Angelo tossed the mooring line onto the boat, scampered across the gangplank, and pulled the gangplank aboard. "All clear," he shouted up to the bridge deck. As the yacht began to move out of its slip, Angelo went around and pulled in the thick, white bumpers. As he did so, he was caught in the reddish glow of the running lights that Franco had just turned on.

BRENNAN HOVERED BEHIND the fuel pump for longer than he thought necessary. He didn't want to take any additional chances. He was worried that while he was trying to make out the name of the yacht, he'd caught Angelo's attention. The problem had been that in the corner of his field of vision, Brennan had seen Angelo suddenly stand bolt upright and stare directly toward him for a beat. Brennan realized after the fact that it was possible for light from the yacht to reflect off the front of his rather large binoculars.

When the sound of the yacht's engines had receded enough that he was reasonably sure he'd not be seen, Brennan hazarded a glance around the pump and saw the Full Speed Ahead's running lights close to two hundred yards beyond the end of the pier. Believing there was no way he could be seen at such a distance, he jogged back down the pier, past Franco's car, and then all the way up to the rear of the marina's parking lot. He didn't see Carlo's black Denali until he was almost upon it. He quickly climbed into the front passenger seat. He was out of breath. "Well?" Carlo demanded.

Brennan held up his hand to give himself a few deep breaths.

"They took her onto a yacht," Brennan managed.

"Since we've come to a marina, that's not all that enlightening, especially since you thought they drugged her in the bar."

"I'm sure they drugged her!" Brennan shot back. He didn't like being ordered around by Carlo. "They had to practically carry her out of the bar."

"Okay, okay! Don't take offense."

"You should do some of the running around if you don't trust me."

"I said okay, they drugged her," Carlo said. "Do you think this ridiculous shenanigan was just to pork her? I mean, this has been a lot of effort. There's certainly enough broads out in Queens so that they didn't need to come all the way out here in the sticks."

"It can't be just to get laid," Brennan said disparagingly. "What's the matter with you; are you stupid?"

For a moment, the two men stayed quiet. The strain of the evening's activities had gotten to them. Finally, Carlo spoke: "We shouldn't be busting each other's balls. This has not been a picnic like I thought it would be. With that said, we have to come up with something to tell the boss."

"They made the effort to take the yacht out. I can't imagine they'd bother if they just planned on getting laid, nor would they make such an effort with a chick that certainly wasn't special. We are missing some major piece of information."

"You really didn't hear anything they said back at the bar?"

Brennan glared at Carlo.

"Okay okay you already said you didn't. It's too bad, though. It was the perfect opportunity."

"The music was too loud. It was boom, boom, boom," Brennan said while repeatedly slapping his fist into his open palm. "I couldn't hear myself think, much less someone else's conversation."

"Maybe they took the boat out so after they finish with her, they'll just dump her into the drink."

"That seems like a weak explanation to me," Brennan said, suppressing the urge to make a stronger value judgment. He knew that one of the benefits of a date-rape pill, if that was what they probably gave her, was that the woman remembered zilch.

"Well, we can't follow them anymore tonight unless they come back."

Give me a break, Brennan thought but did not say. Instead, he said, "Thanks to my binoculars, which I brought along, I think I know the name of the boat. I mean, I couldn't see it too well, and it was bouncing up and down, but it looked like Full Speed Ahead."

Carlo turned to Brennan. "Hey, that might be something Barbera would like to know."

Oh, really? Brennan questioned silently and sarcastically. Sometimes he truly wondered how Carlo had gotten to where he was in the organization.

Carlo got out his cell phone and called Louie Barbera.

When Barbera was on the line, Carlo gave a quick description of their evening so far. Louie was instantly taken aback. His first question was the name of the business where the girl worked, but unfortunately, Carlo and Brennan had no idea. Louie then asked them if by any slim chance they knew the name of the boat.

"We think it is Full Speed Ahead. It was dark and hard to see, but Brennan brought along some binoculars, and that was what it looked like."

Brennan nodded to acknowledge Carlo's giving him the credit. "You guys are doing a good job," Louie said. "That could be very interesting information. As far as I know, no one is aware Vinnie Dominick is hiding a yacht in New Jersey. It could be the answer to how he's getting his drugs these days."

"What do you want us to do?"

"Hang out and see when they come back and whether the girl's with them or not. If it's early enough, go back to the Trump Tower. I want a list of the businesses with office space. Something's going on with one of those businesses, and I'd like to know what it is."

Carlo disconnected with Louie and turned to Brennan. "Did you hear? We've got to sit tight."

"Thanks for giving me credit about the boat's name."

"Hey, you deserved it. What do you say we go find some coffee? Who knows how long these dorks will be out for their romantic cruise."

"That's the best idea you've had today," Brennan said.

"WELL?" FRANCO ASKED when Angelo came back up onto the bridge deck. Franco had the big boat up to a reasonable speed so that it was just planing. He could have gone considerably faster, but there was no need, and the diesels made a tremendous, earsplitting roar when they were pushed much faster.

"She said she liked me better because your dick is so small."

Franco took a playful swing at Angelo, which Angelo easily evaded. Earlier, Franco had won the coin toss, and while Angelo piloted the boat, he'd gone down to have his way with the unconscious Amy. After that, it had been Angelo's turn.

"How far are we going to go?" Angelo asked. He looked out at the New York City skyline to the left and the Jersey shoreline to the right. In the middle distance ahead was the illuminated Statue of Liberty.

"About the same as last night. Did you get the chain out?"

"Not yet."

They rode in silence for a short while until Angelo said, "What are we going to do?"

"Why are you asking? We're going to do just what we did last night. Shoot her and throw her overboard."

"Why bother to shoot her?"

Franco took his eyes off the water in front and regarded Angelo in the half-light of the bridge. "She'd be still alive when we tossed her into the drink."

"So what?"

Franco shrugged. "It doesn't seem right throwing her into the water alive. It's not human."

"So you think you are human. Is that it, Franco?"

Franco redirected his attention to the water in front. He saw some running lights of a boat off the starboard side on a course across their bow. He backed down the engines and the boat slowed quickly.

"What the hell are you driving at?" Franco questioned angrily. "Are you trying to play with my mind somehow?"

"Hell, no!" Angelo exclaimed. "Jeez, calm down! I'm just asking because actually, I feel the same way. It's just not right throwing her in without icing her first. But that makes me wonder if we're two old softies."

"Hey, speak for yourself."

"Franco, this is a discussion, not an argument. In comparison with the wiseguys of old, particularly the enforcers like us, we're pussycats."