I remembered a newspaper photograph I’d once seen in the restaurant’s waiting area: Vincent Moretti shaking hands with a narrow-faced man at a port redevelopment announcement.

The man beside him wore silver cufflinks.

“That could be him,” I said, “but I wouldn’t identify anyone from that memory alone.”

Ellis nodded.

“Good.

Don’t talk yourself into certainty.”

She showed me a set of booking records that established Vale had reserved the private dining room on earlier dates.

The police were still examining what happened the night Vincent collapsed.