Cody unlocked the wheelhouse doors. Unlike Nick, Boz could be counted on not to leave them wide open. "Boz? You here?" Cody called out just in case Murray was so wrapped up in his research that he didn't hear them or feel the boat roll when they'd stepped onboard.

"Down here, guys."

When they walked in the computer room, Murray was typing away on his keyboard, the printer was humming and spitting out pages of data, and random machines were beeping and blinking. Of course, Boz would disagree with the term, 'random,' and then describe exactly what each different piece did. Something like, "That's a cyclo-animatronic relay processor communicating with the modulating microwave…" And Nick would roll his eyes and say, "It's the what's-it doodah talking to the blah-blah thing-a-ma-jig."

Funny thing was that despite the way he still teased Boz, Nick had picked up a little about Murray's computers over the years. It started as a way to get back at Cody when he went a little overboard with Baby Katie, but once Nick decided to follow Murray's long-winded explanations (instead of just tuning them out), he actually began to catch on. And when he started learning, he didn't let go. Granted, he still didn't slave over the systems and study Boz's manuals, but he also didn't completely blow off Murray's complicated technical explanations any more either.

And truthfully, Cody had tried to absorb some of the information himself. When Murray got kidnapped by Deedee Giddian and Uptown Bill Brown, Cody desperately wished he'd known how to use Boz's equipment in the Mimi. He'd been terrified they would lose Murray because he hadn't been paying attention, and he'd ended up just punching random buttons while holding the equipment like he'd seen Murray do. Fortunately, by sheer luck, it sort of worked. After that, Cody tried to pay a little closer attention to what Boz was doing when they were in the helicopter.

At any rate, Murray glanced up when they walked in. "Hey, I got some really good information here."

"That's great, Murray. Oh, and we can scratch Eduardo Carritas from the suspect list."

"Oh? What'd you find out?"

"That his family borrowed money to bet on volleyball, and Carritas refused to cheat; that's why they're in so much debt."

"Really? Imagine your own family trying to use you that way…"

"Yeah. I'd probably never want to play again if it was me. So what'd you find out?"

Boz looked thoughtful, "Actually, our best suspect might be doing something quite similar."

Cody caught Nick's eye, "How so?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. First let me explain my methodology."

Nick sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "Can't we just skip to the important part?"

"Nick, I really think you and Cody should be aware of how I reach my conclusions. You might have another idea that makes even more sense."

"Murray, you know more about all the different kinds of logic than anyone I know. I trust you."

"And I appreciate that, Nick, but how many times have we seen people act completely illogically? If there's anything I've learned from you and Cody, it's that sometimes you have to go with your instincts."

At Nick's pained look, Cody fought a grin. "That sounds…logical, buddy."

Nick's face promised Cody retribution. "Okay, Boz, I'm all ears."

Murray grinned like a little kid. He was a born teacher and purely loved explanations. "So when I left Jimmy Wu's—which by the way, that's a very nice set-up he has. We discussed the different ways he might use computers in his work. I offered to consult for him—"

Simultaneously, "Murray!"

Boz snapped back on point. "Sorry. So James—he asked me to call him that—had narrowed the list to about twenty people after going through his books and the wagers of the other…business-people…who agreed to help. Unfortunately, two of these likely suspects are foreign nationals. It's more difficult to get information on them. Well, it's not that it's more difficult really, it's just that the data is in a foreign language. Of course, I have translation programs, but it takes longer to obtain the information as a result of the extra steps, plus waiting on the satellites to move into the right position and for the local traffic to ease off so they don't notice I'm poking around. I mean, clearly it can be done as I was able to get the information on the Carritas family, but it's a bit more complicated and time consuming."

Nick still blood shot eyes began to glaze over. Cody let out a deep breath and patted Nick's back. They just had to let Murray run his course.

"So anyway, because of the extra time involved, I put the two people from outside the country on the back burner so to speak, and I concentrated on the Americans. And I believe I may have found our culprit."

Cody leaned over to study what Boz was looking at on the screen.

"Harold Ottaviano."

Nick narrowed his eyes, "Who is he?"

Murray pointed to the screen, "According to the IRS, he works in shipping in south Florida and makes about sixty thousand a year."

Uneasy, Cody glanced at Nick, "Shipping. In south Florida. Is that another way of saying Import/Export? Smuggling?"

Boz nodded briefly, "I think so. One of the former partners in Ottaviano's company went to prison for racketeering."

Nick's head dropped straight to his chest in utter defeat, "Great. The Mob."

"Looks like it."

Cody sighed and closed his eyes in regret. Why did this always happen?

Nick rubbed his eyes again, "So why do you think the Bent Nose Brigade is involved?"

Murray shrugged slightly, "I don't think they are; just Harold Ottaviano who also happens to be part of The Mob."

Cody tried to follow Murray's trail. When he still didn't get it, he glanced at Nick to assess his understanding…but his partner looked lost, too. Cody turned back to Murray. "I think you're gonna have to explain that, Boz. Ottaviano is mobbed up, but The Mob's not rigging the tournament?"

"That's my guess. He might be using mob intimidation techniques and maybe even a few personnel, but I don't think any of his Miami cronies are in on this."

Nick looked hopelessly confused, "Why not?"

Murray's smile was triumphant, "None of them have made wagers—at least not sizeable ones. And because it appears that Harold Ottaviano is Justin Decker's birth father."

Cody ran Justin Decker through his mental rolodex and finally placed the name. He was half of a volleyball team from Florida. "Decker and Newton?"

Murray nodded with a crafty grin. "Justin Decker is Ottaviano's illegitimate son."

Nick's mouth dropped open, and Cody blinked in shock, "How do you know that?"

Murray pulled a stack of pages from a pile that looked just like every other pile on his desk. "Educated guess. I was researching Ottaviano's bank records after it appeared that he was living far above his reported income. You know, I really don't understand why the IRS doesn't do more audits when the evidence is so overwhelming. Anyway, I started tracing his bank transactions through the years, and I found regular checks written to a Ms. Marilyn Decker that began just before her son, Justin, was born. The checks continued monthly through his college graduation. It seemed pretty clear."

"I wonder if Decker is aware of who his father is?"

Murray shrugged and pushed his glasses up his nose, "I've not been able to clarify that. I can't establish any clear contact between them."

"Not at all?" Once he'd said it, Cody tried to figure out how Murray could go about finding proof. Cody couldn't think of anything himself, but he was used to Murray working miracles.

"Sorry, Cody. The only irrefutable way I've come up with would be if we asked him or his mother."

Cody shook his head, "If Decker doesn't already know, we could ruin the guy's life."

Nick folded his arms, "If we find out Ottaviano is behind all this, his life will be screwed for a while anyway."

Murray agreed, "Here's what I think: Ottaviano has been watching Justin grow up, supporting him financially with checks to his mother, and now that Justin has become firmly involved in beach volleyball, Ottaviano decided to help his kid along by getting the better teams to drop out. And if he can also make an easy buck at the same time, so much the better."

Cody sighed, mulling over the new information. He glanced at Nick who looked unhappy. "We're gonna have to talk to Decker tonight. See what he knows about his father."

"And we'll have to go to Quinlan. He's gonna need information about Ottaviano and his mob buddies in Florida."

Cody's next sigh was even deeper.

While Nick was in the shower, Cody went through the salon. Still no sign of the cookies. The head was really too small to hide the package, and Murray's area was generally off limits to most of his and Nick's shenanigans. Plus, there was an excellent chance Boz might find the cookies and eat them himself, so Cody doubted Nick would hide them in there.

If Nick had managed to get the cookies rewrapped in an airtight container, he might have stored them somewhere on deck. Another idea was the engine compartment, but Cody didn't have the time to inspect it at the moment. He had to get ready for the reception, too. Regardless, he still wasn't ready to give up the quest for Joyce Harwell's cookies.