is packed。〃
Tarrance glanced around in frustration。
Mitch closed his chicken box。 〃Look； Tarrance； I'm nervous and I've lost my appetite。〃
〃Relax。 You were clean ing from the condo。〃 ^
〃I'm always clean； Tarrance。 I suppose Hodge and Kozinski were clean every time they moved。 Clean at Abanks。 Clean on the dive boat。 Clean at the funerals。 This was not a good idea； Tarrance。 I'm leaving。〃
〃Okay。 When does your plane leave？〃
〃Why？ You guys plan to follow？ Will you follow me or them？ What if they follow you？ What if we all get real confused and I follow everybody？〃
〃e on； Mitch。〃
〃Nine…forty in the morning。 I'll try to save you a seat。 You can have the window next to Two…Ton Tony。〃
〃When do we get your files？〃
Mitch stood with his chicken box。 〃In a week or so。 Give me ten days； and； Tarrance； no more meetings in public。 They kill lawyers； remember； not stupid FBI agents。〃
26
AT eight Monday morning； Oliver Lambert and Nathan Locke were cleared through the concrete wall on the fifth floor and walked through the maze of small rooms and offices。 DeVasher was waiting。 He closed the door behind them and pointed to the chairs。 His walk was not as quick。 The night had been a long losing battle with the vodka。 The eyes were red and the brain expanded with each breath。
〃I talked with Lazarov yesterday in Las Vegas。 I explained as best I could why you boys were so reluctant to fire your four lawyers； Lynch； Sorrell； Buntin and Myers。 I gave him all your good reasons。 He said he'd think about it； but in the meantime； make damned sure those four work on nothing but clean files。 Take no chances and watch them closely。〃
〃He's really a nice guy； isn't he？〃 Oliver Lambert said。
〃Oh yes。 A real charmer。 He said Mr。 Morolto has asked about once a week for six weeks now。 Said they're all anxious。〃
〃What did you tell him？〃 ；
〃Told him things are secure； for now。 Leaks are plugged； for now。 I don't think he believes me。〃
〃What about McDeere？〃 asked Locke。
〃He had a wonderful week with h'is wife。 Have you ever seen her in a string bikini？ She wore one all week。 Outstanding！ We got some pictures； just for fun。〃
〃I didn't e here to look at pictures；〃 Locke snapped。
〃You don't say。 They spent an entire day with our little pal Abanks； just the three of them and a deckhand。 They played in the water； did some fishing。 And they did a lot of talking。 About what； we don't know。 Never could get close enough。 But it makes me very suspicious； guys。 Very suspicious。〃
〃I don't see why；〃 said Oliver Lambert。 〃What can they talk about besides fishing and diving； and； of course； Hodge and Kozinski？ And so they talk about Hodge and Kozinski； what's the harm？〃
〃He never knew Hodge and Kozinski； Oliver；〃 said Locke。 〃Why would he be so interested in their deaths？〃
〃Keep in mind；〃 said DeVasher； 〃that Tarrance told him at their first meeting that the deaths were not accidental。 So now he's Sherlock Holmes looking for clues。〃
〃He won't find any； will he； DeVasher？〃
〃Hell no。 It was a perfect job。 Oh sure； there are a few unanswered questions； but the Caymanian police damned sure can't answer them。 Neither can our boy McDeere。〃
〃Then why are you worried？〃 asked Lambert。
〃Because they're worried in Chicago； Ollie； and they pay me real good money to stay worried down here。 And until the Fibbies leave us alone； everybody stays worried； okay？〃
〃What else did he do？〃
〃The usual Cayman vacation。 Sex； sun； rum； a little shopping and sightseeing。 We had three people on the island； and they lost him a couple of times； but nothing serious； I hope。 Like I've always said； you can't trail a man twenty…four hours a day； seven days a week； without getting caught。 So we have to play it cool sometimes。〃
〃You think McDeere's talking？〃 asked Locke。
〃I know he lies； Nat。 He lied about the incident in the Korean shoe store a month ago。 You guys didn't want to believe it； but I'm convinced he went into that store voluntarily because he wanted to talk with Tarrance。 One of our guys made a mistake； got too close； so the little meeting broke up。 That ain't McDeere's version； but that's what happened。 Yeah； Nat； I think he's talking。 Maybe lie meets with Tarrance and tells him to go to hell。 Maybe they're smoking dope together。 I don't know。〃
〃But you have nothing concrete； DeVasher；〃 Ollie said。
The brain expanded and pressed mightily against the skull。 It hurt too much to get mad。 〃No； Ollie； nothing like Hodge and Kozinski； if that's what you mean。 We had those boys on tape and knew they were about to talk。 McDeere's a little different。〃
〃He's also a rookie；〃 said Nat。 〃An eight…month lawyer who knows nothing。 He's spent a thousand hours on sweat files； and the only clients he's handled have been legitimate。 Avery's been extremely careful about the files McDeere's touched。 We've talked about it。〃
〃He has nothing to say； because he knows nothing；〃 added Ollie。 〃Marty and Joe knew a helluva lot； but they'd been here for years。 McDeere's a new recruit。〃
DeVasher gently massaged his temples。 〃So you've hired a real dumb…ass。 Let's just suppose the FBI has a hunch who our biggest client is。 Okay。 Think along with me。 And let's just suppose Hodge and Kozinski fed them enough to confirm the identity of this particular client。 See wh