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Prologue

The night ar over greater Los Angeles was lit frohts of Santa Catalina Island twinkled like the eyes of a merry whore Only a couple of hundred yards frohts of dozens of small craft winked as the wake froht them and made them rock Stone took a deep breath, which was difficult, since one nostril was clogged by an allergy to LA air, and his mouth was sealed shut with duct tape

“Christ, Vinnie,” the other one, whose naht there in the tool box”

“I’, Manny,” Vinnie replied

“Any kind of pliers will do—short-nosed, long-nosed—anything”

“I said, I’ainst h the tool chest

“Jesus,” Manny said “I’d like to get at a steak before the night is over”

“I’, Manny,” Vinnie said Triuot them”

“Give them to me,” Manny said He accepted the pliers froth of three-eighths anchor chain with the other The chain rapped twice around Stone’s waist “Now hand me the shackle,” Manny said

“This one?” Vinnie asked, holding up a large stainless steel shackle

“Isn’t there a galvanized one in there?” Manny asked “Stainless is real expensive; Oney will give us hell”

“Like this?” Vinnie asked, holding up another shackle

“That will do nicely,” Manny replied, accepting the shackle “Come hold the chain for a minute”

Vinnie came and held the chain while Manny unscrewed the pin and slipped the shackle through two of the chain links Then he inserted the pin, screwed it finger-tight, and tightened it further with the pliers “There,” he said, tossing the pliers at the toolbox and

“Stone,” Manny said, “I’ to have to ask you to hop a few steps toward the transo”

Stone turned and looked at Manny as if he were an oversized, seether, and he had no intention of assisting Manny and Vinnie in their endeavor

“Okay, okay,” Manny said “Vinnie, grab an arm Stone, it really would help if you would hop just a little”

Stone sighed as well as he could through one nostril, then gave a hop and collapsed over the tool box, scattering its contents over the deck