Bertie and Bill agreed to join Matt for breakfast at the La Cuoco Hotel restaurant. The three had located themselves at a corner table far enough away from earshot and peering eyes of arriving customers. Service was slow and for the most part they had the restaurant to themselves, a situation more likely due to the off-putting morning hour of 6:30 than anything else. Earlier the waitress had laid down a flask of hot coffee and a mug for each of them then disappeared.

“Thank goodness for litt...