Laurence Shames: Florida Straits (USA 1993)

From the Publisher:
Joey Goldman's flying south for the winter. The second-string New York wiseguy just packed up his faithful girlfriend Sandra and took off for Key West - land of sun, surf and sleaze - where a small-time hustler in search of a racket can score the big one. If he can find it. Enter Joey's half brother Gino. On the lam from the mob after one of the most royally screwed-up jewel heists in Florida history, Gino's a man in need of a fall guy. Which is where Joey comes in...

Suddenly, everyone's after Joey - including the ruthless Miami don who wants his three million worth of uncut emeralds and who just dispatched his goons to deliver Joey a one-way ticket - out. Now Joey's where he always wanted to be - in the big time. All he has to do is find out where the stones are stashed. And for an unikely hero out to make a killing, this could be Paradise... if he lives long enough.

Laurence Shames: Florida Straits. Dell, ISBN: 0440215110 (June, 1993), 368 S., $6.50.