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“It’s a very good detector, Charley,” Pevsner said.
“Well, now that you know we’re not trying to steal your silver,” Castillo said, “can we get to the business at hand?”
“Absolutely,” Pevsner said. “But first, come in and say hello to another old friend of yours.”
He gestured for them to pass through the double doors. Charley went first, and, as he entered the room, Howard Kennedy walked up to him, smiling, and put out his hand.
“Mr. Dondiemo,” Castillo said.
“Mr. Castillo,” Kennedy said. “How good to see you.” He looked at Pevsner. “Did I hear a buzzer just now?”
“This is Mr. Lopez,” Pevsner said. “Charley’s cousin. He has a .45.”
“And that’s all, Howard. We’re not wired,” Charley said.
Kennedy ignored the remark.
“You said something about needing a flat roof?” he said and motioned for Charley to follow him onto an unusually wide balcony, furnished with upholstered cast-aluminum deck furniture. Kennedy pushed a button on the wall as he went through open sliding-glass doors. There was an electric hum and the awning shading the balcony began to retract.
“Will that do?” Kennedy asked, pointing to the roof.
“Sherman?” Castillo called and Sergeant Sherman came out on the balcony.
Castillo pointed to the roof.
Sherman looked and then nodded.
“I’ll probably even have room to put it far enough from the edge so it won’t attract attention from the ground,” Sherman said.
“Do you think you could find a bellman to show Mr. Sherman how to get to the roof? And help him with his luggage? ” Castillo asked.
“As I told you on the phone, Charley, your wish is our command,” Kennedy said.
“How long is that going to take you, Sherman?” Castillo asked.
“Not long,” Sherman said.
He went to his enormous hard-sided suitcase, removed the control panel and its laptop-sized computer, and put them on a small desk beside the windows leading to the balcony and then closed the suitcase. When he started to pick it up, Pevsner snapped his fingers and two of the bellmen went quickly to him to take it from him.
Sherman looked at Castillo, smiled, and shrugged, as if to say, “What the hell, why not,” and then started after the men with the suitcase.
Sherman touched the small of his back, as if adjusting a pistol in his waistband.
Sure, he’s got a pistol. Delta Force, like Mr. Pevsner, tries to be prepared for anything.
I wonder why the detector didn’t pick it up?
Or probably it did. It picked up both pistols at the same time but only Fernando fessed up.
Alex, my friend, your security isn’t as hole-proof as you think.
As Sherman went out of the apartment, two white-jacketed waiters came in, each pushing a serving cart before him.
“I thought you might need a little something to eat after your flight,” Pevsner said. “But before we do that, has everyone met my cousin, Roberto, sometimes called ‘Howard’?”
Everyone shook hands with Howard Kennedy.
The waiters began laying out an elaborate breakfast buffet. When one of the chrome domes over a large plate was removed, Castillo saw eggs Benedict.
